New Home of Cycling chair excited by her role

Susan Paterson has replaced Simon Perry as the Home of Cycling chair at the hugely popular National Cycling Centre of Excellence Avantidrome.

The change comes as Perry steps aside to chair the organisation for which the facility was built, Bike NZ.

Paterson has been a member of the Home of Cycling Trust board since 2012 and a professional director for 16 years. She holds an MBA from the London Business School and is a fellow of the Institute of Directors, chair of Airways Corporation, director of Goodman NZ, Abano Healthcare Ltd, IANZ, Housing NZ Ltd and Les Mills NZ Ltd.

The world class facility, officially opened by their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, was delivered on time and on budget and has proven popular with both elite and community riders.

Since the facility opened, community use of the track has represented more than 72 per cent of all track use; fulfilling a guarantee made by the trust in the earliest stages of the project.

Perry was thrilled to be leaving the board in good hands and was proud of his work in progressing the project. "I am incredibly proud of what has been achieved," he said.

"There were certainly challenges and adversity in the early days of the project but I think the Home of Cycling now speaks for itself.

"This is an incredibly unique environment where our community is inspired by our champions every single day."

Paterson praised Perry's contribution and was looking forward to taking up where he had let off.

"The Home of Cycling has delivered on every promise it made; it was delivered on time and on budget and has proved to be every bit the community facility it set out to become.

"It's a credit to Simon Perry's leadership and to the work of hundreds of others from around the region and the country."

"Cambridge is buzzing and it is wonderful to see the increased visitors and vibrancy the Avantidrome is bringing. I look forward guiding the Home of Cycling through its next exciting stages of development."