Of all the sporting victories recorded over the weekend, Saturday's announcement regarding the securing of naming rights for the rebuilt Stadium Southland and the Velodrome was a biggest win for the sporting sector.
It seems fitting to me that two organisations like the Invercargill Licensing Trust and Southern Institute of Technology that are inextricably linked with the development of Invercargill as a city over recent years are the two who have stepped up to ensure the Southland community will continue to enjoy world-class facilities at our collective back doors.
In classic fashion, we don't know what we've got until we lose it even though the Velodrome has provided a more than suitable temporary venue for the Steel and Sharks, evidenced by two sell-out crowds in three days this weekend.
Once the doors are opened and the thousands of weekly users are shuffling back through doors as they used to before that fateful September 2010 day, my hope is that we don't let ourselves forget how fortunate we are to work and play in a facility like Stadium Southland.
Nor should we forget the outstanding contributions from the many organisations who fronted up to make it happen. I have little doubt that the Southland sporting community would join me when, on behalf of Cycling Southland, I offer sincere thanks for yet another spectacularly generous investment in the fabric of Southland community.
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Another week of outstanding results by Cycling Southland members scattered around the globe. Steph McKenzie continues to dominate the competition in Trexlertown, Pennsylvania winning the UCI Festival women's keirin to back up her Keirin Cup win the previous week. The keirin may not be her preferred discipline but Stephie is showing outstanding form and she has one more chance to rake in UCI points before returning to New Zealand to continue her build up to the Oceania Championships here in Invercargill in November.
Meanwhile the Men's sprinters are also turning heads across the Atlantic in Europe. The southern contingent of Eddie Dawkins, Matt Archibald and Tom Beadle are certainly making a mark with their off-season form. Dawkins recorded a blistering 9.9 second 200 metres on a concrete track in Cottbus, Germany on Saturday night before eventually finishing 6th in the Men's sprint with Archibald also performing with distinction, finishing 8th in the world class 53-man competition.
Out on the road, Tom Scully has had a memorable month with his latest victory coming in the London Nocturne criterium last week where he led home a high quality field to claim his second Tour Series victory in a matter of days.
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The first official function in the 2013 WHK Corporate Pursuit was held this week with the Team Briefing night setting our 29 teams up for the build up to August's finals days. First blood (probably literally) goes to AWS Legal and Waihopai Health Services who won the honour to have a team member's legs waxed by Surrender Hair Design at the Grading Time Trial. Let the inter-team negotiations begin!
Nick Jeffrey is the Chief Executive of Cycling Southland
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