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A Tandem Win for Top Young Cyclists

November 24, 2014

Hannah van Kampen  Kirsty McCallumFellow students at EIT, road cyclists Hannah van Kampen and Kirsty McCallum shared the podium in the recent 115km Tour of the Bay race.

Hannah was the first-placed woman and came in at 16th overall while Kirsty was not too far behind as the third woman to finish the 115km event.

“It was a bit of a crazy race because of the conditions,” says Hannah.  “It was pouring with rain for most of the ride so it was a survival race really but I had fun.  It’s always fun when you’re winning.”

In the second year of her Bachelor of Recreation and Sport, and a Sport Hawke’s Bay and EIT Sports Scholarship winner, Hannah has really enjoyed this last semester, finding her studies increasingly challenging.

From Hastings, the 21-year-old is aiming to do well again in next year’s nationals and, after finishing her degree, she wants to return to Europe.  Three years ago, she spent five months based in the Netherlands on a trip organised by her Dutch coach.

“I’ve got to go back and have another crack with the experience I’ve had here,” she says.

In the final year of a Bachelor of Recreation and Sport and Bachelor of Business Studies concurrent degree, Kirsty says studying at EIT has been “brilliant”, with hands-on placements a positive experience.

She anticipates finding a job in sports management that will take her away from Hawke’s Bay, “but I would love to come back,” the 22-year-old from Havelock North adds.

Kirsty’s aim is to compete in more elite races and achieve results that will see her back on the podium.

“I wanted to do a little better,” she says of her ambition to stay with Hannah in the Tour of the Bay   race, “but I am happy with how it went.”