Hawkins Hill Fridge

BLRT was hoping for a strong result in the 2009 Hawkins Hill Climb, with Tiger, Angry, Nick and Mono all planning on showing up.

However race day dawned and was cold but sunny, Mono called in sick and Nick just slept in, that being his devotion to the team cause.
NB: In this particular article when referring to "Nick just slept in" we actually mean "there was a special on net p0rn that Nick could not pry himself away from"


The Hawkins hill climb is a challenge between the 3 codes Running, Road and Mountain Biking with the Runners and MTB'ers going up the tip track and the Roadies taking the MUCH harder option of Happy Valley road, Todman street and past the wind turbine.
NB: When referring to all "MUCH Harder" comments our resident roadie (Angry) actually means the pressure in his tyres rather than how hard he had to work during the race.

NB: I give you example #1 of Nick’s new subscription to net p0rn.

After registration and much banter about Marcos (God Father's) running gear we headed off to the start at Owhiro Bay, at that exact same time a freezing cold southerly front with rain and hail moved in and sat on us, I waited on the start line and was colder than Nick K’s crotch in a bikini contest after the polar dip. Yelled at Davo to start the bloody race, who was standing there wrapped up in 3 t-shirts, wool jumper, down jacket and his wife’s pink lacy teddy… he didn't appear in any hurry.

The race started and it was a smash from the get go, I was quickly up to 40kph heading up Happy Valley road, checked back and Ben McHale was right on my rear wheel, but I kept the pace on till the lights at the top. Then smashed it to the top of Todman street, couldn’t believe it when I checked down and at the top of Todman I was still in big chain ring. Ben at the stage had long since dropped off the back, so was going to be a slog up the rest to the summit. In the pinch from Ashton Fichton to the turbine couldn’t get any power to the road as I kept wheel spinning which was nasty but I still felt strong at the turbine. Waved out to fellow Bushlover Kah who came up to support, then past my BLB1 and the Kidlets who came to watch and then up the last climb to finish. I was 1st in 27min 25seconds which was 2Mins 20secs off my PB.

I arrived at the summit 30 seconds before Tiger roared across the line to take out the run win. Hung around at the top for a few minutes but was freezing cold, so headed back down for prize giving.

The Runner's version ;)
Staring with the cold bitter Wellington southerly in the face on the start line wearing my flappy race shorts, tight singlet, nipples erect, rain pelting my firm pectorals with a look of blue steel on my face... hang on, wrong man that was Marco (PNP Godfather). I was huddled under a neighbouring garage lean-to waiting for the rain to ease with the rest of the runners.

Had planned to just sit in the top half of the field for the kilometer of road till we got to the tip track and see how I felt. BANG!!! Off we went with a tail wind all the way up Happy Valley rd whisking us along at a nice pace. I found myself near the front with just Melissa Moon and an unknown runner that looked as if he should be a Spartan Trail Runner. Feeling pretty comfortable tucked in behind Melissa with none of the drafting benefits of a tall person J. Half way up Happy Valley rd I noticed the Spartan Trail Runner extend his lead on us, so decided to bridge the gap. This took me to the bottom of The Tip Track where I thought I could just sit here in second and draft this Spartan God, but was about to be proven wrong... just after we start up the hill he seemed to fade to a pace I was a little too comfortable with. Passing him I made a quick gap of around 45sec and sat there for the remainder of the race. Using typical mental racing tactics of chasing the next Runner or Rider in this case ahead. About half way up TT I started catching Mountain Bikers and surprisingly Marco who left minutes ahead of us all. Nearing the top I saw a fellow Mountain Biker Ed Crossling and thought this was my chance to make him hurt a bit :D (Friendly competition... Working extra hard to reel him in I caught him about 200m from the top, only to have the bastard cruise past me on the down hill road 100m from the finish yelling "Where's ya wheels now!!!!" Ah the Crossling brothers, ya gotta love am (Thanks Ed).

A quick sprint to the finish earned me a win in the Runners category but a big fat LOOSER in the overall Mountain Bike, Roadie, Runner stakes. Taken out by Stu Holtham (Well know National Title MTB holder) with the Roadies coming second in the race ‘For of the codes’ by Angry Clive Bushlove Bennett (More well known for his finishing as Bridesmaid in every race. Which if you consider the actual overall race results Road Vs MTB Vs Runner he achieved yet again).

All in all a great fun race.
A big thanks to R&R Sport & Makara Peak Supports Club who have once again been great in backing another fun, local event. These events would not be possible without sponsors like this.

Random pic of some HOT Bushlove GOD.

Awesome to see the BUSHLOVE in the paper the next morning.