Kennett Bros
Encyclopedia
The Kennett Bros is the business name for brothers Paul Kennett, Simon Kennett and Jonathan Kennett. They have been heavily involved in mountain biking
in New Zealand
since 1984, and in publishing books about cycling and cyclists.
. The Kennett Bros continued to run this annually until 2002, when they sold the event.
In 1997 they co-organised a round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Wellington.
In 1998 they started building the Wellington City Council owned Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park
, which received a national recreation award in 2002 and a national conservation award in 2003.
From 2001 to 2006 the Kennett Bros coordinated a forest revegetation project at Otari-Wilton's Bush
. 40,000 trees were planted over a five year period.
The Kennett Bros helped organise the 2006 Rotorua
UCI Mountain Bike %26 Trials World Championships.
In 1991 the Kennett Bros wrote the first edition of Classic New Zealand Mountain Bike Rides, a national guidebook, which became a best seller. They produce new editions every three years (1993, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008).
In 1995 Paul launched the Mountain Bike New Zealand Web, the online home for many New Zealand mountain bikers.
In 2004 they published a history of cycling in New Zealand called RIDE: the story of cycling in New Zealand http://www.kennett.co.nz/bikehistory/. ISBN 0-9583490-7-X
In 2005, they launched the New Zealand Cycling Legends series of books with Phil O'Shea: Wizard on Wheels. The series is intended to consist of ten books on New Zealand's most famous or influential cyclists.
In 2006, they published the second book in the New Zealand Cycling Legends series - Harry Watson
: the Mile Eater. In 1928, Harry Watson was the first Kiwi to ride in the Tour de France and finished in 28th place.
In 2007, they published the seventh edition of Classic New Zealand Mountain Bike Rides, their national guidebook and Cycling Legends 3: Bill Pratney - Never Say Die. Pratney's cycling career began in 1926 and spanned seven decades.
In 2008, they published Cycling Legends 4: Warwick Dalton - The Lone Eagle. Dalton won 11 New Zealand track titles, the North Island Six-Day Tour, the Round-the-Mountain, the Tour of Southland, plus many overseas events.
Tino Tabak
:Dreams and Deamons the fifth book in their Cycling Legends series, was published in November 2009.
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
since 1984, and in publishing books about cycling and cyclists.
Activities
Paul organised the first national mountain bike race in New Zealand in 1986 - the Karapoti ClassicKarapoti Classic
The Karapoti Classic is New Zealand's longest-running annual mountain bike event, started in 1986 by Paul Kennett. It starts at Karapoti Park off Akatarawa Road between Upper Hutt and Waikanae, and heads up the 8 km Karapoti Gorge...
. The Kennett Bros continued to run this annually until 2002, when they sold the event.
In 1997 they co-organised a round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Wellington.
In 1998 they started building the Wellington City Council owned Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park
Makara Peak Mountain Bike Park
In 1998 the Wellington City Council set aside 200 hectares of retired farmland in Karori southwest of Wellington, New Zealand for a mountain bike park...
, which received a national recreation award in 2002 and a national conservation award in 2003.
From 2001 to 2006 the Kennett Bros coordinated a forest revegetation project at Otari-Wilton's Bush
Otari-Wilton's Bush
Otari Native Botanic Garden and Wilton's Bush Reserve is the only public botanic garden in New Zealand dedicated solely to New Zealand native plants...
. 40,000 trees were planted over a five year period.
The Kennett Bros helped organise the 2006 Rotorua
Rotorua
Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...
UCI Mountain Bike %26 Trials World Championships.
Publishing
Paul ran a national mountain bike magazine called Mountain Bike New Zealand Magazine from 1988 - 1990.In 1991 the Kennett Bros wrote the first edition of Classic New Zealand Mountain Bike Rides, a national guidebook, which became a best seller. They produce new editions every three years (1993, 1996, 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008).
In 1995 Paul launched the Mountain Bike New Zealand Web, the online home for many New Zealand mountain bikers.
In 2004 they published a history of cycling in New Zealand called RIDE: the story of cycling in New Zealand http://www.kennett.co.nz/bikehistory/. ISBN 0-9583490-7-X
In 2005, they launched the New Zealand Cycling Legends series of books with Phil O'Shea: Wizard on Wheels. The series is intended to consist of ten books on New Zealand's most famous or influential cyclists.
In 2006, they published the second book in the New Zealand Cycling Legends series - Harry Watson
Harry Watson (cyclist)
Harry Watson was the first New Zealander to ride in the Tour de France. In 1928, he teamed up with Australian cyclists, Hubert Opperman, Percy Osborne and Ernie Bainbridge. They were the first English-speaking team to ride the Tour de France....
: the Mile Eater. In 1928, Harry Watson was the first Kiwi to ride in the Tour de France and finished in 28th place.
In 2007, they published the seventh edition of Classic New Zealand Mountain Bike Rides, their national guidebook and Cycling Legends 3: Bill Pratney - Never Say Die. Pratney's cycling career began in 1926 and spanned seven decades.
In 2008, they published Cycling Legends 4: Warwick Dalton - The Lone Eagle. Dalton won 11 New Zealand track titles, the North Island Six-Day Tour, the Round-the-Mountain, the Tour of Southland, plus many overseas events.
Tino Tabak
Tino Tabak
Tino Tabak is a Dutch-born New Zealand cyclist who raced in the Tour de France in the 1970s.- Biography :Born Jentinus Johannes Tabak in Egmond aan Zee in the Netherlands on 6 May 1946, he emigrated with his father Gerben and mother Hendrika to New Zealand in December 1952, aged 6. Tino's younger...
:Dreams and Deamons the fifth book in their Cycling Legends series, was published in November 2009.
Publications
- Classic New Zealand Mountain Bike Rides (2007, revised every three years) - ISBN 978-0-9582673-3-5 (seventh edition)
- RIDE: the story of cycling in New Zealand (2004) - ISBN 0-9583490-7-X
- Phil O'Shea: Wizard on Wheels (New Zealand Cycling Legends 01) by Jonathan Kennett & Bronwen Wall (2005) - ISBN 0-9583490-8-8
- Harry WatsonHarry Watson (cyclist)Harry Watson was the first New Zealander to ride in the Tour de France. In 1928, he teamed up with Australian cyclists, Hubert Opperman, Percy Osborne and Ernie Bainbridge. They were the first English-speaking team to ride the Tour de France....
: the Mile Eater (New Zealand Cycling Legends 02) by Jonathan Kennett, Bronwen Wall & Ian Gray (2006) - ISBN 0-9582673-1-6 - Bill Pratney: Never say die (New Zealand Cycling Legends 03) by Jim Robinson (2007) - ISBN 9780958267328
- Warwick Dalton: the Lone Eagle (New Zealand Cycling Legends 04) by John Rhodes and Jonathan Kennett (2008) - ISBN 9780958267342