It’s PowerNet Tour of Southland Time Again

Southland’s very own version of the Tour de France – will soon be weaving its way around the province and passing by many schools along the way. The excitement is starting to mount as the PowerNet Tour of Southland gets closer and we would like your school to be part of this year’s action.

One of the reasons that the PowerNet Tour of Southland is billed as New Zealand’s best road cycling event is because of the amazing support that we receive annually from the schools and public throughout the region. It is the ultimate test for the competitors on their bikes and is the ultimate spectacle for those off us off the bike watching!

The 2012 PowerNet Tour of Southland will be held from Sunday 28th October to Saturday 3rd November.

We have again endeavoured to take this proud Southland sporting event past as many Southland schools as possible. If your school has not been a part of the Tour before, you can expect a field of in excess of 100 riders accompanied by colour and noise to pass by, complete with advance publicity vehicles followed by an impressive caravan of support vehicles.

This year’s event will pass by approximately 80 schools as the cyclists weave their way across the region and it would be great if your school could show its support by turning out when the Tour approaches and passes. A full schedule of the Tour summary, schools and approximate times are listed below.

The advance publicity vehicles will encourage your students to cheer the riders on and generate a great atmosphere. This has become a feature of the race that the competitors really enjoy and is a component that makes this Tour so popular among those competing. This year’s field will include the cream of New Zealand’s cycling talent plus several riders from throughout the world that have heard about the PowerNet Tour and are keen to come here to race.

So How Can We Get Involved?

There are so many ways you and your school can be part of the PowerNet Tour.

Pre-Event (October 22-26)

We are taking registrations of interest from schools looking to be visited by Cycling Southland and riders from the 2012 PowerNet Tour in the week leading up to the event. Cycling Southland’s coaching team including NZ representatives Dale Tye and Cathy Jordan will be joined by riders from the 2012 PowerNet Tour to let you know everything you ever wanted to know about cycling and the Tour of Southland.

They’ll teach you all about the life of a cyclist, the types of equipment the riders use and what happens in a race like the Tour.

There will be some fun prizes and giveaways and every school that registers will go in to the draw to win a fully coached cycling session at Southland’s famous Stadium Southland Velodrome.

All you need to do is email [email protected] with your school details, number of students involved and any preference regarding times. Please return your interest by the end of Wednesday 26th September.

Visits are scheduled for the following dates:

Tuesday October 23 9.30am 10.30am 11.30am Wednesday October 24 9.30am 10.30am 11.30am Thursday October 25 9.30am 10.30am 11.30am Friday October 26 9.30am 10.30am 11.30am

We would anticipate the visits would be 20-25 minutes in duration.

And as always the Share the Road team will be out in force, spreading their wonderful message about road and bike safety, including representatives from the Police Youth Education Service and Sport Southland, along with members of the Share the Road cycling team. They will be in direct contact with schools regarding their visits.

We are also collating information from all the teams involved in this year’s PowerNet tour so if you are keen for a visit in the week leading in to the Tour just let us know.

DURING THE TOUR

Sunday 28th October – The PowerNet Tour Launch Party

This year the Tour of Southland starts on Sunday 28th October with the Team’s Time Trial around Queens Park. Staff, parents and families are encouraged to attend our Launch Party and get up close to NZ’s best as we kick-off the 2012 PowerNet Tour with the ultimate cycling celebration.

Riding With The Stars 2.30pm Bring your bike and ride Queens Park with cycling’s superstars. Several of the Tour riders will be present plus some of our own cycling Stars who will accompany you on the short ride around Queens Park.

Team Presentations 3.00pm See all the 2012 riders and teams before they hit the road

Family Fun Day 3.30pm Cycling competitions, activities and fun for all ages, on and off the bike

Team Time Trial 4.30pm The all-action start to the 2012 PowerNet Tour of Southland

Mon 29th October to Fri 2nd November – The PowerNet Tour

All the action and colour of the Tour peloton will be coming to a road near you. Check out our Course Summary and the list of Schools on the Tour route below, along with approximate times of when the Tour will be passing through your area. Before the riders arrive, our Advance Publicity team will be out in front making sure you are ready to make lots of noise as the riders pass, because the louder you cheer, the faster they go.

We will be handing out PowerNet flags and drink bottles to schools who are interested in turning out to cheer the riders as they pass by your school. To confirm your school’s interest and to ensure that we don’t miss anyone’s allocation of drink bottles and flags, please email: [email protected].

