In 2018 we want you to vote for the Rowse & Scott Unsung Hero Award. Started in 2016 the Unsung Hero Award is something we at RoadCycling love doing, celebrating the work that those behind the scenes do in promoting New Zealand cycling and New Zealand cyclists.
Our first year with the Unsung Hero Award saw John Rippon. A man who has poured so many years into the development of young riders, John has played an important role in the rise to success of the likes of Robert Stannard, Campbell Stewart, James Fouche and more.
In 2017 the award went to the pair of Jake Rowse and Richard Scott. Organisers of the Calder Stewart Series, their work in the South Island to promote cycling across the spectrum from U19 men and women through to masters in the series they organise has been an inspiration to many. A number of riders who have gone on to international success have utilised one of New Zealand’s finest race series as a springboard and platform to aid their pursuit of professional cycling.
Rowse and Scott finished ahead of Dirk van Hove and Patrick Harvey; three very different influencers of New Zealand cycling; all of whom have been invaluable to the success of riders domestically and around the world.
This year we want to know who your Unsung Hero is for 2018. From a coach to a bike shop owner, a race organiser to a coffee shop barista, a teammate to family member; we want to know who has had an under-the-radar impact on your cycling career.
Voting opens now and will close on Sunday 30th December. You can leave your vote in the comments box below or vote in our Facebook post. All voters will go in the draw to win a KitBrix Bag.
Former winners of the Unsung Hero Award are:
2016: John Rippon
2017: Jake Rowse and Richard Scott (Calder Stewart Series)
Logan Townsend has been instrumental in reviving the Auckland Track Cycling scene. He has put many hours into helping with coaching and organisation at the Manukau Velodrome. He assists with Coaching at Epsom Girls College and supports young and old alike at all events, be it road or track. Logan is a person who puts everybody else first, even sometime ahead of his own daughter, Bee an up and coming young athlete. Logan is an inspiration to the rest of us. He’s always smiling, always patient and helps everyone, no matter who they are.
Danielle Ward – photographer
Danielle Ward. She my mum and spends many hours in front of the computer at home going through photos she’s taken for people as those people would love to have a photo of them doing what they love. Before a race she’ll find out who’s racing and make sure she targets that person in order to get a photo of them. She does it all for free and asks for nothing but a simple thank you in return. She is truly a hero
Danielle Ward!