Stop Press: City to Surf

on this Sunday 14 March

Sites Added

Little River Rail Trail
Proposed cycleway / walkway between Hornby and Little River along the route of a disused former railway line. Trust established.Map of proposed route, news and fundraising activities.

Canterbury Rowing Association Clubs
Contact list for rowing clubs in Canterbury.

Recent News and Events

• Cyclic Saga 2004 - March 13 and 14
• Rainbow Rage 2004 - March 20
• National surf lifesaving championships - 12-14 March
• Special K Women's Triathlon
• Mt Cook the Bloody Great Race
• SPARC reveals key motivators and barriers to physical activity
• Orari River Protection Group
• Limited employment locations in Canterbury
• Go by Bike
• Summer of Cricket

John Britten

John Britten (1950-1995) was a Renaissance man and in his career he:

• Worked in design engineering
• Designed and made hand made glass lighting
• Developed properties, including Cathedral Junction

He is most renowned for his work with motorcycles. With a small team he designed and built from scratch the extraordinary Britten V-twin motorcycle. In a poll compiled by the world's leading motorcycle writers to rank the Motorcyclist of the Millennium, John Britten was placed equal with the four founders of Harley Davidson. Guggenheim curator Ultan Guilfoyle, places Britten among his best three exemplars of bike design and lauds the V1000 as "perhaps the most influential racing motorcycle of the Nineties."

This weekend, from Friday 12th March to Sunday 14th, Christchurch celebrates this visionary man with the inaugural John Britten Memorial Race Meeting - a Motor Cycle Super Bike competition which will be held annually at the Ruapuna Race track. The meeting will culminate in the John Britten Memorial Trophy Race for Super Bikes, which involves two races on the Sunday. Supporting the racing will be displays of Britten memorabilia, at least two Britten Motorcycles, and trade displays.

For more information, try the following sources:

• The Britten Motorcycle Company web site
• John Britten: Maverick genius of motorcycle design - an article on the New Zealand Edge web site
• Cathedral Junction web site

Buried Treasures: Motor sports

Motor sports links you to clubs, schools, speedways, stockcars and karts.