NZ Police may also visit your school and we encourage your school to remember their road safety practises and make sure everyone (including teachers, support staff and parents) stay safe as the cyclists pass. Note: it usually pays to take your ear plugs as the students are encouraged to “support” the cyclists and there is a special mention of the school who offers the most “support”.

Stadium Southland Velodrome Stage Starts Schools are invited to come to the Velodrome for the various stage starts, to watch the riders prepare for the day’s racing and cheer them on their way. There will be opportunities for students to have autographs signed and spot prizes will also be handed out. The days that the Tour leaves the Velodrome are Monday 29th October, Tuesday 30th October and Friday 2nd November – all scheduled to leave at 10.00am. If you require further information regarding this, please contact the Cycling Southland office on (03) 217 3215.

COURSE SUMMARY

Sunday 28 October

Prologue - 4.2 km Riverside Rentals

Teams Time Trial Start Time: 4.30 pm Start Location: Feldwick Gates, Queens Park Finish Time: 5.30 pm Finish Location: Gala Street,

Monday 29 October

Stage 1 - 160 km Council

Invercargill - – Wrights Bush - Thornbury - – Orawia – – Nightcaps – – Lumsden

Start Time: 10:00am Start Location: ILT Velodrome, Invercargill Finish Time: 2:00pm (approx) Finish Location: Diana Street, Lumsden

Tuesday 30 October

Stage 2 – 140km Pub Charity

Invercargill – Lochiel - Winton – Oreti - Drummond - – Wallacetown – Otatara - Bluff

Start Time: 10:00am Start Location: ILT Velodrome, Invercargill Finish Time: 1:30pm (approx) Finish Location: Top of Bluff Hill, Bluff

Wednesday 31 October

Stage 3 – 50km Pub Charity & Waiau Hotel

Riverton – Colac Bay – - Start Time: 10:00am Start Location: Palmerston Street, Riverton Finish Time: 11:00am (approx) Finish Location: Waiau Hotel, Tuatapere

Stage 4 – 98km WHK

Tuatapere - Clifden – Blackmount – – Start Time: 1:00pm Start Location: Waiau Hotel, Main Street, Tuatapere Finish Time: 3.30pm (approx) Finish Location: Town Centre, Te Anau

Thursday 1 November

Stage 5 – 179km Lion Foundation

Te Anau – Mossburn – Five Rivers – Athol – Garston – Kingston – Frankton – Crown Range

Start Time: 10:00am Start Location: Te Anau Community Centre, Te Anau Finish Time: 3.00pm (approx) Finish Location: Lookout, Crown Range

Friday 2 November

Stage 6 – 167km Mataura Licensing Trust

Invercargill – Rimu – Woodlands – Seaward Downs – Edendale – Wyndham – Mataura – Waimumu – Gore – Knapdale – Otama – Riversdale – Manderville – Gore

Start Time: 10:00am Start Location: ILT Velodrome, Invercargill Finish Time: 2:30pm (approx) Finish Location: Hokonui Drive, Gore

Saturday 3 November

Stage 7 – 13km Pub Charity & Winton Hotel

Individual Time Trial Start Time: 10.00am Start Location: Main Street, Winton (outside Winton Hotel) Finish Time: 12.00pm Finish Location: Main Street, Winton (as above)

Stage 8 – 87km Ascot Park Hotel

Winton – Centre Bush – Otapiri – Browns – Spring Hills – Grove Bush – Myross Bush - Invercargill

Start Time: 1:30pm Start Location: Central Southland Lodge, Winton Finish Time: 3:30pm (approx) Finish Location: Gala Street, Invercargill

2012 POWERNET TOUR SCHOOL LIST / TIMES

Monday 29th October

Morning: Ascot Community School Tay/Isabella 10.00am Middle School Tay Street/Civic Theatre 10.00am St Joseph’s School Tay Street/Civic Theatre 10.00am St Johns Girls’ School Dee Street 10.05am Ruru School North Road 10.10am Waikiwi Vocational Programme North Road 10.10am Adventist Christian School North Road 10.10am Sacred Heart School North Road 10.10am Wallacetown School SH6 10.20am Thornbury School Foster Road 10.50am Otautau School Main Street 11.15am Afternoon: Takitimu Primary School SH 96 Nightcaps 12.30pm St Patrick’s Schools SH 96 Nightcaps 12.30pm Mossburn School SH 94 Mossburn 1.30pm Lumsden Primary School Diana Street 1.50pm Northern Southland College Diana Street 1.50pm

