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Ian "Luvie" Love
It is with deepest sadness that we advise of the passing on Saturday evening of Ian “Luvie” Love from Christchurch. Few in the sport of karting will not know Ian who has been a stalwart of the sport for over 40 years.
After racing stockcars with mixed success Ian found his way to karting and never looked back. For 25 years he lead the Christchurch Kart Club as President and the Christchurch club and New Zealand kartsport in general has been the greatest part of Ian’s life. Ian has worked within the sport at Club, National and International level and has been instrumental in many of the key aspects of change and innovation within New Zealand kartsport over many years.
When the New Zealand Kart Federation encountered financial difficulties many years ago, it was Ian, who along with a small group of other key enthusiasts, put up their own personal property as bank guarantee to ensure the sports continued survival. At the same time Ian joined the National Executive as Treasurer and was also elected as a South Island Executive member.
Ian’s working background was with the NZ Post Office and desktop publishing. This experience and his love of creating forms and booklets lead Ian naturally into the role of kartsport forms and rule book creator, editor and publisher. For as long as most people can remember, Ian has been the one who every year has produced the KartSport manual, a job requiring hours of work, proof reading, corrections and finally printing. It was in this area that he was most recently working, overhauling the existing kartsport manual and creating a new size and restructured manual in full colour for 2010. It was also in the area of the rule book that some will fondly know the term “Love Rules” for which Ian became well known.
In 1983 Ian’s work for karting was recognised with Life Membership of KartSport New Zealand but in reality, Ian’s work had only just begun.
Over the many years of involvement with the sport Ian convened a great number of meetings from club level, to street races, to National events. It was Ian’s passion for the Road Racing Championships that saw Ian and the Christchurch Club successfully keep this event alive over recent years, hosting the event annually at Ruapuna.
Ian’s experience in this area of convening major meetings saw him create a one day Convenors Seminar, introduced in the early nineties to train new convenors and this course is still taught to this day.
In 1991 Ian was elected as National President and for 4 years worked tirelessly and with as much passion for the sport as anyone has ever seen.
Stepping down in 1995 Ian continued his involvement as a senior steward. He lead a team of people who created and implemented the initial track rating criteria that has formed the backbone of the current Track Rating and Safety Criteria that is fundamental to the safety of tracks around the country today.
Ian began travelling internationally to events and made contact with the then international karting President, Earnest Buser. Through this association Ian was able to forge the initial relationships between KartSport New Zealand and the CIK, resulting in licence border agreements with Australia and eventually Ian’s own appointment as a CIK International Steward.
Ian returned to the National Executive in 2002 as National Steward and went on to lead the introduction to NZ of the International Sporting Code and the new judicial procedures that were a major change for the sport.
Stepping down as National Steward in 2006 Ian concentrated on his international duties as a CIK Steward and become a key member of the international team of stewards at the CIK Asia Pacific Championships, Asian Karting Open Championship series (AKOC) and most recently the CIK World Championships in Macau.
Ian also worked together with the current National Steward to create a series of training modules and assisted in presenting these around New Zealand over the past couple of years.
Ian’s last involvement in an official capacity at a major race meeting in New Zealand was at the recent North Island Sprint Championships in Manawatu. Despite not feeling well with what seemed to Ian to be a cold, Ian worked tirelessly all weekend in the way that only Ian could.
Ian was admitted to hospital in mid November with suspected Legionaries disease, probably contracted while in Asia recently while officiating as an International Steward. Despite antibiotics and extensive treatment, Ian suffered a cardiac arrest, kidney failure and other complications and passed away peacefully on Saturday evening.
Our condolences and thoughts go out to Ian’s wife Lyn, who together with Ian has also worked tirelessly for the sport over all these years and also the other members of Ian’s family.
Ian will long be remembered as one of the sports true ‘workers’ and someone that put his heart and sole into the sport he loved for the majority of his life.
Funeral 2.00 pm Friday
Netball Centre, 455 Hagley Avenue, Christchurch
After racing stockcars with mixed success Ian found his way to karting and never looked back. For 25 years he lead the Christchurch Kart Club as President and the Christchurch club and New Zealand kartsport in general has been the greatest part of Ian’s life. Ian has worked within the sport at Club, National and International level and has been instrumental in many of the key aspects of change and innovation within New Zealand kartsport over many years.
When the New Zealand Kart Federation encountered financial difficulties many years ago, it was Ian, who along with a small group of other key enthusiasts, put up their own personal property as bank guarantee to ensure the sports continued survival. At the same time Ian joined the National Executive as Treasurer and was also elected as a South Island Executive member.
Ian’s working background was with the NZ Post Office and desktop publishing. This experience and his love of creating forms and booklets lead Ian naturally into the role of kartsport forms and rule book creator, editor and publisher. For as long as most people can remember, Ian has been the one who every year has produced the KartSport manual, a job requiring hours of work, proof reading, corrections and finally printing. It was in this area that he was most recently working, overhauling the existing kartsport manual and creating a new size and restructured manual in full colour for 2010. It was also in the area of the rule book that some will fondly know the term “Love Rules” for which Ian became well known.
