As of 5pm last night the Red Bull Rock Drop is official. There is a website up here and entries are being taken as we speak. On Saturday the 4th of December New Zealand’s best downhill mountain bikers will compete shoulder to shoulder in a 250m vertical spiralling descent, to the bottom of the country’s deepest operating open pit gold mine. Spoke has had a front seat in the early planning stages of this event and it’s going to be AMAZING. More info after the jump. Martha mine in the centre of Waihi has seen more than 3 centuries of operation with hundreds of kilograms of gold removed from the open pit; creating a massive terraced hole gouged into the Earth’s crust deeper than Lake Taupo.
A fully operational open pit gold mine provides a tough and unforgiving rock base. Add to this a selection of man-made obstacles and Red Bull Rock Drop creates one of the most demanding downhill and freeride mountain bike events ever to be seen in New Zealand.
The qualifying rounds will be run in a four-cross format with riders battling to the bottom of the mine. The top qualifiers will race side by side in two-person semi finals. Finals will be an elimination format, deciding who will be crowned King of the Mine and winner of Red Bull Rock Drop.
sick can’t wait
sick can’t wait
In view of the recent events at Pike River Coal Mine in Greymouth, Red Bull has decided as a gesture of respect to postpone the Red Bull Rock Drop.
The mountain biking event was planned for Saturday December 4 in Waihi, but is now postponed until further notice.
In view of the recent events at Pike River Coal Mine in Greymouth, Red Bull has decided as a gesture of respect to postpone the Red Bull Rock Drop.
The mountain biking event was planned for Saturday December 4 in Waihi, but is now postponed until further notice.