Contact Huka Mountain Bike Challenge

The popular Contact Huka Mountain Bike Challenge is back again – the 80 kilometre off-road ride takes in some of Taupo’s most famous single trail mountain bikes tracks and traverses tracks not normally accessible to the public.
Taking in almost every trail in the popular Wairakei Mountain Bike Park, it will also incorporate new trails, old trails and a bridge over State Highway 1!
It is a non-competitive 80km mountain bike ride on a par in time and difficulty with the iconic 160km Solo ride around Lake Taupo, which is also part of the Contact Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge, one of New Zealand’s iconic cycling events.
There are loads of fantastic spot prizes for all entrants including a brand new Skoda car.
Enter before October 1 to take advantage of the Early Bird prizes and to be in to win a fantastic prize package valued at $500.
All entrants receive a free hydration backpack valued at $50!
Costs - $95 before October 1: $96 after October 1.
http://www.cyclechallenge.com

I raced SS in the XL last year.

I had no licience and told the organisers as much. There was no problem with me racing and getting my results in XL.

I think maybe they made an exception as it really is contrary to the spirit of SS racing that one should have a licience.

Dave

DaveAldred wrote:I raced SS in the XL last year.

I had no licience and told the organisers as much. There was no problem with me racing and getting my results in XL.

I think maybe they made an exception as it really is contrary to the spirit of SS racing that one should have a licience.

Dave

It's spelt "license"

HTH(I'm a twerp)

DaveAldred wrote:I raced SS in the XL last year.

I had no licience and told the organisers as much. There was no problem with me racing and getting my results in XL.

I think maybe they made an exception as it really is contrary to the spirit of SS racing that one should have a licience.

Dave

What a rebel.

crossalis wrote:

DaveAldred wrote:I raced SS in the XL last year.

I had no licience and told the organisers as much. There was no problem with me racing and getting my results in XL.

I think maybe they made an exception as it really is contrary to the spirit of SS racing that one should have a licience.

Dave

It's spelt "license"

HTH(I'm a twerp)

Bugger. What was I thinking! The shame (

I don't know why they have the SS class in the XL rather than the normal event. Last year there were only two SS on the start line for XL. Me and Carwyn May. He was super fast on a Yeti fully SS. Pretty cool rig. There would be a jammed class if you didn't have to have a liciensceience.

Is it just me or does awarding money to Masters and Singlespeeders seem a bit odd? Will they award money to the first Masters and Singlespeeders in the round the lake race as well?

We don't want those prizes looked at too closely as we have a sterling representative for the Masters pocket money....

Angry's shout for the beers for te bushlove private hotpool-fest

By the way nice scribing in Carl's Mag

XCrazy wrote:Is it just me or does awarding money to Masters and Singlespeeders seem a bit odd? Will they award money to the first Masters and Singlespeeders in the round the lake race as well?

There is prize money for the first masters around the lake..nothing for singlespeeders though, thats not really a roadie thing.
I missed out on that last year by 5mins to one Gordon McCauley..

cruiser wrote:Angry's shout for the beers for te bushlove private hotpool-fest

By the way nice scribing in Carl's Mag

Thanks mate. I had some good feedback from that, including a couple of fellas that used the article as the basis of a leave pass campaign. So I guess it did its job!

Team Bro Smuggle Race report

Team Bro Smuggle turned up in force for the Huka Challange yesterday. Lord of Smuggle and Old Man Burglar were joined with young fast guy Ian Burgess and sometimes fast guy Gunner for 82k of sweet single track, pain and suffering.

The weekend started with Friday night sleep fail. We arrived at the Taupo Top 10 at 10:30, pitched our tents, and proceeded to be woken up every 30 seconds by a haka (I kid you not), crying baby, freight train snoring guy, and Taupo boy racer rotaries.

However, this did mean we were up at 5:20am and made the front row of the start line for 7:12am (except Gunner who was adjusting his shoe cleats, registering for the race, filling his drink bottle etcetcetc and started last).

I was planning to smash em bro from the start. But in true TBS comeradarie, I let Tee draft me up the first road section so I could slingshot him into the single track. That meant I was second.....................for the first 500 metres. (Actually, what happened is I got start fail and went too hard for the first 2k and had to peg it back a bit). But it did mean that TBS had an awesome start with us hitting the single track in the top 20ish (except Gunner who was still looking for his socks).

After that we rode wicked, filthy, twisty single track for 50k (I kid you not). Thats 50k of relentless berms, climbs, steeps, roots and ruts - awesome!) We popped out at the Helistar Cafe and after 50k were ready for a cruise down to Aratiatia....NOT. The trail from Helistar to Wairakei was brutal, but it then opened up and although still mostly single track, was super fast. It was then a quick ride back to Taupo to finish with the roadies.

Results:
Young Fast Guy: 4:12 3rd
Lord Of Smuggle: 4h 42 17th
Old Man Burgler: 4h 58 37th (super stoked to get under 5h and not collapse with cramp and / or exhaustion)
Gunner: No idea to his true time as he started late and spent time adjusting his chain / seatpost / gears and socks during the ride.

An EPIC day racing for Team Bro Smuggle. Cheers Gunner and Ian for boosting the ranks and sweet riding by all.

An awesome event overall. Top marks to the marshalls and course markings which were 99% easy to follow. Top marks to Taupo for the epic trails. And top marks to all the riders: The mellow vibe of the race meant people were happy to chat when riding, were patient to pass, and were super courteous when you were passing.

See ya next year.

1st timer here had lots of fun, was a great course. My only complaint though was I started the race at the back as we arrived (at the start line) at 6:40am, everyone seemed to have crammed in at the front of the field already, there were even relay riders in front of us. So our wave didnt start until after 7:30am and i spent the whole race trying to pass everyone - usual story with people not wanting to let you pass, often holding up big queues of 20+ people!
But im pretty happy with my time think i enter the XL next year to avoid the queues