Let the biking battle commence.
As part of this month’s Aotearoa Bike Challenge, encouraging Queenstown-Lakes residents to swap their cars for handlebars, Wakatipu High’s throwing down the gauntlet to two other major employers, Queenstown’s council and Queenstown Airport.
Under the challenge, which has attracted many prizes, bike riders register both their number of rides and the kilometres they cover, the aim being to cut congestion, reduce emissions and increase people’s wellbeing.
Last year, Wakatipu High placed top in New Zealand for schools of its size.
Conscious both the council and airport will also be on their tail this time, principal Oded Nathan says: ‘‘As defending champions we’ve considered how some other organisations are going to come after us, so we’ve got a bit of a strategy to get more staff involved.’’
The school has 138 staff, including 100 teachers, however this year students can join in, too.
‘‘Particularly in the month of February, when the weather is nice, it’s something we will certainly be promoting,’’ Nathan says.
He adds many staff have battled traffic jams driving home, after 5pm, and looked with envy at cyclists overtaking them.
The local bike challenge is a joint initiative between the council and active travel organisation, The Lightfoot Initiative — last year, almost 500 riders took part, making 5500-plus trips.
Lightfoot co-founder/trustee Amanda Robinson says they’re particularly encouraging people to jump on a bike each Wednesday this month.
As an incentive, free coffees and danishes are being dished out every Wednesday, 7 till 9am, at Queenstown’s Glenda Dr and Frankton Marina.
This month’s programme also includes the likes of bike repair clinics, mountain bike downhill lessons for seniors and e-bike ‘tasters’ for workplaces.
Robinson’s hoping more than 100 businesses, schools and organisations will sign up for this month’s challenge — via the challenge app or
lightfoot.org.nz
