Ashburton Courier: December 03, 2020
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www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz<br />
Coastal challenge awinner<br />
NEWS<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong> <strong>Courier</strong>, <strong>December</strong> 3, <strong>2020</strong><br />
35<br />
The 14thannual<br />
Ruralco Longbeach<br />
Coastal Challenge<br />
was held in perfect<br />
conditionsonSunday<br />
anddrew727 entries.<br />
Organisersare still<br />
working out the final<br />
profits, but similar<br />
participation<br />
numbers last year<br />
resulted in more than<br />
$25,000 been raised<br />
from the event.<br />
The proceedsare<br />
divided equally<br />
between Longbeach<br />
School and Hinds<br />
Lions.<br />
The coastal<br />
challengefeatured<br />
run, walk and bike<br />
challenges forall<br />
ages and started and<br />
finished on thenorth<br />
side of the Hinds<br />
River on Longbeach<br />
Estate.<br />
This year’s event<br />
featured some<br />
enhancements and<br />
changes to course<br />
layouts.<br />
LongbeachCoastal<br />
Challenge marketing<br />
and promotion<br />
spokesperson<br />
Rachael Rickard said<br />
Cyclists ride through shallow water on the<br />
challenge.<br />
PHOTOS: KYLIE EDMOND<br />
the challenge event<br />
had once again been<br />
very wellsupported<br />
and wellreceived by<br />
the community.<br />
Anumberofelite<br />
bike riders had come<br />
along to take part,<br />
althoughregular<br />
participant and top<br />
New Zealandrider<br />
Anton Cooper had not<br />
been abletomakeit<br />
this year.<br />
‘‘It was aclassic day<br />
weatherwise with<br />
soft coastalbreezes<br />
anditwasn’t too hot<br />
for competitors.’’<br />
All aspects of the<br />
day had gone<br />
smoothly andthe<br />
more than 100<br />
volunteers had done<br />
agreat job.<br />
Entrieswere<br />
alreadyopenfor next<br />
year’s race and<br />
bookings hadcome<br />
in, she said.<br />
Anumber of families enjoyed the scenery and<br />
Sunday’s relaxed atmosphere.<br />
The 35km mountain<br />
bike race waswon by<br />
top riderandregular<br />
competitor Ben<br />
Oliver in atime of<br />
1h:17m:11.Hewas<br />
four and halfminutes<br />
ahead of teenager<br />
Jack Turner.<br />
The women’s 35km<br />
race waswon by Amy<br />
Hollamby in<br />
1h:34m:18.<br />
Jack Robertson<br />
won the 23kmbike<br />
race in 1h:02m:17s<br />
and Scarlett Naylor<br />
the women’s racein<br />
1:17m:56s.<br />
James Haslam<br />
was just ahead of<br />
MattWard in the<br />
half marathon<br />
event,recording a<br />
time of 1:32m:42s<br />
and Kelsey Bewley<br />
was the first female<br />
home in 1h:49m:08s.<br />
Shaun Clark won<br />
the 12kmrunin<br />
50m:07s and<br />
Natasha Waddell<br />
was the firsthome<br />
in the women’srace<br />
in 1h:02m:07s.<br />
Runners out on the scenic course at Longbeach.<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong><br />
<strong>December</strong><br />
8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17<br />
January 20, 21.25, 26, 27, 28<br />
2334476<br />
Mountain biker Ben Oliver races along the<br />
Longbeach coastline in the 35km race that he<br />
went on to win.<br />
PHOTO ANGELA CUSHNIE<br />
Runners take off from the start line in the<br />
12km run event.<br />
PHOTO ANGELA CUSHNIE<br />
Dean’s on his bike at the Levels<br />
<strong>Ashburton</strong> motorcyclist Dean Watson (34) motors past Terry Vuleta (218) of Christchurch at<br />
the Mike Pero Southern Classic motorcycle races held at Levels International Raceway, Timaru<br />
over the weekend. Watson came 7th in his formula three Pre 1989 category out of 20 riders.<br />
PHOTO JOHN COSGROVE.
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