Kaiteriteri 6Hr goes ahead - and OFF!

They say every cloud has a silver lining. While a week's postponement of our 6 hour Mid-Winter Breakout due to wet weather saw some unlucky punters having to withdraw, others were wrapped to score a perfect Kaiteriteri day. The tracks had dried out nicely, the sun shone bright and the thermals were shed as the temperatures climbed. Some of us even returned from overseas or uni in time to enter :)

300 riders lined up for our inaugural multi-hour event and, by the resounding chorus of approval at its conclusion, it was a great success. Event director Wayne Pool's pre-race briefing that this was first & foremost a recreational occasion was well-heeded, even by those out to lay down scintillating lap-times.
From beginner to elite, everyone enjoyed the course and looked well-satisfied with the day's action - or maybe that was from the wild pork & apple sauce sammies that were freely available throughout the day...

Credit has to go to the Park's committee members and other volunteers who put in a lot of extra effort to ensure the event could go ahead after the wettest Autumn on record. The preceding Sunday 14 guys turned out in steady rain to spread gravel and improve water run-off (when best to do it?). It's this commitment that continues to reinforce our message that the Park belongs to all of us and that we share a responsibility to develop & maintain it.
Co-hosts Nelson MTB Club also put in a power of work, none more than Event Director Wayne Pool. His managing of the 6 Hr Breakout perfectly matched our MTB Park vision of staging recreational events that cater for all levels and see everyone going home looking forward to the next one!

Wayne Pool sets the field away from the Martin Farm Rd start...






Tom Filmer shot out to an early lead and, in the Solo class, stayed there - clocking up 16 laps in the process.


His time over 16 laps was only beaten by the Stoke Cycles A-Chain team, all riding single-speeds.









Champion multi-sporters Sophie Hart and Trevor Voyce relished racing on the fast tracks.












The under-over bridge was a popular feature...




Nathan Gilling enjoys some air off the optional ramp exiting the Tent Village...


Supporter Delwyn ensures a slick hand-over between Motueka mates Bill Hollick & 'Grib' Buchanan...





while Nick Kirby shows how much he enjoyed the new Kaiteriteri circuit.







Young riders Jordan Scott and Marcus Jones weren't giving anything away to their older fellow-competitors...




All photos courtesy of Oliver Weber and for personal use only.



These, and other photos, can be viewed in full resolution and purchased for a koha to Park development here:
www.oliverweberphotography.com/client-login/
Client login kaiteri

Race results can be viewed here:
www.nelsonmountainbikeclub.org.nz/6_hour_2011-results

6 Hr Mid-Winter Breakout!

This year Kaiteriteri MTB Park is hosting the region's premier mtb event, the Mid-Winter Breakout!


Timetabled round the shortest day of the year, Sunday, June 19, will be the day to load up your bikes and head for the Park.

If you've ever taken part in the Rabbit Island events, you'll already know what great fun they are. If not, here's your chance to find out why this is the most popular event on the Nelson MTB Club's calendar.

The Mountain Bike Park offers an ideal recreational circuit guaranteed to have you grinning from ear to ear. Lap times will vary between 20-30 mins - the idea is to see how many laps your team can clock up in 6 hours (hopefully one more than your mates :-)

Teams can be 2-4 people or, for those wanting to push themselves that bit harder, you can go solo.

In many parts of the country, a mid-winter mtb event often means a mud-fest. Not at Kaiteriteri - the firm & free-draining tracks mean they're good for riding year-round. So don't hesitate - get some mates together and get a team in now!

There's more event info. on the NMTBC website:
http://www.nelsonmountainbikeclub.org.nz/6-hour

and you can enter on-line here:
http://203.86.194.7/Gems/mountainbiking/6hrEntryform2011.pdf

or by popping into your nearest cycle shop and picking up a form.

Entries close June 12.

Balancing Acts

Some time back, Nelson sawmillers Waimea Wood donated us some timber for an elevated board-ride, commonly called a skinny. Other track-building projects delayed our start... until last Sunday.

