Interest in forming cycling club growing

Interest to form a supporters’ club for competitive cycling in Southland is gaining momentum, enthusiasts say.

Seven staunch advocates of the sport - Tony Ineson, Ron Giles, Ray and Peter Robinson, Peter Kett, Laurie Tall and Trevor McLeay - are arranging a meeting at the Ascot Park Hotel on May 28 to discuss forming a club.

A recent ring around in the Southland cycling community by the committee resulted in 70 or 80 people giving the thumbs up to the club.

Giles said the club was about fellowship and would keep cycling followers in better contact with each other.

Kett has knowledge to share as he is vice-president of Rugby Southland’s Supporters’ Club.

Ineson, who is patron and a life member of Cycling Southland, came up with the idea of a supporters’ club.

‘‘You run into old bike riders and people involved in the sport and they say, we should have a reunion.

‘‘There’s a lot of people out there who have been involved in cycling over the years and the only time you see some of them is at funerals,’’ he said.

Ineson and the other committee members have been involved in cycling at different levels of riding, coaching and administration for many years and all hold fond memories of the old Kew Bowl track in south Invercargill. Fundraising to send the St Peter’s College’s First XV to Canada and the United States is on schedule.

The rugby team will come up against players of their age group in club and university teams in Toronto, Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in July.

Funds for the trip were lifted last weekend when the school arranged a function attended by special guests, Olympian Lisa Carrington and musician Jason Kerrison.

Other fundraising activities include students working on farms, painting a shed, cleaning out under a wool shed, and selling firewood.