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/a...ectid=10628113

[WALRUS]

I lost my old mate Alan Satherly there in 2010 too.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/a...ectid=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/a...ectid=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"