Chance for budding Northland para-cyclists to learn the sport

Kerry Reyburn, who coaches rising Northland para-cyclist Nau Puriri, will be on hand offering coaching for any interested athletes. Photo / Dianne Manson

Parafed Northland is looking for any Northlanders with a physical disability who want to have a go at cycling.

They will be running a para-cycling day at the LJ Hooker Athletics Track tomorrow from 4pm to 6pm.

Kerry Reyburn will be running the afternoon and his expertise as a coach is much sought after.

Nau Puriri competing in the Para-Cycling Mens IP during the Southland Track Championships in December 2017.

Reyburn coaches Northland para-cyclist Nau Puriri who has gone on to become a national champion and is on Paralympics New Zealand's radar as someone with potential for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.

Parafed's Cameron Leslie said having Reyburn along offers any potential para-cyclist a great insight into the sport.

"We are pretty lucky to have Kerry come along," he said.

"Kerry is a Northlander who is supported by Paralympics New Zealand through a scholarship. His scholarship has him earmarked as a future Paralympic coach.

"It's a great thing for us to have Kerry involved and a great thing for Northlanders living with a physical disability to have the opportunity to work with him."

Para-cycling simply put is just cycling, para-cycling is the term used when relating it to disability sport (at the Paralympics it's known as para-cycling). Athletes compete on either bikes, trikes or hand-cycles.

Those with a visual impairment compete on tandems with a sighted "pilot".

Leslie said the day offers anyone interested an opportunity to have a look at the sport.

"The event is all about opening doors for those interested in cycling as a sport," he said.

"It doesn't matter if you don't have a lot of experience riding/cycling, it's about having a go in a supportive environment."

- For anyone interested, they can find out more and register at parafed.co.nz