In 1983 Ian’s work for karting was recognised with Life Membership of KartSport New Zealand but in reality, Ian’s work had only just begun.
Over the many years of involvement with the sport Ian convened a great number of meetings from club level, to street races, to National events. It was Ian’s passion for the Road Racing Championships that saw Ian and the Christchurch Club successfully keep this event alive over recent years, hosting the event annually at Ruapuna.
Ian’s experience in this area of convening major meetings saw him create a one day Convenors Seminar, introduced in the early nineties to train new convenors and this course is still taught to this day.
In 1991 Ian was elected as National President and for 4 years worked tirelessly and with as much passion for the sport as anyone has ever seen.
Stepping down in 1995 Ian continued his involvement as a senior steward. He lead a team of people who created and implemented the initial track rating criteria that has formed the backbone of the current Track Rating and Safety Criteria that is fundamental to the safety of tracks around the country today.
Ian began travelling internationally to events and made contact with the then international karting President, Earnest Buser. Through this association Ian was able to forge the initial relationships between KartSport New Zealand and the CIK, resulting in licence border agreements with Australia and eventually Ian’s own appointment as a CIK International Steward.
Ian returned to the National Executive in 2002 as National Steward and went on to lead the introduction to NZ of the International Sporting Code and the new judicial procedures that were a major change for the sport.
Stepping down as National Steward in 2006 Ian concentrated on his international duties as a CIK Steward and become a key member of the international team of stewards at the CIK Asia Pacific Championships, Asian Karting Open Championship series (AKOC) and most recently the CIK World Championships in Macau.
Ian also worked together with the current National Steward to create a series of training modules and assisted in presenting these around New Zealand over the past couple of years.
Ian’s last involvement in an official capacity at a major race meeting in New Zealand was at the recent North Island Sprint Championships in Manawatu. Despite not feeling well with what seemed to Ian to be a cold, Ian worked tirelessly all weekend in the way that only Ian could.
Ian was admitted to hospital in mid November with suspected Legionaries disease, probably contracted while in Asia recently while officiating as an International Steward. Despite antibiotics and extensive treatment, Ian suffered a cardiac arrest, kidney failure and other complications and passed away peacefully on Saturday evening.
Our condolences and thoughts go out to Ian’s wife Lyn, who together with Ian has also worked tirelessly for the sport over all these years and also the other members of Ian’s family.
Ian will long be remembered as one of the sports true ‘workers’ and someone that put his heart and sole into the sport he loved for the majority of his life.
Funeral 2.00 pm Friday
Netball Centre, 455 Hagley Avenue, Christchurch
Add a Comment
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Comment by Ian Bias on December 20, 2009 at 10:37 -
R.I.P Ian We had some laughs and some good times and some not so good times.You were a good guy who gave 100% for our sport.You will be MISSED
Ian BIAS
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Comment by Robert Hutton on December 10, 2009 at 20:08 -
Luvie was very respected in Asia.
see http://kartingphotography.com/index.php?option=com_content&task...
Subject: Luvie' s tribute from Macau
Dear Sir/Madam,
I have met Ian in the year 2005 when the first International Karting Grand Prix was held in Macau.
For myself, designated the Clerk-of-the-Course, it was a very fruitful experience dealing with the "kiwi" guy, as he had plenty of time to listen to me, all the questions I had about some situations and procedures.
And this excelent experience went on for 5 years, including this year's SKF World Karting Championship for which he contributed a great deal, with suggestions, remarks, comments, solutions.
Not to mention the pineaple buns and crunchies he would present us every single time coming to Macau!
And those manuals, calendars, photo albuns he used to send, the bright in his eyes when he mentioned his latest work, to overhaul and create this new, coloured karting manual.
And the promise to send me one when it was completed.
I always appreciated his works and I keep them in my office (2007 red manual, 2008 blue manual, 2009 yellow manual, "Elbows Up, a pictorial history of TQ racing in Canterbury", among others).
I was shocked when I got Luvie' s wife e-mail yesterday as I felt I had lost a very good man and a very special FRIEND.
I have been invited by our ASN President the Automobile General Association Macau-China (AAMC), to write a book about the history of karting in Macau, which goes back to 1963 and I have reserved a special chapter for Ian - please see his words in the attached file - bcause he was the man who was behind our President's dream to hold a karting world event in Macau.
We all have lost a great FRIEND, a man behind the helm with his knowledge, charisma and great deal of fun.
And the Asian motorsport world is now poorer with the loss of Ian Luvie Love.
May he continue with fine work somewhere up there.
I felt honored, proud and priviliged to have met and worked with Luvie.
