In this month’s newsletter:
- Wellington DH Series Rd 1 Report - Long Gully
- Upcoming WDHS Races - Karori & Maidstone
- Long Gully Start Ramp Retired
- South Coast Kids Track receives Regional Community Award
- 8Wired, Bruhaus & WMTBC present Ales for Trails
- Trail Building Updates
- Chance to see “Rad Company” on the Big Screen
- T-Shirt Orders
Wellington Downhill Series Round 1 – Long Gully
Matt Walker styles is up on the way to taking out the Pro Elite win. Photo: Dave Preece/Big Design.
The first race in the Wellington Downhill Series went down Saturday 11th October at Long Gully – and what a day. The race doubled as the second round of the NZ Downhill Series, so the field was stacked. All up about 140 riders took to the hill including a strong contingent from out of town and uncharacteristically for Wellington – the weather was hospitable, creating impeccable conditions for racing at the infamous Gully.
Top spots in the Pro Elite category went to Matt Walker, Louis Hamilton and Wyn Masters respectively, demonstrating the calibre of competition on the day. In other categories – Wellington’s Oceania Champ Sarah Atkin took out Open Women, and in Open Men – Lloyd Jenks snuck into 5th narrowly ahead of Jourdan Lethbridge in 6th. In Under 15 – the Hutt Valley’s Lachie McDonald took 8 seconds out of the competition, and Wellington dominated Masters 30+ and 40+ with Derek Winwood and Ali Quinn in top spots respectively.
A huge thanks to all our volunteers, and to everyone that came out to support. We’ll catch you at WDHS Round 2 in Karori, Saturday 8th November.
Full race results – WDHS points –Photoset from the event –Wyn Master’s race run
WDHS Rounds 2 & 3 - Karori & Maidstone
Rounds two and three of the Wellington Downhill Series are forthcoming. Round 2 next month - Saturday 8th November at Karori Park on the revitalised 98DH. And for the final round we visit Maidstone - Saturday 6th December.
Information and registration online at WMTBC.org.nz.
- Karori 8th Nov - Enter Online >>
- Maidstone 6th Dec - Enter Online >>
**VOLUNTEERS**
Race marshals and drivers are urgently needed for these events. We greatly appreciate any help offered. If interested - please contact events@wmtbc.org.nz.
Long Gully Start Ramp Retired
As some of you may be aware, changes are afoot at Long Gully. In short, the landowners are building a house at the top of the Race Track, and earthworks are starting this week. So - the time has come for the original Long Gully start ramp to be put into retirement.
We’ll bring you updates regarding further developments as soon as they come to hand. But in the meantime, as construction on the house begins - access to Long Gully will occasionally be limited. Status updates will be sent out as required via Facebook, WMTBC.org.nz, and email. We would appreciate your cooperation during this time.
We would like to extend our thanks to the Watsons for their hospitality over the past 14 years during which Long Gully has has become synonymous with Wellington Downhill.
Regional Community Award for the South Coast Kids Track
The award takes pride of place in Floyd's Cafe, right underneath one of the club's new posters that you will see up and around town. Photo Mat Wright / Floyd's Cafe
Last month the South Coast Kids Track was formally acknowledged at the 2014 Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards – receiving the top accolade in the Sports and Leisure category. The awards pay tribute to volunteer groups from the Wellington Region whose work has had a positive impact on their local community.
In June, the track was officially opened in Island Bay, and the past months have seen significant uptake by local families and children, and Island Bay School who are running cycling classes on the track. Future plans are in place to encourage more local schools to utilise the track, and Wellington City Council has indicated that the successful model could also be viable in other suburbs.
Thanks to Wellington Airport, Wellington Community Trust, Wellington City Council, Trail Fund NZ, Bike Wellington, Revolve Cycling and Southstar Trails, and importantly - all those in the community that have supported the project.
8Wired, Bruhaus & WMTBC present Ales for Trails
A few weeks ago we received a call from Brian at 8Wired asking if there is anything they could do to help us out. A few days later, we had a tap takeover at the Bruhaus organised.
There was an excellent turnout on the night, and some very tasty beers from their very special barrel aged series. All in all the event raised $600 for trail building, probably the easiest fundraising we will ever do, just turn up and drink beer.
A huge thanks to all those that turned up and imbibed, and to 8 Wired and the Bruhaus for organising the event and their donations.
Trail Building Updates
Clinical (Polhill Reserve)
The Brooklyn Trail Builders are nearing completion of the latest addition to the Polhill Reserve trail network - Clinical. The new track was made possible through funding received last year from Transpower, Wellington Marathon Clinic and private contributors.
Brooklyn Trail Builders volunteers hard at it on Clinical. Photo lifted from BTB Facebook page.
