It's Vulcaniser time again!

Time to work off that Christmas pud and get training for this multi-lap cross country event in North Canterbury. Mark Sunday 23 January 2011 in your diary now

Sweet purpose built race course through coastal native bush.

All the details can be found at http://www.singletrack.org.nz/events/vulcaniser-2011/

But wait, there's more. Returning for 2011 is a couple of hours set aside in the morning for those who just want to ride the course.

Proceeds from this event go back in to the mountainbike community.

Lot of great sponsors, like our naming sponsor


and


and several others.

Bought to you by the Christchurch Singletrack Club

Only just over 2 weeks to go now until this years event. The Vulcaniser is for everyone - a demanding race in the afternoon for those who love racing on hilly purpose built forest singletrack, a riding session in the morning for those who just want to ride this great course without the pressure of racing, and a great scenic course to spectate at for the rest of you!

Enter now http://www.singletrack.org.nz/events/vulcaniser-2011

I've entered

Have you?

She's a great course - don't miss out! Remember, even if you don't want to race you can still make a day of it by coming up for the riding session in the morning and then stay on to watch the race action in the afternoon

One week and counting. Hope its not hot and windy like today. Or cold and wet for that matter

Been watching the forecasts with interest.

Currently saying for Sunday:
Metservice... 16 deg, cloudy, some light drizzle possible at times
Weatheronline... 21 deg, some cloud, some sun, dry
Weathercity... 18 deg, mix of sun and cloud, slight chance of showers

So hard to know what this low cloud will do as it can be nice and dry and mild or can be drizzly and a cool. But we're hopeful that it will be perfect!

Last weekend the course was dusty dry and riding really well

XCguy wrote:Currently saying for Sunday:
1. Metservice... 16 deg, cloudy, some light drizzle possible at times
2. Weatheronline... 21 deg, some cloud, some sun, dry
3. Weathercity... 18 deg, mix of sun and cloud, slight chance of showers

So hard to know what this low cloud will do...

Actually, it's not that hard to know, as a tasseography specialist I just read my leaves and the option 2 forecast came out on top

Further investigation (swishing) revealed the following shapes (and translations for those not in the know):
Wagon: hard times ahead
Cross: sacrifice, reward for suffering
Volcano: an impending emotional eruption

Shame I can't make it this year, but good luck to those heading up there

Here are the results.

XCguy wrote:Here are the results.

Nice work Anton, good to see him at the top of the podium

Looking forward to seeing any race reports......?

mfw wrote:Looking forward to seeing any race reports......?

Mud!

We'll try to write an organiser's report at some stage. Several hours of cleaning and drying of event gear, clothes, vehicles and bikes first...

Top track boys and girls, my 60 years odd of life experience didn't help me too much and Christmas beers and meals seemed to have dulled the pedalling muscles a bit but, in my mind this is what real xc mtb racing is about.
Gives the best riders a chance to really stand out, results show that is exactly what happened.

Would love to have a crack at it on a dry day.

Good day had by all ( well most perhaps)

Thanks kj

Yep, she rides a lot differently on a dry day. Last weekend when we prepped the course it was dusty and fast. It's a real shame we were not able to use the Boars Nest loop on the day but I just couldn't justify sending riders down there knowing how dangerous it would be on the steep rooty sections on that main descent. It was good hearing Anton say afterwards that after riding down there himself after the race he agreed that it was too sketchy to have included it.

Really glad most people enjoyed it and rode to the conditions

mfw wrote:Looking forward to seeing any race reports...

You can check out Ollie's report here... http://mountainpedalernz.blogspot.com/2 ... spoil.html

= the race that happened in the approx 3 hour window between solid showers of rain. Big ups to all who took part, all the spectators/supporters - it was hardly a picnic standing about in that bitter easterly - and of course the Tregurtha's who orchestrated the whole thing

Next time I would like ;
a) to be fit enough to ride a lap or 2, and
b) not tow the port-a-loo's as my assessment is that having me take them there does not please the weather gods