Tracey Chatterton: Carnival of cycling full of action

The Hawke's Bay Summer Cycling Carnival was thrilling to watch.

I was jumping, waving and screaming in public at the weekend.

But before you jump to any conclusions - so, too, were hundreds of other people.

It must have been quite a spectacle to watch for the residents along Napier's Spencer Rd.

One minute, a placid crowd were sitting in the sun and chatting among themselves. At the sound of police sirens people jumped off their picnic rugs and rushed kerbside, with anticipation stamped on their faces.

A police officer whizzed by, the crowd held their stance and then, around a corner, came a bunch of slight, yet strong, cyclists. The crowd erupted, ringing their cow bells and clapping as they shouted out words of encouragement. The bunch of riders powered past, sweat dripping off them as they attacked the incline.

This is the Hawke's Bay Summer Cycling Carnival.

It was thrilling watching the Big Save Elite Road National Championships at the weekend. I admit, I have a slight bent for the sport, but you didn't have to be a cycling enthusiast to get swept up in the excitement.

I was with people who didn't know a hub from a crank and raised their eyebrows when the peloton was mentioned - but they loved the thrill of being so close to the action. On a hot, blustery summer's day, the crowd could appreciate just how hard the cyclists were working to propel themselves up the hill - and the logistics of staging the event in the heart of Napier would have been extensive.

Organisers were pleased with how it went and, from a spectator's point of view, it was a good day out. The festival runs until Sunday so there's more action to come.