Ultimately it will be an uphill only trail completing an approximately 7km ‘Grand Loop’ of the Reserve. But for the short term Clinical will be open to two-way traffic, contingent on the development of the proposed downhill only trail - Ladylumps. Advice from the Brooklyn Trail Builders is that downhill traffic on Clinical should ride with caution, and give way to uphill traffic.
The majority of the trail has now been built including surfacing and the planting of approximately 500 natives by the trailside. All that remains is 200m of track to be built by volunteers over the next few months, and the installation of structures to cross a number of streams on the track.
Clinical will remain closed until opening in early-2015, and plans are in place to host an event marking the occasion. Watch this space.
98DH (Karori)
Over the past few months a crew have been working behind Karori Park rejuvenating the 98DH track which played host to Round 2 of the Wellington DH Series last year.
November 8th this year, 98DH will again host WDHS Round 2 and riders can expect a few welcome changes - most notably more elevation and a longer track. While the lower section into the finish remains relatively unchanged, the top section has been reworked, a number of new lines and jumps have been added, and a start ramp will be in place on race day. On the whole the track retains its characteristic technical personality and will undoubtedly keep riders on their toes.
Cheers to Curtis and crew.
Miramar Track Project
The big news is the completion of Juvie and the grade 2 loop, including the kids dual slalom.
The new kids dual slalom, part of the new beginners loop at the top of Mt Crawford.
Southstar toiled away for a couple of weeks with their diggers opening the line up, for TGL and vollys to come through and tidy up the line and put in several hundred plants. Thomas from TGL has been doing some long hours in the run up to Labour Weekend to get the gravel down and compacted so it was good to ride.
Plan is to have an official track opening and open day 30th November. Look out on the club site and Miramar Track Project facebook page for details.
Mt Victoria
Southstar have also been putting their 2 diggers to good use on Mt Victoria. The lower section of Hippy's has been tidied up from the wooden step down to the exit. New tables and hips have been shaped.
Futher down the hill, some of the other tracks have been tidied up, including the Zig Zag and a new climbing track down above the Badminton Hall.
WCC has also been running a consultation and coming up with a plan for the northern part of Mt Vic (from the SPCA to the summit). The club is working closely with the planners, ensuring that Rod's plan for those tracks gets incorporated.
The club has also been working with WCC on the design for a new descending track from the SPCA roots to the kid's skills area. This proposed new track will eventually form part of the Super D line and will work round some sections of this track that the council is going to close. A high level plan has been mapped out, and can be see on the club site.
Reserves Consultation
Yup it's WCC Consultation time again. This time it is the "Suburban Reserves Management Plan". This plan hasn't been updated in 10 years, so now is the time for us as Mountain Bikers to get some input.
Whilst most of our tracks are either in the Town Belt, Outer Town Belt or special areas that have their own plans, like Mt Vic, this will impact a small number of tracks. Most significantly Miramar and likely, 98DH.
The proposed plan also includes some intentions by WCC to investigate options for Watts Peninsula. This is the Defense land north of the prison in Miramar.
If you want more cycling facilities like pump tracks and skills areas in local reserves, then head over to the WCC website and make an online submission. We have had some really great turnouts from the community over the past couple of years on these and it has made a big difference to these plans, and the money is starting to come, so please take 5 minutes and fill out the form.
Rad Company Showing - 26th November
The Aotearoa Adventure Film Festival is returning to Wellington!
BRANDON SEMENUK'S RAD COMPANY - WELLINGTON - ONE NIGHT ONLY
The Aotearoa Adventure Film Festival (AAFF) is proud to return for its second year. Presented by RotoruaNZ.com and Torpedo7, AAFF is pleased to present some special one-night only screenings of the latest epic Red Bull mountainbike film: Brandon Semenuk's Rad Company.
Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr-4LbSSriY
Spectacular riding and filming, so grab some mates and come on down for a night of cinematic mountain bike action on the big screen
Wellington - Rad Company
Date: Wednesday, November 26th, 8pm
Venue: Lighthouse Cinema Cuba
Tickets: $15 available directly at www.lighthousecuba.co.nz and limited door sales on the night.
We hope to see you at the festival!
Web: www.aaff.co.nz
Facebook: www.facebook.com/aotearoaadventurefilmfestival
T-Shirt Orders Are On Again
Just in time for a summer of shredding, or for stocking stuffers, we are doing another run of our classic logo T.
As per normal, we do preorders only. This means that we can offer more colour combos.
The T's are all 100% cotton, AS Color T's and screen printed here by Brazen.
$30 to you, all profits go back into the club to help us with events and trail building.
Orders will close Sunday 16th November. You will have your Tshirt 7-10 days later.
Order yours on the club site now.
Want to keep in touch? Follow WMTBC
For up-to-date Club news, updates and media - follow us on Facebook, or check the Club page at WMTBC.org.nz.
1080p WMTBC Desktops
Mo’ whips. Rider: Wyn Masters
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And here’s one commemorating the recently retired Long Gully start ramp. Rider: Steve Wallace.
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