Begg delighted top speedskating back in Timaru Soapbox derby returns
The return of top level speedskating to Timaru has the sport’s South Canterbury guru Bill Begg ‘‘very happy’’.
Begg has confirmed Timaru will host the 2022 Oceania Championships at its banked track at Caroline Bay and at Levels Raceway on September 8-12.
‘‘It was supposed to be in Timaru in 2020 and then 2021, but both were cancelled [because of Covid and travel problems], but now it has been approved for here in September.
‘‘It was last here in 2018 and this will be the fourth time in past decade to be in Timaru.’’
While Begg is happy at the event’s return, he laments that a number of South Canterbury skaters picked in the original New Zealand team for the championships will not be present as they have either moved on to university or work out of town.
Begg, a life member of both South Canterbury and New Zealand roller sports, said the original New Zealand team of 31 included 14 South Canterbury club members.
‘‘Due to changing circumstances, nominations for consideration will be opened for a brief period. Some local selections are likely to drop out, but there is the possibility of one or two more inclusions.’’
Begg said two years of no Oceania champs and overseas competition had an effect on the South Canterbury club for older competitors.
‘‘The top ones had been working a decade for worlds and lost motivation, but the club is stronger than ever with young ones
‘‘The top ones had been working a decade for worlds and lost motivation, but the club is stronger than ever with young ones and some good masters.’’ Bill Begg
South Canterbury and New Zealand coach
and some good masters.’’
Begg said the four grades would be cadet (under-15), junior (under-18), senior and masters.
Tough competition is expected from Australia which has just held its national championships and named a team of about 30.
Begg is coach of the New Zealand team for the Oceania and world championships (in Argentina in October) with Roxanne Green, of Blenheim, the manager.
The Timaru event which highlights and raises funds for men’s mental health is back after Covid-19 stopped the event last year, and organisers are excited that all funds raised will be put back into the community.
The soapbox derby was brought back in 2017 for the first time since the 1980s.
Event organiser Richard Brown said the event was about having fun, raising awareness of men’s health, and ‘‘getting guys together in a shed talking and building networks’’.
‘‘We want to get the message out for people to get in their shed and start building now.’’
The event is scheduled for October 30, which gives people more than three months to make their cart.
‘‘The community will be pleased to know that this year the money raised from the event will be going back into the community, but our focus is still about men’s mental health,’’ Brown said.
This is the first year that Alpine Energy have become a naming sponsor, which will help the organisers give more money to local charities, he said.
Brown said since they have been able to get the word out earlier this year they have heard from teams that have competed in previous years, that will come back.
‘‘People should know that their might not be any bikes left at the Crows Nest for a while,’’ Brown said.