Kind regards
Carlos Barreto
AAMC Clerk of the Course
(Karting and Motorcycle)
My first trip to Macau in December 2005 was an invitation from the organisers as the meeting was a CIK recognised Event they needed a CIK Steward to officiate. The CIK requested I prepare a full evaluation report of the event.
The CIK forwarded me all the necessary documents for the report including the track simulation and the CIK Track Inspectors Report for the circuit’s CIK B Rating.
Before I even got to see the circuit I had a meeting with Patrick Castro and Chong (surname here). Chong made it very clear to me at this meeting that their target was to host the CIK World Karting Championships before 2010. I remember my reply very well. Lets get a few CIK Asia Pacific events under your belt first. In other words, let’s learn to crawl first then walk.
At the venue I was very impressed with the complex the quality of all the officials, the track, paddock and the whole infrastructure. This was the first time in my career as a CIK Steward I had been President of the Stewards. Fortunately I have had excellent teachers, Jaakko Markula from Finland and Horst Siedel from Germany.
After 4 days at the circuit it became obvious to me that the track and barriers were getting a bit tired and needed a bit of a makeover. The biggest issue I had was the Service Parks and pre grid. There was very little control and the Out Service Park did not have any identifiable barriers. There was very little security in this area and people were able to walk in out with ease.
Throughout the weekend there were lots of problems but I was able to work through these knowing that the same problem would not happen again because all the officials were keen to learn.
My report outlined the problems that needed to be made right with a drawing of how the Service Parks should be laid out. Copies of the report were forwarded to the CIK and AAMC.
2006 I was invited back as President of the Stewards as the meeting was still a CIK Event. The CIK sent Jaakko as the CIK Observer as AAMC had been awarded the CIK Asia Pacific Championships for KF1 and KF3.
Although some of things I requested to be done, I was disappointed that the Service Parks were the same as the previous year, nothing had been done. I made it very clear to the organisers that I was disappointed that my report had not been fully actioned.
However the organisation of the event was very good. It always ran to the scheduled times and when it occasionally got behind the officials have the happy knack of very quickly getting back to the schedule without causing confusion or inconvenience to anyone.
In 2007 Jaakko and myself were invited to attend the Macau F3 Grand Prix which was about a month before the Kart Grand Prix. Jaakko and I took the opportunity to visit the kart circuit on the Saturday morning. We witnessed an unkempt raceway with broken tyre barriers, loose tyres, grass and weeds growing out of the edge of the circuit and the tyre barriers. Run-off areas were in poor condition and in some cases very dangerous.
We now appreciated the amount of work that AAMC and their team has to do to prepare the complex for an event with only 28 days to do it. We went back to circuit on Monday morning with some of the ACMC officials. The manager of the Hire Karts attended. He said that they carry out maintenance every Monday morning. His idea of maintenance and mine obviously are different.
The 2007 event was now a CIK Championship and everything went up another step. The CIK sent a team of officials and I was now back as the CIK steward and Jaakko President of the Stewards. Yes there were problems throughout the event, but the organisers met these challenges head on and made the required fixes. On the Saturday a part of circuit which had been resurfaced started to break up. We decided that no repairs would be made. Unfortunately this information did not get to the organisers. So keen to please the CIK officials the organisers had arranged a contractor to dig out the damaged area and resurface. As we left the circuit an asphalt machine and other road equipment was arriving. Some frantic phone calls put a stop to this happening.
Early 2008 the CIK announced that the 2009 World Karting Championship would be hosted at Macau.
Arriving at the circuit for the 2008 event I thought that I was at a different circuit. The complex had had a substantial makeover. The organisers had stepped up their standards to anther level. The circuit looked beautiful. The Service Parks were in place and very operation. Full TV coverage had been added with over 20 cameras, some being on a swivel which can be operated from the control room. Macau and AAMC are ready for the 2009 CIK World Championship.
I go back to Chong’s statement to me in 2005. “We want the World Championships by 2009”. AAMC have met their target, what is next?
I am proud to have been a part of meeting the AAMC’s target and I would like to think that in some small way my input was a part of this.
The neat thing is that Macau have an incredible infrastructure of well-trained officials and helpers. They all know their job and have a good knowledge base.
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Comment by Daniel Bray on December 7, 2009 at 23:07 -
RIP Luvie.
You will be missed by everyone in karting here in NZ and in Asia.
I will miss the long convos on the phone to you when geting an international licence.
Daniel
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Comment by Graeme Moore on December 7, 2009 at 21:10 -
Funeral 2.00 pm Friday
Netball Centre, 455 Hagley Avenue, Christchurch
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Comment by Ross Tait on December 7, 2009 at 17:46 -
Sadly missed by alot of people and not a problem putting it on here at all once I heard.
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Comment by Darryn Mc Donnell on December 7, 2009 at 16:20 -
Nice thought putting this on here, he was truly a genuine good bloke, and will be sadly missed by Christchurch members, and all involved with Kartsport
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