Description: ORMAT:
This is NOT an XC race ;) This will be a 6 day enduro event, where climbs are untimed and descents are timed. Expect a range of 4-6hrs on your bike per day with several timed sections throughout each day. Times will be added together over the span of the 6 days to get your overall result at the end of the event. Progressive daily times will be announced during dinner and briefing each evening.
LOCATION:
South Island of NZ. This spectacular scenic 6 day event will start in Christchurch and finish in famous Queenstown picking some of the best riding on the South Island. You will be based in the Canterbury area for 2 nights before moving on to Queenstown where you will be based for 5 nights. Return transport back to Christchurch is included in registration or you can choose to stay in Queenstown longer, which is the best option and fly out of Queenstown to save the 7hr shuttle ride back to Christchurch.
SKILL LEVEL / EXPERIENCE:
Riders are required to have a strong mountain biking background with enough endurance and fitness to get you through 6 back to back days of 3-6hrs of riding each day. You are required to have solid technical single track skills. The trails and courses will be a vast variety throughout the 6 days - some faster, smoother flowier days, some technical steeper rootier days, some open terrain rock slab trail riding and everything in between.
Some stats:
Most trails are from harder blue's to black trails
Expect to climb 900m-1500m each day
Expect to ride 20-30km's each day
Expect 4-6 stages per day that range from 3mins in length to 15mins in length each
ACCOMMODATION:
Here is the good news.....you WON'T have to camp in a tent! Yes that's right, during this 6 day event you will be put up in backpacker style accommodation, with a nice clean, warm, dry bed to come back to at the end of each hard day of riding. We will provide 7 nights of accommodation - the night before the race starts and then every day of the event.
The first 2 nights:
Riders will be at Craigieburn (1hr 15mins from Christchurch) where you stay in a mixture of accommodation based on your package -
Alistair Lodge which is backpacker/bunk style accommodation and for those on the Pamper Twin Share package, you will be in private houses at Castle Hill Village
The remaining 5 nights:
Everyone will be at Pinewood Lodge in Queenstown in backpacker/bunk style accommodation and private twin and double shared rooms
FOOD:
Cooked breakfast and full dinners will be provided everyday along with on-course snacks and sandwiches for lunches each day