FOREST THRILLS AND SPILLS
2 January 2009
This weekend [3/4 January 2009] around 200 mountain bikers from across the country are competing in a fast and furious race through Whakarewarewa Forest.
Rotorua is hosting NZCT Rounds One and Three (16 and 17 January) of the RaboPlus NZ Mountain Bike Cups presented by Nature Valley – and local riders are expected to shine.
Event organiser, Dave Hamilton, says Rotorua has an advantage over the rest of the country when it comes to down hill mountain biking.
“For a start, we’ve got an incredible training ground - the Whakarewarewa Forest - with more than 500km of track to practice on,” says Dave. “But we’ve also got the first downhill development squad in the country – and we’ve got a couple of future world champs amongst them.”
In downhill racing, each rider races the clock to finish the course as fast as they can. The races are quick and exciting, with large drops, long jumps, loads of adrenalin, speed and skill.
“They are great fun, but the amount of skill and concentration involved is immense,” says Dave.
“It’s all about choosing the fastest way through the obstacles – and of course the more skilled you are, the harder you can push yourself and your bike. It’s a fantastic spectator sport and we encourage locals and holiday makers in the area to come along and watch,” he says.
“One young rider to keep an eye out for is Matt Walker. His sister, Sarah, represented New Zealand in BMX at the recent Beijing Olympics, and the riding gene seems to run in the family.”
Dave’s own son, Louis, a 14 year old John Paul College student, is also a talented rider, and father and son are both competing this weekend.
“We took up the sport together, around six years ago,” says Dave. “We both won national titles in our first year of racing and I guess we both ‘caught the bug’. I think it’s great being involved in the same sport as my boy, but I’m not sure how I feel about him beating me every race!”
Louis is in the development squad, along with Matt and 12 other riders. Dave says it’s one thing to have talent, but you also have to have commitment and mental stamina.
“These guys are training up to 20 hours each week, but the hard work is paying off,” says Dave.
The Bay of Plenty has produced a number of talented riders – former world champion Vanessa Quinn from Tauranga and Rotorua-based James Dodds and Craig Pattle consistently appear in the top ranks. Wanganui’s Sam Blenkinsop has had a great season on the World Circuit being the only Kiwi ever to win a world cup round.
The sport originates in the USA, but downhill mountain biking is currently taking New Zealand by storm.
NZCT Regional Advisory Committee chairperson, Gary Cookson, says the trust is pleased to be involved in this exciting sport.
“Through BikeNZ, we’ve made a substantial commitment to mountain biking. We know how important it is to support local clubs and riders - and we’re happy to help. After all, we’re the largest funder of amateur sport in New Zealand,” says Gary.
The NZCT Downhill Series consists of six races, and the overall winner is the rider with the highest top four placings. The national champion automatically qualifies to compete at the world championships being held in Canberra in September.
