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Slim
Mangled
Joined: Aug 15, 2003
Posts: 16,518
Location: Opawa
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 Posted: Thu 31/Aug/06 9:05am Post subject: |
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| inzane wrote: |
I know a bunch of guys who are always shuttling the DH runs here in Chch. They are out riding almost every weekend that the tracks are ridable (the trails are a bit storm damaged at the moment).
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Do you really think Ben is a good role model????????
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Joey
Joined: Aug 30, 2006
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Thu 31/Aug/06 10:01am Post subject: |
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Thanks guys... All this info is helping us heaps... I thought My Hutt would have some good trails as well. Thanks for all the links as well.. If you can think of anything else, pop in and let me know.
By the way, I've been living in this hot hell hole for 20 years but I know a good pie when I see one. I go back home every 2 years or so. 
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JohnnyC
Staying Put
Joined: Jan 31, 2003
Posts: 10,887
Location: Christchurch
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| Posted: Thu 31/Aug/06 10:43am Post subject: |
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 Chch downhilling is awesome, mostly dusty, rocky and steep so he should feel at home from what i understand. Its also very central so theres a huge variety of tracks on the same shuttling loop. Im out there every weekend so ill probably be seeing your son out a bit, and nats are in jan/feb
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Logger
Wrecked
Joined: Jan 29, 2003
Posts: 5,342
Location: Christchurch
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| Posted: Thu 31/Aug/06 10:46am Post subject: |
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| Slim wrote: | | inzane wrote: |
I know a bunch of guys who are always shuttling the DH runs here in Chch. They are out riding almost every weekend that the tracks are ridable (the trails are a bit storm damaged at the moment).
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Do you really think Ben is a good role model???????? |
Obviously you're not talking about me. I am certainly no role model.
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inzane
Wrecked
Joined: Feb 23, 2005
Posts: 6,595
Location: churchur
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| Posted: Thu 31/Aug/06 11:46am Post subject: |
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never said anything about any of them being good role models. Just said that they were always out riding 
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Stun
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Joined: Jan 03, 2003
Posts: 35,359
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| Posted: Thu 31/Aug/06 11:55am Post subject: |
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| Slim wrote: | | inzane wrote: |
I know a bunch of guys who are always shuttling the DH runs here in Chch. They are out riding almost every weekend that the tracks are ridable (the trails are a bit storm damaged at the moment).
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Do you really think Ben is a good role model???????? |
Just ask Grommie
If you have trouble finding him... he'll probably be at the pub with Ben...
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CaptainCaveman
Mangled
Joined: Jun 18, 2004
Posts: 11,318
Location: Wherever...
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| Posted: Thu 31/Aug/06 12:06pm Post subject: Re: Moving To Chch, Help Needed. |
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| Joey wrote: | Hi All,
I need your advice. I am a kiwi and have lived in Australia for 20 years. I've always been a kiwi and now it's time for me to come home with my family.
Ok, heres my problem that I need your help with.
My 14 year old son is a talented DH rider. He is sponsored by Santa Cruz and 2 other businesses. My son has great potential and he lives and breaths for DH. He also loves NZ and has come back from the Worlds wanting to reach the top of this sport.
My husband believes that it might be a backwards step for our son's future moving to NZ when alot of the best DH riders come from Australia. My son will lose sponsorship and will have to prove himself over there which he is willing to do. My son is happy to move to NZ. My husband is not so sure.
Do you think moving to NZ will hurt my son's future in DH?. I have been reading replies on this website about lack of encouragment for young riders over there.
We hopefully will be moving to Christchurch, so where are the best places to ride? What clubs are there? When are the national rounds?
Any info you can give to put my husbands mind at rest would be appreciated.
Thanks heaps. |
You are right about the lack of financial backing - our population base simply isn't big enough - so you had better be prepared to put some money into him if that makes a difference, but there are definitely great riders and trails in and around Christchurch. If your son is determined, he'll get to the top regardless of whether it is from Australia or NZ.
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jeremyb
BRAP BRAP BRAP BRAP
Joined: Jan 12, 2003
Posts: 32,882
Location: Derailled
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Stun
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Joined: Jan 03, 2003
Posts: 35,359
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| Posted: Thu 31/Aug/06 12:46pm Post subject: |
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One of the best ways to gain support as a junior, is to work in a local bike store. Weekend morning jobs, or something after school works very well for this.
I used to work with Dave Scandrett at Chain Reaction - which meant he got cheap parts and access to the workshop... and even the mechanics.
