Veni, Vidi, Bici! The Tour of New Zealand 2012
A spine-tingling karanga pierces the air at Cape Reinga, high above the watery handshake where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean collide. According to Maori mythology, this magical place bordered by flax, cliffs and sand is where our souls depart and return to Hawaiki. But today, blessings from the local Kaumatua send our souls in the opposite direction as the starting gun launches 70 cyclists on a seven day race to the Beehive to meet 200 more racing up from Bluff, and so The inaugural Tour of New Zealand begins!
Sunlight catches the three brand new sunflower-yellow worn Hikurangi Foundation tee shirts Alex, Ashlee and I wear (generously sponsored by Tineli Clothing - thanks Tineli!) The Hikurangi Foundation is New Zealand’s incubator for social and sustainable innovation. We find and equipt change-makers and innovators for smart, future-orientated action. So, what are we doing in our lycras atop Northland cliffs when we could be sitting comfortably at our desks?
The answer goes back to a casual remark by Simon Yarrell to his dad Peter, whilst out on a leisurely cycle back in 2010, ‘why don’t we organise a road race the length of the country?’ Beautiful scenery and fresh air seem to open doors in the mind, where thoughts about the practicalities of everyday life intermingle with daydreams – possibly explaining Simon’s casual remark. Health professionals might say an active outdoor lifestyle should come with the warning that repeated exposure may lead to increased risk of hatching crazy schemes! However, two years and much hard work later, their vision was realised.
Reflecting the ‘everyman’ culture emerging as more Kiwis discover cycling, race director Peter Yarrell pitched the Tour at all two-wheeled denominations, not just ‘racers’. Lofty goal? Well the proof is in the pudding, and this year’s entrants spanned the spectrum from speed demons to sight-seeing tourists, a family on school break and over-80’s on tandems (particularly awesome). What other national event (apart from dinner-time) can claim such a varied mix of participants from 5 to 84? If the adage ‘strength lies in diversity’ is true, then the Tour is set to enjoy a permanent place on the calendar.
In keeping with this spirit of inclusivity, Peter made the Tour a fund-raiser with benefits to communities along the route; enter the Hikurangi Foundation, ASB St Johns Ambulance and Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
Riding for a week with the same crew showed me how effective connection and action are at creating new understanding with your audience, than just rhetoric. Like the saying, “I’m told and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand”. – I listened to peoples opinions become much warmer to the concept of supporting a positive shift in cycle culture over the 7 days, people who on day 1 or 2 were saying the case was hopeless, drivers will never change. The truth is, the only constant is change.
After a very ‘cobweb-clearing’ day one of 111 kilometres in a stiff head wind, camaraderie and friendship (and pranks!) increased daily both on- and off- road. The benefits of a week’s riding was clear in huge smiles and a palpable buzz after the final criterium and prize-giving in Wellington.
In the 1950s, cycling was New Zealanders’ dominant mode of transport, but it declined with increasing availability of cars. In other countries cycling bounced back in the 1970s, but not in New Zealand because we developed car infrastructure at cyclists’ expense.
Although we’ve imported more cycles than cars in the last decade, they aren’t visible on our roads. We needed a courageous vision like the Tour of New Zealand to get cycling back over a tipping point. As Rod Oram’s recent column pointed out, our country needs to see the community, social, health, transport and environmental benefits of cycling. These are well documented, and yet our government marginalises cycling.
Will anything change now? For seven days, cycling enjoyed increased visibility—a crucial element in normalising this most civilised transport mode. The Tour’s 270 early adopters (and 14 international reporters) will be the best spokespeople for next year’s Tour.
The Tour has so far raised nearly $75,000. Hikurangi raised $10,000 of this for our Transportation Innovation Challenge Fund, to improve access to cycling. We’re keen for other organisations to match this. It’s not too late to support the vision of a New Zealand cycle culture! Read here how your organisation can support the vision for smarter transport in New Zealand.
Hikurangi extends a huge thanks to the Fairground Foundation, Tineli Clothing, All Good Bananas, Commonsense Organics, Yealands Winery and Village Press Olive Oil for their support.
~ Freda
‘A smile and a bicycle are badges of innocence’
~ Anne Mustoe
‘When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race’
~ H.G. Wells
