On Tuesday though, the 2011 Waitaki sportsman and sportsperson of the year was enjoying the more humble surrounds of Waimate's Victoria Park, where his racing began.
The 17 year-old, who won bronze medals in the omnium and 4000m team pursuit at the junior world championships in Moscow last August, pointed towards the western side of the park's velodrome yesterday afternoon to where he first began to blow people away during the Waimate Caledonian sports carnival.
He was younger then, barely into double figures, but, perched atop his mountain bike, he would routinely thrash all-comers.
By the age of 12 he was so quick he was starting from behind the scratch line in the handicapped races, and had the announcer imploring someone to "get this kid a real bike".
Still, he only began taking cycling seriously about three years ago and, as the size of his calf muscles suggest, has developed at an incredible rate.
The national under-19 track champion had dominated the age-group scene for at least a season before being named in the team for the junior world championships, and underscored that dominance with four golds and a silver at November's Oceania championships in Invercargill.
He will again be a cornerstone of the New Zealand team to contest this year's junior world track championships, and was excited the event is to be held in Invercagill in August.
"We will have an advantage because most of the people will be New Zealanders cheering us on and we know the track," he said.
Kennett likens his style to that of noted sprinter and former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Greg Henderson.
He would, however, like to emulate the likes of Hayden Roulston and Jesse Sergent, who made their names on the track, before pursuing rides with professional road racing teams.
Kennett, who moved from Christchurch to Waimate with his family about a decade ago, was thrilled to have won the awards, and paid tribute to the efforts of his family, friends, coaches and sponsors.
"It's always good to win an award like this. You get to know that all the hard work pays off when you get recognised outside the track," he said.
It was "good to finally get one" after previously being nominated twice for the junior sportsperson of the year award, he said.
Good systems and heightened expectations meant New Zealand was routinely producing world-class cyclists, who, because of the policy of forming squads, tended to excel in team events, he said.
