RIP Paeroa Battle of the Streets,

[scott411]

MEDIA RELEASE: Wednesday 26 September, 2018

Paeroa Battle of The Streets

After much consideration, Paeroa Promotions Trust has made the difficult decision to discontinue the Battle of the Streets event.
Rising costs and decreasing spectator numbers have brought about this decision.

The Trust wishes to offer it's heartfelt thanks to Hauraki District Council, Auckland Motorcycle Club, Motorcycling New Zealand, event sponsors and the community of Paeroa for their unwavering support of this iconic event over the last 27 years.

Also, a very special thank you to all competitors who have risen to the challenge of ‘The Hacksaw’, providing simply breath-taking spectator viewing along the way.
Lastly, thank you to our invaluable volunteer groups of Paeroa and Hauraki for giving so generously of their time and expertise. Without them this event simply wouldn’t have existed.

Over the 27 years, the Battle of the Streets has seen more than $700,000 granted to local community groups, honouring the founders of the Battle of the Streets and their mission ‘to raise funds for charitable purposes for the benefit of the Paeroa community’.

While the Trust is saddened to have to call time on ‘the Battle’, it is proud of what has been achieved over the lifetime of the event; it’s a true celebration of community at its best.

From three blokes sharing a few beers and an idea… it’s been a hell of a ride!

Ends –

For more information please contact Jo Tilsley

Jo Tilsley
President
027 330 3170
joandgirls@xtra.co.nz

Paeroa Promotions Trust

[Mike.Gayner]

Fuck. Shitty fuck. This has fucked up my morning. God dammit this sucks.

[Brett]

Well that's a loss for NZ road racing.

[WALRUS]

And another one gone..

Greymouth and Port Nelson are still going aren't they?

[Str8 Jacket]

And another one gone..

Greymouth and Port Nelson are still going aren't they?

I think Port Nelson is postponed (?) until 2020. Could be wrong.

[scott411]

I think Port Nelson is postponed (?) until 2020. Could be wrong.

your right, port operations have prevented them running next year



Port Nelson Street Races
21 September at 20:33 ·
I am sad to have to announce that the Port Nelson Street Races will not go ahead on January the 2nd 2019.

The committee unanimously agreed this week that with the infrastructure changes currently taking place at the Port we could not guarantee to meet our duty of care to the riders, volunteers or the public.

We hope that by 2020 the rapidly changing face of the port will have settled enough for us to run an event that will be both exciting and safe for all of the people involved on and off the track.

I will update you all as soon as I can.

[steveyb]

I raced 250 Production in the first two years of Paeroa, and it went off. Great do, lots of fun etc.
But I nearly met my maker when taken out just after the kink in the front straight, at full speed (and yes, there was video coverage that proved I was taken out).
Thank AMCC for milk bottle bales (some of which I helped make actually).
But I went back for a visit in 2012 or sometime around then, maybe 2010, and it really felt like faded glory.
Felt very much like it was missing a beat, that many spectators were there because there was F all else to do in Paeroa and were waiting for a crash.
But, it has to be said, I was x years older and more cynical by then.
I for one won't miss it at all.
Just my opinion.

[Murray]

Been a number of years and always loved it. Sorry to hear this and am pretty gutted. sad days

[SaferRides]

Last time I went in 2017 it was obvious that spectator and competitor numbers were down. Sad they couldn't run it one more year as a final event though.

[sidecar bob]

It had run its course.
They had started talking about running buckets, fortunately it never quite came to that.
My bike was on the t shirt & poster for the only year it was called off due to weather before it got started. I have it framed in my hallway.
That was the year that killed future spectator numbers, although I still believe the correct decision was made on the day.
I passengered around there on classic & modern sidecars & have some great footage of scrivy & I airborne over the second intersection on the back straight, on the Hayabusa powered short bike before they re jigged the intersection to remove the cross camber.
I lost my old mate Alan Satherly there in 2010 too.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10628113

[WALRUS]

I lost my old mate Alan Satherly there in 2010 too.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10628113

Shit, road racing can be a cruel sport, sometimes.

Honestly, it's a bit of a shame for me as I was hoping on seeing a round there in person one day (and in Methven, but that's gone as well afaik?) but after reading what's been posted here, I can fully understand why maybe it's not that bad an eventuality.

I just hope that Port Nelson and Greymouth hang on in there. Even above spectating I was hoping to even compete at one.

