Bumper crowd at HPV event

By Jim Mynard
NEARLY 1000 people from the Casey and Cardinia Shire area attended the RACV Energy Breakthrough Human Powered Vehicle event at Maryborough.
The event was held from 24 to 27 November.
Casey Cycle and Human Powered Vehicle club president John Perrin said the turnout indicated the enormous following for the new sport.
He also commended schools from the area for their success at the meeting.
Central Goldfields Shire officers estimated that more than 32,000 people attended the rally during the four days.
St Margaret’s School Berwick was the leading girls school and set a new event record for a girl’s team for its first attempt.
Long standing human powered vehicle advocate and coach Terry Trevena coached the St Margaret’s team.
Upper Beaconsfield Primary School won the open triathlon event, in which the young students competed against secondary schools.
Other place getters in this category were Berwick Secondary College in second, Narre Warren South P-12 College in third, Beaconsfield Primary School in second overall in the primary triathlon, Berwick Secondary College second in the open HPV event, and Berwick Secondary College, second in the category B HPV event.
Several other awards were brought home by competitions such as design and construction, presentation, and pushcarts.
More and more schools are becoming involved in the HPV movement, which is being seen as a highly competitive, but ideal family activity.
The City of Casey has embraced the sport and is in the process of building a major track for bike racing that will also accommodate human powered vehicle racing.
The club expects to host a major 24-hour event at Casey Fields, Cranbourne next year.