A power team of five – including four from Cambridge – New Zealand Para cyclists are poised to perform at the 2024 Para Cycling Track World Championships starting tomorrow (Thursday) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Nick Blincoe, Devon Briggs, Anna Taylor and Nicole Murray along with Ben Westenberg originally of Tauranga but now studying at Waikato University, are competing at the first track event of the Paralympic year. The event is also one of the final opportunities to secure all-important qualification points for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games (Aug-Sep 2024).
Murray and Taylor are favourites, having been crowned Omnium world champions at the last edition. Murray was also named the world’s best Female Summer Athlete in the 2023 PARA SPORT Awards, making her the C5 cyclist to beat.
Blincoe will have a packed schedule at the event, competing alongside fellow C4 Para athlete Westenberg, 18, who made his debut in the 2023 World Championships, bringing home a silver and a bronze medal.
Multiple World Championships medallist Devon Briggs (C3) will be looking to build on last year’s four medals. Just days too young to compete in Tokyo 2020, Briggs will be hungry to show he’s got what it takes to go to Paris.
Rio de Janeiro team: from left, Ben Westenberg (Tauranga), Nick Blincoe, Anna Taylor, Devon Briggs, Nicole Murray (all Cambridge). Photo: Paralympics New Zealand.
Rates up
Waikato District Council’s rates are to rise 13.75 per cent, its Annual Plan recommends. Affordability concerns have been a priority for the council, mayor Jacqui Church says. The proposed rate increase reflects the council’s commitment to maintaining essential services, completing planned projects, and upholding infrastructure standards. The council’s 2021-2031 Long Term Plan accounted for a consumer price index of 3.3% per year from June 2021, while actual costs have increased by almost three times this amount, at 9% per year. The proposed rate increase of 13.75% aims to sustain essential services and infrastructure, although with challenges posed by limited funding sources.
Dairy robbery
Members of the public intervened to stymie an aggravated robbery at Te Awamutu’s West End dairy in Alexandra Street on Monday. A group of youths made off with some items after raiding the dairy about 7.30am, police say.
New book
David Farrell
Cambridge author David Farrell’s latest book Where The Birds Don’t Fly, part of The Wilde Collection series, was released last week. Farrell, a father of six, has children scattered across the globe which helps his exploration of New Zealand, England, Portugal and Japan. Born in Africa, Farrell’s writing reflects his life experiences on three continents in his favourite genres of historical fiction, coming of age sagas, and non-fiction. He is currently writing his third and fourth novels in the series.
Numbers up
Passenger numbers on the regional bus services from Te Awamutu and Cambridge to Hamilton were up last month, coinciding with a return to school. Te Awamutu had 9450 bus goers – fourth best month post Covid – and Cambridge had 8036 – fifth best since the pandemic. The Te Kūiti Connector, which stops in Kihikihi, Te Awamutu and Ōhaupō, had its best month since the service started a year ago, with 977 passengers. The Tokoroa Connector, which stops in Cambridge, had 998 passengers.
Schick on board
Rodney Schick, who with wife Gina has run Windsor Park Stud at Leamington, for more than 20 years, has been appointed to the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Members’ Council. He fills a vacancy left by current TAB NZ General Manager Commercial, Jason Fleming, who left NZTR’s Board in July 2023.
New chair
Ruth Crampton, left, Louise Upston, right.
Ruth Crampton was elected the National Party’s Cambridge branch chair on Saturday. Party members also heard from Taupō MP Louise Upston on the party’s first 100 days in government at a fundraising event for Cambridge High School’s Jazz band.
Cycleways used
Numbers released by Waipā council show people are using shared pathways – including cycle and pedestrian access – in Cambridge and Te Awamutu. Hamilton Road had 7471 users in January and 7273 last month while Park Road had 3111 in January and 2687 last month. An infrared counting system designed for shared paths can differentiate between pedestrians and cyclists. Cycle numbers were higher than pedestrians in Cambridge but about the same in Te Awamutu.
Hospital transformation
Transformation team: (left-right) Sam Mitchell, Charge Nurse Manager DOSA Raewyn Wilson, Katrina Downing and Niki Houghton.
Waikato Hospital’s Day of Surgery has improved the experience for children by unveiling an art wall in the waiting room depicting the hospital and landmarks of Waikato and has hidden items for children to find. Children can take home activity bags containing crayons, an activity book, stickers, games, and colouring sheets matching the new artwork.
The waiting room is also equipped with toddler-friendly ride-on cars, sensory play spaces with squidgy floor tiles, and a fish tank.
Leaders meet
Waikato’s local authority leaders marked International Women’s Day at the quarterly Zone 2 meeting at Lake Karāpiro. Waipā had mayor Susan O’Regan, deputy mayor Liz Stolwyk and Clare St Pierre in attendance with Waikato’s Crystal Beavis. The meeting included a presentation from Waka Kotahi on the draft Land Transport Policy Statement.
Fluoride call
Kane Titchener
Waipā District Council is set to be pressed to put a hold on plans to introduce fluoride to water. The council was originally ordered to prepare to add fluoride to the Cambridge town supply in July 2022, but Kane Titchener, deputy chair of the Te Awamutu-Kihikihi Community Board, has told The News a notice of motion calling for a stall to work will be tabled this month.
Double winner
Cambridge trainer Shaune Ritchie celebrated a second major win with Mahrajaan last weekend. Mahrajaan became only the third horse to win the New Zealand Cup and the Auckland Cup in the same season.
Ritchie paid about $164,000 in the UK for the American bred gelding in 2022. Meanwhile, Rodney Schick, who with wife Gina has run Windsor Park Stud at Leamington for more than 20 years, has been appointed to the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Members’ Council.
New jobs
About 120 people will be employed at a newly opened pet food plant in the King Country. King Country Pet Food opened its Taumarunui plant this week, lauding a five year and $90 million investment.