The forecast was for rain - too wet for hand-benching - so we scheduled Skills Area construction!
The weather gods obviously approved as they delivered briliant sunshine and a good crew of Park volunteers showed their support by also turning up.



Jess Roborgh (2nd on left) donned the carpenter's apron while the rest of us set to digging holes and installing posts. While the intent was to start with something fairly easy & straightforward, boundaries were soon being pushed as creative juices got flowing.
It was useful having a couple of young guns with us in the shape of Doug & Thomas who showed us how quickly the balancing act could be mastered!



Unfortunately, Mike left with his camera before we finished the 'high road' but I'm sure some interesting video footage will appear on our park tv soon. 'Though whether Thomas will oblige us with another of his spectacular mud-slide dismounts is debatable...

The plan is to extend the skinny further around the boundary of our Skills Area, incorporating some more challenging features like see-saws, concrete pipes, ladders and sections of varying width. While some of us are still at the level of trying to stay on a plank lying flat on the ground, I'm confident we'll see a dramatic improvement in riding skills over the next months!

Autumn Highlights...

Back by popular demand this Autumn are Emma Bawtree's wheel woman bike skills workshops. Many local women used these last year to help prepare for the mtb stages of the Spring Challenge. They found the range of tracks & switchbacks available to practise on at Kaiteriteri ideal for building confidence and improving technique.

Emma's all-women workshops cater for those just getting into mountain biking through to Intermediate-level singletrack riding. She'll be running them through May & June and recommends you get in early to secure a place as she prefers to work with small groups.
Contact her at emma@nztraveldesigners.com or (03) 540 2678.


Also coming up on June 19 is the Kaiteriteri Mid-Winter 6Hr Breakout!

For the first time this event is being held at the Mountain Bike Park and is being run in conjunction with the Nelson MTB Club. The course will appeal to recreational riders who can expect a lap time of 25-30 ins. You can enter as a solo rider or as part of a team of 2-4 riders.

We'll be posting details on the cost, course & categories available soon but, in the meantime, start getting your team together!


We'd like to start building a gallery of your favourite pix of biking in the Park. Greg Buckett has got the wheel rolling with this, taken from the top of Rockface on a typical Kaiteriteri day. If you've got a pic you'd like to share, send it to: info@kaiteriterimtbpark.org.nz.

Skullduggery is taking shape

We had a great turnout yesterday at the working bee. Thanks to David Ryder, Rod Markham, Tony Baldwin, Ian Marshall, Kirsty Moran, Greg Buckett, Nigel Rogers, Mark Townsend, Guy Trainor and Oliver Weber for your efforts.


All that rain helped soften the digging. We're into steep terrain and had several trees to work around on a beautiful section of dense bush.

Here's the group turning the bush into a trail...



After some work, the trail starts to take shape...



Please join us the week after next (1st April) at 9:00 to continue our progress of Skullduggery. We'll meet at the junction of Bay View/Rockface/Rock'n'Roll. See you there.

Oliver

Back in the Swing

Work never really stops at Kaiteriteri, even over summer when the lure of the beach is stronger than usual.
While most of our tracks are designed & built to be sustainable, there are a few sections prone to erosion or overgrowth that require a bit more maintenance.

There was even discussion at the start of the project about whether or not the ridgeline tracks, historical skidder lines down steep spurs, should be included in the Park network.

Given their popularity among some expert riders - and those that like to extend the riding opportunities in & around the Park - we decided we'd do what we could to keep them open.

So over the Summer we scheduled a couple of working bees to knock back the gorse, reinstate some drainage channels and try to alleviate the worst of the ruts. This session, spent on Flamin' Nora on a particularly hot day, prolonged its life for a bit longer...

Parallel to this work, we have begun surveying a new line to the top ridge that will provide an easier alternative to the three existing spur-line tracks. We hope to commence digger construction of Skyline in July and have it ready for next summer.