Stage finishes on Diana Street Lumsden

Tuesday 30th October

Morning: Ascot Community School ILT Velodrome 9.50am St Theresa’s School King Street 10.00am Windsor North School Herbert / Windsor 10.00am Southland Boys High School Herbert Street 10.00am Waihopai School Herbert / Park 10.00am James Hargest Junior College Layard Street 10.00am Salford School Salford / Layard 10.00am James Hargest Senior College Layard Street 10.00am Waverley School Findlay / Racecourse 10.00am Myross Bush School Mill Road South 10.20am School Flora Road / SH 6 10.35am Lochiel School Lochiel / Branxholme Rd 10.50am St Thomas Aquinas School SH 6 Winton 11.00am Winton Primary School SH 6 Winton 11.00am Central Southland College SH 6 Winton 11.00am Heddon Bush School Drummond-Oreti / Boundary 11.30am Central Southland Primary Boundary Road Drummond 11.30am Isla Bank School Fairfax-Isla Bank / Boundary 11.30am Waianiwa School Otahuti Road 12 noon Afternoon: Wallacetown School Dalry Street 12.05pm Donovan Primary Drury Lane 12.15pm Otatara School Dunns Road 12.30pm Westmount School Invercargill - Bluff Highway 12.40pm Bluff School Gore Street 1.10pm St Theresa’s School Gore Street 1.10pm

Stage finishes on Bluff Hill

Wednesday 31st October

Morning: Riverton Primary Napier Street – Riverton 9.50am Aparima College Napier Street 9.50am Tuatapere Community College Finish – Main Street Tuatapere 10.45am

Stage finishes on Main Street, Tuatapere

Afternoon: Tuatapere Community College Clifden Highway 1.00pm Hauroko Valley School Clifden Highway 1.15pm Blackmount School Blackmount Road 1.55pm Te Anau School Town Centre Te Anau 3.20pm Fiordland College Town Centre Te Anau 3.20pm

Stage finishes in Town Centre, Te Anau

Thursday 1st November

Morning; Te Anau School Luxmore Drive 10.00am Fiordland College Luxmore Drive 10.00am Mararoa School The Key SH 94 10.30am Mossburn School SH 94 11.15am

Afternoon: Garston School SH 6 12.30pm Remarkables Primary School Kawarau Road Frankton 2.00pm Arrowtown Primary School Centennial Ave / Arrow Junction 2.15pm

Stage finishes at the Crown Range Lookout

Friday 2nd November

Morning: Ascot Community School ILT Velodrome 10.00am Newfield Park School Tweed / Inglewood Road 10.00am Aurora College Regent Street 10.00am Fernworth School Pomona / Tramway 10.05am New River Primary Elizabeth Street 10.05am Southland Girls High School Tweed Street 10.10am Verdon College Rockdale Road 10.15am Te Wharekura O Arophenua Tweed / 10.20am Rimu School Rimu Road 10.30am Woodlands Primary Woodlands / Morton Mains Road 10.45am Edendale School Edendale 11.30am Menzies College Ferry Road 11.40am Wyndham School Ferry Road 11.40am

Afternoon: Tuturau School Wyndham – Mataura Highway 12 noon Mataura School SH 1 / Bridge Street Mataura 12.10pm School Glendhu / Waimumu Road 12.20pm West Gore School Robertson Street 12.40pm Longford Intermediate Broughton / Coutts 12.40pm St Peters College Robertson / Kitchener 12.40pm Gore High School Robertson / Coutts 12.40pm St Mary School Broughton / Canning 12.40pm Gore Main School Broughton / Devon Street 12.40pm East Gore School SH 1 12.50pm Knapdale School Whiterig / Knapdale Road 1.10pm Willowbank School Knapdale / Otama – Chatton Cnr 1.10pm Otama Schools Otama Road 1.15pm Riversdale School Rutland / Newcastle Street 1.40pm

Stage Finishes at Hokonui Drive–Traford Street intersection at approx 2.30pm

If you are uncertain about the Tour route or if your school is not listed above and you would like to find out the nearest point in proximity then please contact Cycling Southland on (03) 217 3215.