Northland Secondary Schools Cycling Championships

The Northland Secondary Schools Cycling Championships were a huge success with competitive and competent riders making up the fields.
Organisers were pleased with yesterday's time trial and road race events on Kokopu Road, in Maungatapere. Although there were only 26 starters across three age groups, there was some exciting racing in ideal riding conditions.
Each competitor rode the 4.8km time trial in the morning, before racing in their age group's road race event.
The under-17 and under-20 men and women completed a 34km course, while the under-15 boys and girls finished a 14.5km road race.
Overall age group winners had the fastest combined time trial and road race times.
Pompallier College's William Arnold took out the under-20 mens age group. Arnold was 11 seconds down after his time trial and knew he had to beat Harley Going in the road race, which he did on the final lap of their 34km ride, by just under a minute.
Meanwhile, Whangarei Girls' High School student Rachel Bol won the under-20 women's age group.
As expected, Pompallier College's Ben Johnstone and Whangarei Girls High School's Alice Riddell - who were recently selected for the New Zealand Junior Development squad - won their respective under-17 men's and women's divisions.
Johnstone and Riddell also received trophies, donated by Marsden Wheelers Cycling Club, for being the fastest male and female overall at the event.
In the under-15 event, Jeremy Crawford took out the boys division, while Honor Hamlet won the girls age group. Both cyclists attend Huanui College.
See www.northernadvocate.co.nz for a photo gallery from this event.