[Black Knight]

Indeed a sad day,although I could see interest waning over the years.I agree with Sidecar,they had a huge spectator crowd,some of whom had travelled a fair way,on that cancelled wet day.Many had already paid their $30 and there were delays and confusion if/how they were to get a refund which caused more anger.In the end the refund was easy,and like many others I "donated" my refund to the organisers.
I love road/street races but the safety Nazi's are making them very expensive to run-You have to wonder how long Wanganui,Greymouth etc will be able to continue.

[Autech]

Last time I went in 2017 it was obvious that spectator and competitor numbers were down. Sad they couldn't run it one more year as a final event though.

I went back for the first time this year since around 2010 when I moved down to Chch, noticed immediately how few spectators there were and how few riders compared to when I was last there. I think having it smack bang in the middle of the Nats doesn't help and with the rise of the Suzuki series perhaps less top level riders want to make the journey? Couple that with 50% of the spectators there to get pissed and it's definitely lost its charm. It's a shame as watching the riders all haul arse into turn 1 was one hell of a spectacle.



I lost my old mate Alan Satherly there in 2010 too.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10628113

Yeah that was a horrible crash, happened right in front of me where I was sitting and I still think about him from time to time even though I didn't know him, hope his family are doing well.
I've got huge respect for those brave enough to give street circuits a crack.

[Voltaire]

I probably contributed to its demise by riding a early 80's BMW R65 in last years classic event.

It was the high point of my mid life crisis as I won prize money for the first time ever, having only ever won a meat raffle in Sydney in 1986.

[sidecar bob]

Yeah that was a horrible crash, happened right in front of me where I was sitting and I still think about him from time to time even though I didn't know him, hope his family are doing well.
I've got huge respect for those brave enough to give street circuits a crack.
It ruined a lovely tight knit family & broke a lot of hearts. Pretty much a shit deal all round to be honest.
I spent most of the first half of the '90's preparing & transporting the outfit he was riding. It was powered by a very nicely put together 87 ZX10 engine & built by Gavin Porteous in Australia & won the Aus national title before being imported to NZ in 1990 by Andy Scrivener. & winning multiple NZ titles in the following years.
Scrivy sold it when his arm packed up & he couldn't ride anymore.
He & I later got on a different Porteous outfit fitted with a 214rwhp Hayabusa engine & won another NZ title, the last NZ sidecar title that will ever be won on a front engine "short bike"

[sidecar bob]

I probably contributed to its demise by riding a early 80's BMW R65 in last years classic event.

It was the high point of my mid life crisis as I won prize money for the first time ever, having only ever won a meat raffle in Sydney in 1986.

For christs sake, can you try to get the middle of your helmet over the top of the one, rather than the six?;)

[merv]

For christs sake, can you try to get the middle of your helmet over the top of the one, rather than the six?;)

What's wrong with riding like Falappa?

[avgas]

First death of Free Speech and now this....... next AJ Hackett will be reducing height of all jumps because they are scary.

Jacinta needs to invest in finding out what is happening to balls in NZ. Because we can't fix everything with IVF

[Voltaire]

For christs sake, can you try to get the middle of your helmet over the top of the one, rather than the six?;)

They used to say the same about my lack of skiing ablity too and I got picked last for most sporting activities at school.:lol:

However I've ticked these things off my bucket list, and if you turn the bucket over and stand on it you can pretend your on a podium. ( not

the $1 ones, they collapse and you might spill the Lindauer)

[GD66]

That is sad, but probably inevitable. I have watched from afar on the live timing for a few years, and this year via a four-camera video stream but it was evident the entries were WAY down, some fields as low as six or seven fronting on the grid which is pretty insulting to all the kind, hard-working souls who have volunteered for the day. Makes it hard to attract sponsors' support when others can't be bothered.
Among many other factors, there were more bike race meetings on the schedule last summer than I have ever seen, including all the regulars plus the Hampton Festival, and as a result it was all spread rather thin, even the roll-up at Wanganui seemed to be a bit sparse.
Must say that decision to cancel so early on the wet morning a couple of years back probably didn't help, when you consider many entrants and probably many spectators travel decent distances to be there. There are a number of options available and really waiting an extra hour or two, maybe then rejigging the programme to send the motards out first etc may have been worthy of close consideration, seeing it did clear up into a fine hot day not much later in the morning.
Easy for me to say in hindsight, but I speak with some years' experience as a clerk and steward. I can recall being astonished that the cancellation was called so early, most unfortunate.
Anyway Paeroa has been a great part of NZ's race history, thanks and congrats to all those on both sides of the haybales who have made it so.

