Gudsell honoured by sports club
Advocate for cycle racing and TA sport now a life member
Te Awamutu Rugby Sports & Recreation Club welcomed Stuart Gudsell as the third life member of the club last Tuesday at their sponsors’ evening. Gudsell has been involved in the Te Awamutu Sports Cycling Club for about 30 years — as a rider, committee member and president (late 1990s into early 2000s).
His involvement in the club ramped up when his son Tim began cycling as a junior and went on to win national titles, on both road and track, before riding professionally in Europe from 2007 until 2012.
Gudsell was instrumental in organising the inaugural Te Awamutu Junior Tour in 2001.
The tour was held annually for 19 years and considered the premier junior tour in the country, attracting upwards of 250 junior cyclists from around New Zealand.
The under-15 to under-19 age group riders were eager to impress the national selectors who attended the three-day event.
Gudsell’s hard work, determination and network of contacts ensured the success of the tour, with many winners going on to carve out careers on the professional circuit overseas.
Gudsell was president at a time when the club was in a rebuilding phase.
He, along with his dedicated and knowledgeable committee, was able to increase membership and build it into the strong, successful club it is today.
Te Awamutu Rugby Sports & Recreation Club wholly supported the nomination for Gudsell to become a life member of their club.
Gudsell gets on his bike and races weekly in the E-grade during the Tuesday night Spoken Cycles Summer series.
As well as his passion for cycling, he was nominated as a club board member in 2008, and two years later was nominated as club board president, a role he performed for a decade.
Gudsell was always on hand to fulfil his duties as board president, always checking in with the general manager and staff and representing the club at events such as the Trustpower Community Awards, where they won the supreme award for community involvement and empowering volunteers.
Te Awamutu Rugby Sports & Recreation Club also acknowledge Gudsell’s wife, Diane, for her support of Stuart, at a code and club level.