It wasn't sponsorship, but it was the next best thing! Plus he was earning some spare cash on the side.
Like 'Velo' said - talk to Gravity Canterbury and get him involved with the D-Days (shuttle days). They cost around $20 for non-club members and will allow him to meet a bunch of other kids around his age... and ability (yep, there's some fast groms in Chch).
The tracks in Chch are steep. Infact, most Chch riders excel on rough, rutted, rocky tracks - and then struggle when they get to the manicured North Island trails!
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Joey
Joined: Aug 30, 2006
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Thu 31/Aug/06 1:00pm Post subject: |
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| Stun wrote: |
Like 'Velo' said - talk to Gravity Canterbury and get him involved with the D-Days (shuttle days). They cost around $20 for non-club members and will allow him to meet a bunch of other kids around his age... and ability (yep, there's some fast groms in Chch).
The tracks in Chch are steep. Infact, most Chch riders excel on rough, rutted, rocky tracks - and then struggle when they get to the manicured North Island trails! |
Thanks all you guys for all the info. This is great. Thanks also Stun for the info about CHCH tracks. My son enjoys the rough steep tracks so i think he will fit in well in the south island.
I'm hoping Santa Cruz will sponsor my son in NZ. The sponsorship is mainly cheaper bikes. All sponsorships for younger riders over here are mainly parts, clothing, goggles ect. Money sponsorships don't cut in over here until your riding elite.
It still costs us a fortune to send my son to races (Nationals & Aussie titles) because we have to travel every month around Australia and it's getting worse because he's now racing 4x as well.... I'm not hctibing because I would sooner be kept broke as long as my kids are doing sports they love and not on the streets getting into trouble.
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bechon
Joined: Aug 31, 2006
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Thu 31/Aug/06 4:53pm Post subject: Au Location |
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where abouts in Australia are you moving from?
I've some of the tracks in victoria, tas and WA and can suggest that Tas was probably the closest comparison to NZ tracks, in particular CHCH.
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Joey
Joined: Aug 30, 2006
Posts: 13
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| Posted: Thu 31/Aug/06 5:27pm Post subject: Re: Au Location |
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| bechon wrote: | where abouts in Australia are you moving from?
I've some of the tracks in victoria, tas and WA and can suggest that Tas was probably the closest comparison to NZ tracks, in particular CHCH. |
Hi bechon,
we are from Queensland. My son has raced in Tasmania so we know the trail they used for the national series well. Thanks for your help
Cheers!
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El_DHer
Worn
Joined: Aug 16, 2006
Posts: 808
Location: well...umm.eeerrr
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| Posted: Thu 31/Aug/06 6:28pm Post subject: |
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there is a downhill comp on in the next holidays he can go in its the south island secondry schools champs its on in alexandra im goin and cant wait
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Percy Pig
Mangled
Joined: May 03, 2002
Posts: 22,712
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| Posted: Thu 31/Aug/06 10:41pm Post subject: |
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| Slim wrote: | | inzane wrote: |
I know a bunch of guys who are always shuttling the DH runs here in Chch. They are out riding almost every weekend that the tracks are ridable (the trails are a bit storm damaged at the moment).
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Do you really think Ben is a good role model???????? |
I can think of worse ones! 
Not you though Slimmy wimmy, joo are teh roxxorz! 
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JohnnyC
Staying Put
Joined: Jan 31, 2003
Posts: 10,887
Location: Christchurch
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| Posted: Thu 31/Aug/06 11:01pm Post subject: |
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| Stun wrote: | One of the best ways to gain support as a junior, is to work in a local bike store. Weekend morning jobs, or something after school works very well for this.
I used to work with Dave Scandrett at Chain Reaction - which meant he got cheap parts and access to the workshop... and even the mechanics.
It wasn't sponsorship, but it was the next best thing! Plus he was earning some spare cash on the side.
Like 'Velo' said - talk to Gravity Canterbury and get him involved with the D-Days (shuttle days). They cost around $20 for non-club members and will allow him to meet a bunch of other kids around his age... and ability (yep, there's some fast groms in Chch).
The tracks in Chch are steep. Infact, most Chch riders excel on rough, rutted, rocky tracks - and then struggle when they get to the manicured North Island trails! |
Heh, I rode Mt. Vic for the first time yesterday and all the roots totally threw me i felt like a real muzza! But I think nothing of the steep rocky tracks of Vic Park 
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