[Herman Jelmet]

I was lucky enough to be introduced to Paeroa street racing I think the second year it had been running. Due to the amount of LSD we were consuming at the time - these races were ,,, I can't explain it but it had an effect on me. I held these racers in awe. Watching Andrew Stroud wheel standing the Britten down the Main Street is something I will never forget. And the red 500 Matchless sidecar that drifted around the S bends leaving a whole heap of black stripes on the track. I attended the 2010 racing and was deeply saddened by what happened that day as was my wife. We had a couple of years away and then turned up after travelling a long way over a couple of days , only to be told racing was canned because it was too wet. Probably a good call for the racers sake but I think it was that one that killed it for me. I have no other shit memories of Paeroa. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the volunteers who worked it all these years , my behaviour would have upset a few of them but not one of them packed a sad with me. Thank you ladies and gentlemen.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jellywrestler]

That is sad, but probably inevitable. I have watched from afar on the live timing for a few years, and this year via a four-camera video stream but it was evident the entries were WAY down, some fields as low as six or seven fronting on the grid which is pretty insulting to all the kind, hard-working souls who have volunteered for the day. Makes it hard to attract sponsors' support when others can't be bothered.
Among many other factors, there were more bike race meetings on the schedule last summer than I have ever seen, including all the regulars plus the Hampton Festival, and as a result it was all spread rather thin, even the roll-up at Wanganui seemed to be a bit sparse.
Must say that decision to cancel so early on the wet morning a couple of years back probably didn't help, when you consider many entrants and probably many spectators travel decent distances to be there. There are a number of options available and really waiting an extra hour or two, maybe then rejigging the programme to send the motards out first etc may have been worthy of close consideration, seeing it did clear up into a fine hot day not much later in the morning.
Easy for me to say in hindsight, but I speak with some years' experience as a clerk and steward. I can recall being astonished that the cancellation was called so early, most unfortunate.
Anyway Paeroa has been a great part of NZ's race history, thanks and congrats to all those on both sides of the haybales who have made it so.

the Paeroa meeting was never about motorcycling, it was done by the town as an event, just like others have beach hop etc, and it was always about raising funds for the local community groups etc.
When they dropped TV coverage the end was in sight from that day on, a lot of riders were there because of it's high profile, take that away, a lot didn't go.
I'm not sure the year it was canned due to the weather had as much impact on rider numbers as the earlier episode where they called it off after one round of racing due to a massive oil leak around the circuit. Pocketing the remaining prize money for the day rather than either doubling what was already won, or divvying up the money amongst the riders either there and then, or as a discount for the next years event, was noted among the riders who'd been loyal, and a lot didn't like the attitude...
We've been lucky that it lasted 27 years in my opinion..
As for chucking the motards out just cause it's wet, the world's moved on from that behaviour, the tarmac is just as hard to hit on a motard as a superbike.
BTW nice piccie of you racing at Levin in one of the latest mags Gary.

[roogazza]

the Paeroa meeting was never about motorcycling, it was done by the town as an event, just like others have beach hop etc, and it was always about raising funds for the local community groups etc.
When they dropped TV coverage the end was in sight from that day on, a lot of riders were there because of it's high profile, take that away, a lot didn't go.
I'm not sure the year it was canned due to the weather had as much impact on rider numbers as the earlier episode where they called it off after one round of racing due to a massive oil leak around the circuit. Pocketing the remaining prize money for the day rather than either doubling what was already won, or divvying up the money amongst the riders either there and then, or as a discount for the next years event, was noted among the riders who'd been loyal, and a lot didn't like the attitude...
We've been lucky that it lasted 27 years in my opinion..
As for chucking the motards out just cause it's wet, the world's moved on from that behaviour, the tarmac is just as hard to hit on a motard as a superbike.
BTW nice piccie of you racing at Levin in one of the latest mags Gary.

Got that mag Spyda, "Old Bike Australasia" Issue 75 (with Supermono on the cover).
Good little article on the history of Levin Circuit. Few photos of old fossils having fun.
Another one for the collection and cheers for the heads up.