INDEPENDENT NEWS

Dirt Bike teammates tackle road-racing scene

Published: Tue 11 Dec 2018 10:04 AM
New Zealand universities and research institutions are a ‘hot-bed’ of entrepreneurial talent. Innovative sci-tech ideas are coming through so fast that a student-led investment committee programme is expanding nationally to cope with demand.
The Momentum Programme was the first of its kind in New Zealand when it was conceived and launched with the formation of a student-led investment committee by the University of Auckland’s UniServices through its Return On Science programme in June 2017. The Auckland committee has already reviewed 49 projects since its inception and Return On Science has reviewed 480 projects in total. Momentum Programme investment committees are accredited by the Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment (MBIE) to make investment decisions and recommendations for placement of PreSeed Accelerator Funds.
Momentum Programme investment committees also push for natural incorporation of Te Reo Māori into each meeting. Karakia and Mihi are delivered at the beginning and end of each investment committee meeting, and the roles of Kaikarakia (karakia leader) and Kaimihi (Mihi leader) are shared among committee members.
Minister of Research, Science and Innovation, Hon Dr Megan Woods officially launched the second Momentum investment committee at a breakfast event attended by representatives from across New Zealand’s innovation ecosystem in Wellington this morning (Tuesday, December 11).
The new Momentum committee, which is a partnership between Return On Science, KiwiNet and Viclink (the commercialisation arm of Victoria University), will recommend investment into promising university student projects from the lower North Island from a $100,000 funding pool provided by KiwiNet via MBIE’s PreSeed Accelerator Fund. Prospective projects already reviewed range from Aria Digital, an app which gives greater rostering flexibility and control to staff and managers, to a platform for bioconversion of organic waste by invertebrates into useable nutrients.
The Momentum Programme will be rolled out progressively across New Zealand.
The new committee provides student entrepreneurs with expert advice and direction to help commercialise their innovations. As a result, business and investment sectors can expect to see these ‘pre-seed’ intellectual property (IP) and technology projects coming to market faster and with greater chance of success.
Young Kiwi business leaders such as Veronica Stevenson of Humble Bee and Spindle Fibre Films, Ben Dunn of Swibo, and Andrew Mayfield of Optimal Workshop have volunteered their expertise to support the next generation of sci-tech start-ups in Wellington.
Momentum in Auckland is chaired by Dr Daniel Xu, chair and CEO of Spark 64 and a graduate of the Stanford Ignite entrepreneurship programme.
“At UniServices and Return On Science we are always looking for ways to improve what we do, both for our own benefit and for the broader benefits we see for New Zealand,” comments Auckland UniServices chief executive, Dr Andy Shenk.
He explains the Momentum Programme was born out of two, inter-connected ideas. The first was to create a supportive environment for student entrepreneurs to put forward their ideas in a forum that strongly tests the business proposition without undermining or confronting the team behind the business proposition. The second was to provide real-world experiences and opportunities to the next generation of New Zealand innovators, entrepreneurs and investors.
“We could not be more pleased with how well the members of both the inaugural Momentum investment committees have brought these two ideas to life.”
Will Charles, Auckland UniServices executive director Commercialisation, adds, “We are really excited about how this programme is developing. The challenge of commercialising science and research really becomes scalable and transformational when an army of students, provided with some tools, support and infrastructure, is unleashed. We are already seeing the benefits of this in Auckland and are very confident that it will very quickly become a great New Zealand innovation.”
Bay of Plenty's Brad Groombridge and his Kea Trailers Race Team-mate Seton Head both love the power of their Suzuki dirt bikes, but they each discovered there was a whole new level of bravery required when they made their road-racing debuts at the weekend.
More accustomed to racing his Suzuki RM-Z450 or Suzuki RM-Z250 dirt bikes in motocross, enduro and cross-country events, the main focus for Groombridge at the weekend was in actually avoiding any encounters with the dirt and staying on top of a 1000cc Suzuki GSX-R1000 superbike.
Groombridge is the reigning New Zealand enduro and cross-country champion, who is also ranked No.2 in the national MX2 motocross class, jumped at the chance to try a different motorcycling code at the weekend as the popular three-round Suzuki Series kicked off at Taupo's Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park.
