LOWE & ASSOCIATES TEAM
Our riders bring together a wide range of experience and knowledge. We have some of the elder statesmen of cycling. Lowe & Associates don’t have big numbers or a big budget but we more than make up for that with passion, cunning and above all else the ability to have fun doing what we love cycling racing.
Stu Lowe – Stu brings 25 years of experience. He feels if you race for long enough you must win something. Stu won Tour of Southland back in 1991 he had a total of 5 stage wins. 2nd in the Elite National Road Champs in 2001. Stu was a member of the winning Scotty Browns team in the Trek Series 2006. Stu is also the principal Director of one of Christchurchs quality accounting firms Lowe and Associates.
Darrell Kircher – Darrell has ridden the Tour of Southland 7 times, won about 10 National Titles along with representing New Zealand 3 times as a Track rider. Darrell started racing when he was 10 years old so that’s 30 years {yes that long} of experience. Darrell was also in the winning 2006 Scotty Browns team.
Anthony Chapman – Over the years Anthony has been a New Zealand Track representative and has won NZ Points Race, Individual Pursit, Madison and Team Pursuit titles. He was the winner of KOM in the 2005 Tour of Southland as well as finishing 3rd in GC. Anthony has won stages in all major tours in New Zealand including Tour of Southland, Wellington and Nelson. Anthony is a sports physiotherapist, husband, dad and all round good guy.
Lester Settle – Lester says he’s just old but he did win the New Zealand Vet 1 Road Champs in 2006.
Craig Scott – Craig has represented New Zealand at Track in his younger years. He also rode in the Tour of Southland in 2005.
Olly Pearce – Olly is the youngest member of our team. He spent 6 months last year riding for in the U23 NZ Team in Europe. Olly finished 2nd in the U23 Elite Nationals, he has done 2 Tours of Southland. Olly is currently training to be the next Jamie Oliver.
James Gibson – James has been racing for just over a year. He came from a background of mountaineering and ice climbing in Scotland, France and Canada but realised it was wet, cold and miserable. James saw coverage of Tour of Southland on TV and saw there was even more misery to be had. Since then James has discovered that cycling is also cold and wet but you have to train far more and smoke and drink far less. James’ girlfriend would like to thank Mark Inglis and Peak Fuel for giving James enough energy to not only race hard but to occasionally stay up past 8 pm and to be able to get off the couch for something other than cycling.
Andrew Widdup – Andy started cycling back in 1994 and won his first race so he was hooked. He went over to Belgium in 2000 and raced for Kingsnorth International Wheelers. Andy returned to New Zealand in 2001 and he has had some excellent results but is too modest to list them.
Due to his extensive, in depth research and initimate knowledge of the female form Andy has developed a ranges of women specific cycle clothing www.athenacycling.com. He has offered anyone out cycling wearing Athena clothing a special discount on personalised compliments available until the end of May get your orders in quick.
Eliot Crowther- Eliot joined us for the 3rd race of the series. Eliot is the second youngest member of our team. He is currently studying to be a Doctor of Chiropractic. Eliot recently married in December 2007. He has been racing since he was 12 and grew up in Invercargill. Eliot has won a number of National titles on the track. Last year he won the U23 National Road Title in Auckland he rode away with Jeremy Yates in the last 60km and ended up winning by about 4 minutes. Eliot rode for New Zealand at the Junior Worlds on the track, riding in the final of the Madison and Scratch races
