Cycling: Show ponies show quality

ON YOUR BIKE:Masterton South Rotary Cycle team Cedric Percy, Rod Sutherland, Marilyn Hunt and Graeme Sawyer competed in the Rotary Challenge Relay during the Taupo Cycle Challenge in November 2013.

Masterton South Rotary Club can claim bragging rights as the top Rotary cycling team after beating other Rotary club challengers in New Zealand's largest bike race event.

Show Ponies relay team Cedric Percy, Rod Sutherland, Marilyn Hunt and Graeme Sawyer earned their club $1000 at the Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge in November by coming second in the mixed relay teams, out of 67, and 4th out of 121 teams competing in a four-person relay.

It is Masterton South's sixth win in 10 years.

Percy said the team was determined to better the efforts of the past three years.

"Rod Sutherland struck the head wind on the first 43km leg before passing on to Graeme Sawyer for 32km, to Cedric Percy with 41km and then on to Marilyn Hunt with 39km."

He said the result was "pretty good for a bunch of cyclists with an average age of 68."

The prize money, plus $4000 raised, goes to Autism Wairarapa, their chosen charity this year.

He said all the cyclists are part of the Masterton South Rotary Singers.

"Though not singing around the lake, the favourite songs were not far from their minds."