Unless you live in a cave down Taranaki somewhere or are one of the two or three people in New Zealand not on their e-mail database, then you’ll probably know the World Single Speed Champs are hitting Rotorua next Saturday. What you also may know is that a bike festival kicks off this weekend in buildup to the big event…….
You can check all the details on the SSWC website, or read the highlights below…..
Starts on Saturday October 16 with
Frocks on Bike – Froctober: it’s free and 1 for the ladies (and the ladies at heart)…a cruisy ride from Kuirau Park (Google map) starting at 1.30PM – MORE…(contact Kylie to rsvp for catering by Friday 10am, please…)…
And then on Sunday October 17…
…it’s the Merida Whaka 100 Nduro
…the Big One, the ultimate challenge.
Online entry and entry on the day from 7AM at Waipa MTB car park.
Registration is at Bike Vegas on Saturday October 16 from 2-6PM.
A metric century, off-road, on some of Whakarewarewa’s finest singletrack,
with fast, forest roads that’ll kick you into the bushes, if you’re not on your game.
It’s a long way…epic! Latest information…
The rest of the week there will be other events…
• Like lots of riding on the trails of the Whakarewarewa Trails…
• 6PM Wednesday: Bike Culture 16-inch WC dual slalom at Centennial Park, Tihiotonga (Google map: behind Waiariki Institiute of Technology). Free entry – rego 6PM; racing 6.30PM
Please note: venue differs from print programme.
Eliminator series on little tiny bikes (provided) or bring your own – but must be 16″ and have a coaster rear brake; tight corners, and obstacles – winner will be crowned WC, bikes will be donated to a kindergarten – BBQ will be cookin’
• Register on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Pig & Whistle, and you will get a free beer voucher – corner of Haupapa and Tutanekai Streets…(Google map).
• 7PM Wednesday at the Pig: Film Night with DJ Deano Dub MC’ing…
• Starting with a very special 20-minute preview of Eyes Wide Open – the making of the Cyclepassion 2011 calendar.
The calendar (and film) features some of the most beautiful women of MTB – and the 20 minutes we’ve got are the segments with Heather Irmiger (SSWC09 champ) and Willow Koerber.
Then – around 7.30PM – there will be a screening of the definitive film about where MTB began, Billy Savage’s Klunkerz…
And one of the legendary pioneers of MTB, Mountain Bike Hall of Famer and someone who appears in the film – from San Francisco USA, Ms Jacquie Phelan – will be with us…
• The bid – who will get SSWC11?
From 5PM Thursday at Agroventures: part 1 of the competition to see who will host SSWC2011. Italy, Australia, Ireland, South Africa, Canada…or somewhere else?
You can VOTE...
Agroventures is just north of Rotorua, off State Highway 5…Jump on a shuttle bus outside the Event HQ – this is a massive Marquee, on Haupapa St, immediately behind Kiwibikes and Zippy Central and just across the road from the Pig & Whistle.
First bus leaves at 3.15; then 3.45; 4.30 and 5.30. Returning from 7.20PM.
• 8PM Friday evening – part 2:
In the HQ Marquee on Haupapa Street.
• Part 3 of the bidding process, the finale, will be immediately after the race on Saturday…
Through the week:
• The Shweeb world record attempt also at Agroventures…with money on the line all week for Men’s and Women’s fastest time and hopefully the world records – $500 for each…
• 9.30AM Monday, Wednesday and Friday Guided tours of the forest: leaving from Bike Vegas on Fenton Street (Google map).
• The Bike Vegas Court Jester’s treasure hunt:
you can win 1 of four SS bikes.
Tuesday to Friday a Bike Vegas Jester will be at a certain location in Rotorua.
At 1:30pm each day a clue will be available at BV to guide you to the Jester’s hiding spot. Once you have found the Jester collect a card from him or her.
This will enter you in the draw for the bikes at the Race HQ in Haupapa Street on Friday.
There are only 52 cards each day. Each card gives you a 1 in 52 chance of winning a bike.
You must register for SSWC before you can get a card, as your registration wrist band will be needed before the Jester will hand over a card.
You can collect up to four cards (one per day).
On the Friday all four winners will be drawn. They will pick a number which will be allocated to a bike (unknown to the competitor). A forfeit envelop will also be chosen. Once the forfeit is completed the bike envelope will be opened and the prize claimed.
• Carolyn and/or Ra’s Tiki Tours for SSWC entries and anyone else keen for a city ride…
Mon/Tue/Wed 4PM: A cruisy urban ride leaving from the Pig & Whistle… round some of the sights (and smells) of Rotorua – Sulphur City. Awesome, easy cruise taking in Sulphur Point, Government Gardens, Ohinemutu Marae, the steamy thermals of Kuirau Park and the SCION tree reserve…free beer voucher after…and if it’s raining well, beer o’clock!
• Away Rides
If you’re from out-of-town and want to sample some trails close to Rotorua – without the hassle – our good mates, Lee-Anne and Zane at Let’s Go MTB, have organized a schedule of shuttles the week before and after Worlds weekend.
Check out the calendar…
027 207 2029
• Bike Polo – Thurs/Fri/Sat 6PM till dark:
Unofficial and unsanctioned (just like the way we like it) the Christchurch Hard Court Bike Polo crew are organizing friendly pick up games at the Kuirau Park courts – corner of Pukuatua and Kuirau Streets.
Spare mallets available so just roll up on your bike.
Looks like a lot of fun…
• The SSWC10NZ race is on October 23…powered by Kiwibikes and all our great sponsors…
10.30AM at Waipa MTB park, 5 kilometres south of Rotorua, just off State Highway 5 (Taupo Road)
• The perfect way to “de-stress” on the Sunday is at the Okere Falls Store Oktoberfest Singlespeed Sunday…
15-20 minutes north of Rotorua on the Tauranga Road…Oktoberfest 2010 runs from Monday October 18 – free entry Mon-Wed with a $5 cover charge on Friday and $20 on Saturday (comes with a free Stein).
Free entry again on Singlespeed Sunday – and there’ll German Bier and a Wurst and Bretzels and great coffee from 9AM…
For those wanting to go for a morning ride, meet at Kiwibikes at 10am, and all ride out together
– for a classic German breakfast, beer and coffee
– Live music from 11-3
– Option of riding back to town together, if some are in for the longhaul there will be transport back to town for them later in the afternoon
– For more information: phone the Store on 07 3624944
• And Sunday is day two of the North Island BMX Championships hosted by
BMX Rotorua
At their international class track on Te Ngae Road – great spectator action with top riders from all over New Zealand and Australia racing, including local 2010 World champions, Lachie Stevens-McNab and Dave Mohi, and 2010 silver medalist and 2009 World Champion, Sarah Walker.