Meanwhile, work has started on the extension to Skullduggery...


First to break the soil was this group from nearby Whenua Iti.
As part of their True North course, designed to introduce young people to the sort of outdoor adventures that build skills & confidence, these participants spent a day in the Park.
With tutor Matt Reed, second on R, they explored the Park trail network before putting down their bikes and picking up the tools. They worked with enthusiasm, raised a few blisters and left with a greater sense of ownership in 'their' local MTB Park.

Our Sunday morning working bees are now back in action and the grubbers are being swung with metronomic regularity.

It's hard but satisfying work - perfect for building core strength for anyone balking at the cost of gym membership.

Taking a well-earned break last Sunday were 'Grib', Greg. Jess & Gary (and Guy). With Summer over, we look forward to being joined by a growing volunteer workforce...

Of course it's not all work and last Thursday evening the Park was a particularly busy place with at least three separate groups on the tracks.
Being aware of approaching riders will be easier now that lights are necessary for the 6 pm rides - just remember to switch them off for the glow-worms...

Park Update

First off: a reminder that February 26 & 27 is KBAR weekend!

The Kaiteriteri Beach Adventure Race, of which the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve Board is a major sponsor, utilises the stunning coastline for a return paddle to Split Apple Rock, a bush & estuary run and, of course, most of the Park's track network for the mountain bike leg.

This means the MTB Park is going to be closed to the general public on Saturday 9.00-12.00 & 2.00-5.00 and Sunday 9.00-11.00 & 1.00-4.00.
If you're planning on being at Kaiteriteri this w/e - and feel inspired by the presence of the country's top multi-sporters - then midday or late afternoon is your chance to hit the trails.

The half-way point in the Park's Easy-grade network is on a spur just above Kimi Ora Spa Resort. Owner Dietmar Glaser has been a helpful & enthusiastic supporter of the Park from its inception. He's acquired a fleet of mountain bikes for hire and offers Mountain Bike Specials for the guests.

No doubt he has often witnessed bikers emerging from the climb up Swamp Monster gasping for a breath & a drink before descending Glade Runner.
Typical of Dietmar is this response...

He's also cleared some trees and installed a seat so you can now enjoy a view down over Kaiteriteri without needing to ascend the top ridge!




At this major track hub, you will also find one of these.

We've installed a couple more of these "You are here" maps at other significant track junctions to help people new to the Park to reorientate themselves.

Of course, they're no substitute for the maps that are available from the Kaiteriteri Beach Camp Office and other accommodation providers but we hope they help...





We're also pretty excited to announce that we've opened up the Easy Rider connection to the Riwaka-Kaiteriteri Rd.
This has been on-again/off-again project over several months so Andrew in particular will be relieved to complete the final grooming of the track and catch up on other business!

I've lost count of the no. of wasp nests he's removed on the bracken-covered slopes - quite a few of which have made their feelings known in the way they know best - and the numerous slips & gullies set a new Kaiteriteri benchmark for 'gnarly terrain'. Still, the tougher the goals, the greater the sense of satisfaction that follows attaining them...

I've posted before about some of the stunning views over Tasman Bay that are available from various points along Easy Rider. Sometimes you really need to stop to appreciate these so Andrew has created a couple of 'viewing platforms' where you can do so without blocking the track.

First to put treadmarks on the freshly-groomed trail were Nigel Cottom (L) & Zac Hayward (R) together with their 6 yr. old children Emma & Jai, respectively. That's their home town Nelson on the other side of the Bay.

It's always great to see dads introducing their kids to the fun of mountain biking and it was obvious Jai & Emma were relishing exploring the track on their new bikes.
'Course, the promise of seeing the digger in action just ahead spurred them on a little more!

Easy Rider, funded by the Tasman District Council, is intended to provide a safe & easier alternative for bikers riding out from Motueka & Riwaka to get onto the Park's trail network or to Kaiteriteri than by using the steep, narrow & winding road.
And it rides even better on the way back home!