Trust Power Clutha District Community Awards 2009
KAITANGATA BLACK GOLD continues to raise the bar and move forward by winning the Sport and Leisure category at the Trust Power Clutha District Community Awards 2009
The Awards were announced and presented on Monday 21 September at a function at the Rosebank Lodge in Balclutha.
Organisations were nominated in five different categories and individual civic awards were also presented.
Sport and Leisure:
Winner: Kaitangata and Districts Community Inc.
The events organised by the Kaitangata & Districts Community Inc are really raising the profile of this community, not only locally, but on a national and even international level.
The Bob Scott Memorial Hill Climb rally sprint is so popular that entries increased from 45 in 2007 to 61 last year. A huge voluntary effort is needed to run this event, including road development and preparation and marshals on the day.
The Black Gold BMX track was largely built by volunteers, with many hours invested in planning, preparation and working bees. The official opening of the track was enjoyed by 500 people, and the facility has been well utilised since.
The Black Gold Trail Event is a mountain bike cross country race and cross country run. The event was first launched as solely a Mountain bike event in 2007, and included 37 competitors in the downhill, and 102 competitors in the cross country! The event was so successful that in 2008 it was expanded to include a cross country run, and due to the demand, the downhill section was moved to a separate date and is now a standalone event.
The volunteer hours needed to get these events off the ground are astounding. Thirty volunteers are required on the day, and then there is approximately 200 hours spent in the planning stages, including course development, preparation and maintenance. Approximately 270 hours are invested by marshals on the day, and many hours are dedicated by the South Otago wood turners club to make the trophies.
This year’s event has already had a registration of a team of ten from Sydney. This year’s trail has been expanded to include both bike sections, a half marathon, and a duathlon. It sounds like a brilliant event, so mark 14th November in your diary!