New Zealand North Island Cup

 

News Posted: 4 February 2008

 

Nic Smith continues on his travels of New Zealand and takes on another race on his way. He reports to us from Round 2 of the North Island Cup:

"The races come thick and fast here in New Zealand, and two weeks after the Vulcaniser I found myself on the start line of Round Two of the North Island Cup in Rotorua, having missed a round on the intervening weekend!

The previous weekends racing had taken the form of what I would call more of an 'adventure' race than a traditional Cross Country, with competitors being required to do either one or two long 20km laps. This is fairly typical down here, with the South Island Cup also having had an adventure race round, and whilst it may not be ideal for the spectators, it probably adds a bit of interest for the competitors.

Round Two was back to the traditional format as a UCI ranked event, and I had six 8km laps to look forward to! It promised to be a long race, for me anyway, but having done quite a bit of riding around Rotorua on the way past to Christchurch, it also promised to be a lot of fun. The scene of the 2006 World Championships, Whakarewarewa Forest, in almost central Rotorua, really is a mountain biking heaven; it's the sort of place you can ride around all day with a smile on your face and never ride the same track twice! The climbs can be severe, the descents are all excellent, and almost all of it is on fantastically constructed, well drained, single track.

Given the UCI Class 1 status there was a bit more at stake for this race, with a bigger field and some of the big guns of New Zealand mountain biking on the line, not least current National Champion and Team Specialized rider Clinton Avery. Consequently I wasn't surprised when the pace up the first fire road climb was even more obscene than at the Vulcaniser!

What better way to spend a day? The climb off the start definitely got steeper!

 

As per usual the first two minutes left me feeling dreadful, and there was no respite at the top of the fire road as the course kicked up a steep single track through the tree-ferns and into 'Genesis'. I tucked myself into about 16th spot and hoped the need to stop urgently would pass!

 

Fortunately, Genesis provides some room for recovery as the track swoops up, down, left and right over a fairly soft surface and with no really vicious climbs. The next section goes by the name of the 'Rock Drop', and as the name implies it's a bit more challenging with short sharp climbs over roots through dense pine forest, and steeper descents through rocky gulley's and over really fairly large steps. As I hadn't ridden the course, I was content to hold my position and try and follow the line of the guys in front, but even so I very nearly found myself hugging the odd tree on the way down some sections. There is definitely a lesson to be learnt there.

Bike HQ rider Sara Taylor climbs strongly through the tree ferns on her way to second place in the Senior Women's race.

Following a brief section of fire road through the second feed station, it was into the last section; the 'Challenge Trail'. Less technically challenging than the Rock Drop, it consisted of a fast flowing single track descent, well bermed and grippy, which then led into a brief flat section, before a stiff but not technically challenging climb back up to the top of the course.

 

From there it was all down hill, and the course wound down the 'Exit Track' at speed. Sections of this resembled a giant's staircase, with large steps through the corners and opportunities for some air for those that had the nerve, or more conservative lines bouncing around the outside for the rest of us.

Lap one completed, and feeling almost human again I was able to work through the field over the next two laps, briefly getting up to the dizzy heights of eighth on lap four, before the first spasms of cramp reminded me not to get too carried away. Metaphorically at least it was all down hill from there on - though in reality of course, it unfortunately really wasn't! I finally held on to 11th place, and I was fairly pleased with that, though there were a handful of riders tantalisingly close in front.

There were no surprises at the head of the race as a very strong looking Clinton Avery demolished the field by over four minutes. As a Rotorua local he definitely won't have been hindered by an in depth technical knowledge of the course, and he was a popular winner, though not the only member of the Avery family to do well. His mother Maryann was victorious in the Masters 3 women, and numerous other siblings featured highly in their races.

Annika Smail won a close women's Elite race, and there were frighteningly fast rides from many of the juniors and under 23 competitors indicating real strength in depth amongst the younger riders.

The Specialized dominated Men's Podium; Clinton Avery - 1st, Stuart Houltham - 2nd, Eric Drower - 3rd, Mike Northcott - 4th & Gavin McCarthy - 5th

 

Full results can be found at: http://www.bikenz.org.nz/Article.aspx?ID=24696  

Thanks as always to Moonglu Performance Cycles, custom build specialists of Ripon, for their continued support, also to the Mid Shropshire Wheelers for getting my license out to me in time for the race, Michael for handing me bottles, and Sara Taylor for the loan of her air canister for the race, which I subsequently lost!"