The Kennett Brothers Profile

The Kennett Brothers Profile 1996

Since 1984 the Kennett brothers have been heavily involved in all aspects of cycling, earning widespread respect for their riding prowess, experience and enthusiasm. They now work fulltime from a downtown Wellington office organising, lobbying for and writing about cycling. Their guide-book Classic New Zealand Mountain Bike Rides has sold 10,000 copies and received widespread acclaim. They lobby for cyclists rights and mountain bike access and appear frequently in local newspapers and outdoors magazines. As an established name and three brothers, they make for an easy story.

Paul Kennett - Internet consultant: 1984 - Bought first mountain bike and began completeing epic explorations of New Zealand; 1985 - Elected president of the Wellington Cycle Touring Club; 1986 - Organised the inaugural Karapoti Classic, NZ's first National Championships; - Rode down Ayers Rock and through the desert to Alice Springs; 1987 - 3rd place, NZ National Championships; - 1st place, Karapoti Classic; 1988 - Began publishing the NZ MTB Mag; - Founded the NZ MTB Association; 1989 - Raced in USA for 5 months; - First sponsored by Fisher Mountain Bikes; 1990 - 1st place, Taupo round of NZ National Series; - 1st place, NZ Observed Trials Champs; - Selected to represent NZ at the World Championships; 1991 - Organised the 6th Karapoti Classic as the NZ National Series Finals; - Published the 10th and final issue of NZ MTB Mag; - Co-wrote Classic NZ Mountain Bike Rides; 1992 - Began writting for Cycling NZ; 1993 - Co-wrote and published 2nd edition of Classic NZ Mountain Bike Rides; 1994 - Established NZ MTB sight on World Wide Web, Internet; 1995 - Logistics manager of the Karapoti Classic; - NZ MTB Association committee member; Other interests: Movies, graphic design
Jonathan Kennett - BSC (Botany): 1985 - Bought first mountain bike; 1987 - Rode Wgtn to Cape Reinga; 1988 - Climbed Mt Cook and Aspiring; 1990 - Member of first team to cycle to Everest Base Camp (sponsored by Macpac); 1991 - Co-wrote Classic NZ Mountain Bike Rides; 1992 - Co-wrote Classic NZ Adventures; - Completed Karapoti Classic in sub-3hrs; 1993 - Co-wrote 2nd edition of Classic NZ Mountain Bike Rides; 1994 - Began writing for NZ Wilderness Mag; - Wrote the Wellington Regional MTB Guide; - 1st place, Nelson to Christchurch Race; 1995 - Managed revision of Classic NZ Adventures; - Involved in bicycle advocacy through Cycle Aware Wellington; - Became co-director of Karapoti Classic; - Wrote the DOC Taupo MTB Guide; Other Interests: Tramping, climbing, search and rescue, kayaking, classical guitar
Simon Kennett - Electrical Engineer: 1982 - Bought first touring bike; 1985 - Bought first mountain bike; 1986 - 2nd place, inaugural Karapoti Classic; 1987 - 4th place, NZ National Championships; 1988 - 4th place, NZ National Championships; - 1st place, Karapoti Classic; - Committee member of Wellington Cycle Touring Club; 1989 - 1st place, 1st and Final rounds of NZ National Series; - 3rd place, NZ National Championships; - Raced in USA for 5 months (sponsored by Diamond Back); - 1st place, USA National Hillclimb Championships (Expert); - Represented NZ at the World Championships; - Began 4 terms on the NZMBA committee; - Organised the first of 5 annual Wgtn Short Course MTB Championships; 1990 - 3rd place, NZ National Championships; - 1st place, NZ National Hillclimb Championships; - Represented NZ at the World Championships; 1991 - 1st place, 2nd, 3rd & 4th rounds of NZ National Series; - 2nd place, NZ National Championships; - Represented NZ at the World Championships (placed 5th in Hillclimb); - Began writing for NZ Adventure Mag; 1992 - 7th place, NZ National Championship (back injury); - Became event manager for Karapoti Classic; - Organised the inaugural Tour de Tunnel Stage Race; 1993 - 1st place, North Island Winter Series; - Co-wrote the 2nd edition of Classic NZ Mountain Bike Rides; - Became heavily involved in land access for cyclists; 1994 - 13th place, NZ National Championships (sponsored by Rock Shox); - Lead successful campaign to retain MTB access to WCC lands; - Began coordinating MTB track maintenence work parties; 1995 - 8th place, NZ National Championships; - Successfully managed 10th Karapoti Classic; - Successfully bid for a NZ round of the UCI MTB World Cup; - MTB consultant for WRC MTB policy; Other Interests: Road racing, films, photography, stunt kite flying
The Kennett Brothers Plan of Activities: - Continue organising the Karapoti Classic as Australasias premier MTB event; - Establish Wellington as a regular round of the UCI World Cup Series; - Publish a 3rd edition of Classic NZ Mountain Bike Rides; - Research, write and publish NZ Cycle Touring Adventures. This will involve travelling the entire country meeting with cycling clubs and enthusiasts, bike shops and recreation planners for three months; - Participate competitively in several MTB races and non-competitively in recreational events; - Write regular MTB articles for outdoors magazines; - Lobby for MTB access to public lands and promote cycle commuting