13 april 2011

Underwear on top is the unique theme for this year’s Around Brunner Cycle event being held this Saturday on the West Coast.

Organisers say they were keen to inject some “fun into the day,” and that the most creative use of the undies on top theme will win a five day guided Otago Rail Trail trip with Adventure South.

“Judging will be done by fashion police who will be circling the event,” Event Director Dale Coulter said.

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This year’s event has over 700 entries with more than 50 in the elite race, and although numbers are down, which Coulter attributes to the Christchurch earthquake, there was never any thoughts of postponing the event.

“Around Brunner has established itself as a key event on the West Coast. About 70 percent of entries are usually from Christchurch so the recent tragic events in the city have certainly affected numbers, but we were very keen to hold it again this year and keep the momentum built up over five years going.”

“The West Coast has also had tragedy in recent times with the disaster at the Pike River Mine, so events like Around Brunner are vital as they inject money and bring visitors into the region and provide a sense of continuity going forward.”

The event is the last in the BikeNZ RaboDirect RideStrong national recreational ranking series that aims at ranking recreational riders. The series calculates an 'Ultimate Recreational Rider' from their best three results during the season that started in October.

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Leading the elite male entries are SUBWAY® Pro Cycling’s Dillion Bennett from Invercargill and Christchurch based Ian Smallman, and Homestyle Test Team’s Marc Prutton, Mike Crawford, Ben Hopewell, Mike Smart and Ben Longworth and former Olympian Robyn Reid (Tasman Wheelers).

Other strong contenders in the men’s elite race are Nick Hand (Pure Black Racing Development Team), Invercargill’s Hamish Presbury (H & J Smiths Outdoor World) who won Southland’s 150 kilometre Great Southern Cycle Challenge on Saturday, his team mate Pieter Bulling and the experienced Mike Ferigo (Team Thule) and Jorg Engelbrecht (John Bull Cycles).

Elite female entries are lead by Nelson’s Karen Fulton of the Fresh Choice Cycling Team, New Zealand junior representative Sophie Williamson (H & J Smiths Outdoor World), her team mate Sequoia Cooper, Sarah Smallman, Aimee Burns and Sia Svendsen from Team Thule, and Christchurch based triathlete Julia Grant.

Around Brunner covers 130 kilometres starting and finishing in central Greymouth.

ENDS

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