With backing from Suzuki New Zealand, the two Kea Trailers Race Team dirt bike riders rolled into the pits at Taupo with just one aim in mind, to learn as much as they could about racing on tarmac.
Groombridge took the GSX-R1000 to race in the Formula Sport class and Head climbed on board a Suzuki GSX150F to make his road-racing debut in the fledgling GIXXER Cup competition.
The 28-year-old Groombridge finished second and eighth in his two outings, behind experienced road-racers Brendon Coad and Steve Bridge, and this was good enough for Groombridge to end up third overall on the day, a podium finish on his road-racing debut probably better than he could have dreamed of.
"I received a call about a week ago from (Suzuki's national superbike champion) Sloan Frost and he said he had a spare bike for me if I wanted to give it a go on a superbike. Went down to Wellington on Thursday (just last week) to pick the bike up and I managed to have a ride on a 'bucket' bike at a local kart track for about 40 minutes, so that was my first road-bike experience.
"I have ridden a road bike up and down the road before, but no significant distance. The transition went pretty well and my track times were pretty good, straight off the bat.
"It was a learning experience trying to find my braking markers at 260kmph and not using any rear brakes ... it's all front brake really. There were a few different things I had to figure out.
"The first few times at full throttle down the main straight were a bit scary, but then I got used to the speed and I was okay.
"I did have one 'off', when I low-sided the bike and slid into the 'kitty litter', but it was nothing too major." smiled Groombridge, who works as a locksmith in Taupo.
"I am committing to doing the whole Suzuki Series and also now will do the 2019 New Zealand Superbike Championships too. None of the dates clash with my enduro, motocross or cross-country events, so I'm free to race the superbike."
The GIXXER Cup class is a relatively new competition, hatched last year, and reserved for riders aged between 14 and 21 and all on board identical 150cc Suzuki GSX150F model bikes, but the 17-year-old Head was soon on the pace, settling in the end for 10th overall in the 17-rider field.
"I had a call only a couple of days ago from Brad (Groombridge) and he told me there was a GIXXER Cup bike available for me to ride if I wanted to," said Head.
"I thought, 'I've never ridden a road bike before but I'll give it a crack'.
"I learned a lot at the weekend, like learning how to lean over and just how much more grip you have than on a dirt bike. I feel comfortable on the GSX150F bike now and have gotten to grips with the different riding technique.
"My cross-country friend Zak (Fuller, from Taupiri) did really well at this GIXXER competition last year and I thought I'd like to give him a run for his money."
Hamilton's Jesse Stroud won the GIXXER Cup class on Sunday, finishing one point clear of Fuller, with Sanson's Shane Miller and Greymouth's Clark Fountain sharing third spot overall.
Head's father, Tony, owner of the innovative Kea Trailers NZ Ltd company, said the weekend's experience was a real eye-opener.
"It was a really good opportunity for the two guys. They obviously don't mind a little variation, which is why they both race motocross, enduro events and cross-country events too.
"They are both the kind of guys that if you give them two wheels they'll try to find a way to go faster on it. That's what I like about them ... they have adaptability and therefore, I guess from my point of view, marketability too.
"They are putting my trailer brand out there across all the various bike codes. Whether you're racing motocross or road-racing, everybody needs a trailer and that's why my product belongs here. This is good branding for us and good exposure too."
The riders now head to Manfeild (on the outskirts of Feilding) for round two of the Suzuki Series this coming weekend. The series wraps up with the riders tackling the world-famous Cemetery Circuit in Whanganui on Boxing Day.
After that it will be the five-round 2019 New Zealand Superbike Championships that will command their focus, the series kicking off at Mike Pero Motorsport Park, Christchurch, on January 5-6.
Class leaders in the 2018 Suzuki Series after Sunday’s first of three rounds are Wainuiomata's Shane Richardson (F1 superbike class); Whakatane's Damon Rees (F2 600cc class); Palmerston North’s Jacob Stroud (F3); Hamilton’s Jesse Stroud (GIXXER Cup); Whangarei’s Duncan Coutts (Post Classics, Pre-89, Senior); Auckland’s Scott Findlay (Post Classics, Pre-89, Junior); Auckland’s Brendon Coad (Bears, non-Japanese bikes, Seniors); Te Awamutu’s Gary Morgan (Bears, non-Japanese bikes, Seniors); Tauranga’s Duncan Hart (Super Motard class); England’s John Holden and Tauranga’s Robbie Shorter (F1 Sidecars); Tauranga’s Barry Smith and Tracey Bryan (F2 Sidecars).

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