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  • 04 Dec 2014 7:46 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    In this newsletter:

    1.     Race report: WDHS Rd 2 - Karori
    2.     Juvie & Duel Slalom Track Opening
    3.     South Coast Kids Track Update
    4.     Draft Suburban Reserves Management Plan
    5.     WDHS Round 3 - Maidstone
    6.     WORD Bike-a-Polooza
    7.     Escape from Mt Crawford Mini Enduro
    8.     Klunkers, Chainless & Kids Bike Dual Slalom
    9.     Trail Building Updates

    Wellington Downhill Series Round 2 - Karori


    The second race in the Wellington Downhill Series went down last month on the revitalised 98DH aka K-Hole. Historically, racing at this venue has been in the wet, and under these conditions simply getting a bike down the track becomes a game of survival. But on this occasion, Karori turned it on for riders.




    At the end of racing - Daniel Meilink took out the Open Men category ahead of Michael Mells and Bryn Dickerson. In Masters 1 & 2 - Nathan Timoko and Ali Quinn claimed the top spots respectively. And the juniors were dominated by the Macdonalds - with Finlay taking out under 17 and brother Lachie, under 15. Current National Champ Sarah Atkin recorded a very respectable time that would have put her just outside top 10 in Open Men, and Finn van Leuven also put down a solid time in Hardtail.

    We’ll catch everyone at the final WDHS round this Saturday, 6th December at Maidstone.

    Race Results & Series Points


    Juvie & Duel Slalom Grand Opening



    Crews and contractors have been hard at work at Miramar of the past months and we’ve recently seen the completion of two new tracks - Juvenile Delinquent, and the Kids Duel Slalom. The sum of these, combined with the pump track and dirt jumps is a great zone for kids and beginners to hone their skills, only minutes from the City.

    The grand opening of Juvie and the Kids Duel Slalom last weekend was a huge success. About 150 people turned up to mark the occasion on Sunday, including City Councillors and Mayor, Celia Wade Brown. Once the tape was cut, Mayor Celia spoke positively of the Club’s recent work at Miramar and Island Bay.

    South Coast Kids Track Wins Another Award


    You may recall that earlier this year, the Club received a Wellington Airport Community Award for its work on the South Coast Kids Track. Well last week the Kids Track did it again - this time at the 2014 NZ Recreation Association Awards.

    The annual awards recognise excellence in the recreation and leisure industry, and the South Coast Kids Track was named Most Outstanding Project.

    Thanks once again to Wellington City Council, Trail Fund NZ, Bike Wellington, Revolve Cycling and Southstar Trails. 

    Draft Suburban Reserves Management Plan


    Submissions close this Friday 5th on the WCC Draft Suburban Reserves Management Plan. This is the last opportunity members of the public will have to share their views on the future management of Wellington’s suburban reserves - between Khandallah and Miramar (including Makara).

    This plan will have a significant impact on the future of mountain biking in our city, and the planning process only comes around once every 10 years. So, if you have a few spare minutes and a desire to see the WCC supporting mountain biking in our suburban reserves, get in there.

     

    Upcoming Events

    WDHS Round 3 - Maidstone - THIS SATURDAY


    The final round of the 2014 Wellington Downhill Series will take place THIS SATURDAY, 6th December at Maidstone, Upper Hutt. Check the WMTBC website for details and online registration. Online registration closes Friday, 5pm. Enter online >>

    The Club would also like to welcome Adrenaline MTB as the event’s major sponsor.




    **VOLUNTEERS** Race marshals and drivers are urgently needed for this event. We greatly appreciate any help offered. If interested - please contact events@wmtbc.org.nz.

    WORD Bike-a-Polooza - Sunday Dec 7th


    This Sunday at the Wainuiomata Trails - WORD invites you to join them for the first Bike-a-Polooza - New Zealand's best, super fun, and raddest kids mountain bike event ever! There will be four great courses to choose from on the day - so something for all the 3-17 year olds.

    Cost: $15 individual, $40 family of 3 kids. For more info and online registration check out WORD Bike-a-Polooza





    Escape from Mt Crawford Mini Enduro - Jan 19th, 2015


    The third annual Escape from Mt Crawford Mini Enduro is upcoming - Wellington Anniversary weekend, January 19th. We’ve run the annual fundraiser for the Miramar Track Project for the past couple of years, and 2015 will undoubtedly be the biggest yet.

    As per last year, we’ll be running two classes - Misdemeanor and Felony, plus the Sufferfest hill climb, and we’re throwing in a Kids Mini D for the little rippers. Also, in breaking news - Yeastie Boys have just come on board as a sponsor. This is great news if you like beer.
     
    Online entries opening later this month Event Details >>

    Klunkers, Chainless & Kids Bike Dual Slalom - Jan 24th, 2015


    After a successful event earlier this year, Klunkers is back! The aim of the race is simple: dig out your old kit and 90s race weapon, do as many timed runs of Jailbrake as your body (or bike) will permit within 2 ½ hours, and heckle like you’ve never heckled.

    There will be four categories: Klunkers, Chainless, proKlunkers and Klunkers (under 12), and an additional Kids Bike Dual Slalom race. Entry is by donation of old (useful) bike parts, cash, or your bike. All proceeds go to Biketech and the Mechanical Tempest.

    Event Details >>



    Trail Building Updates

    Clinical (Polhill Reserve)


    As you may recall from the last Polhill update, The Brooklyn Trail Builders reported significant progress on Clinical. When it’s complete, the track will round off a grand loop of the Reserve. Most of the track is now rideable, and it’s set for completion sometime during early 2015.

    Currently, contractors are finishing construction of bridges on the trail, and volunteers are working on approximately 200m at the bottom. Although this section is incomplete, there’s a steep track that can be used to bypass it. The next dig is this coming Sunday, 7th December at 3pm. Details over at Brooklyn Trail Builders. There will be an event to commemorate the official opening of Clinical, tentatively around April 2015. We’ll keep you posted.

    We would also like to congratulate BTB whose work was this week recognised at the Roll on Wellington Cycle Awards.

    Mt Victoria


    Thanks to all those who contributed recently to the Mt Victoria trail user survey. We’re currently compiling the results, but feedback was largely positive.

    In case you missed it - here’s the full rundown. But in short, the WCC has requested that changes be made to the lower part of the Super D line. The Club, in consultation with trail leaders and the Council, has come up with a plan that involves essentially realigning the trail, from the SPCA south. In addition, the plan includes work around busy junctions to reduce the risk of conflict with other trail users.

    No major work will take place on Mt Victoria until the new year. We’ll keep you updated. 

    Want to keep in touch?


    For up-to-date Club news, updates and media - follow WMTBC on Facebook or check the Club page at WMTBC.org.nz

  • 02 Nov 2014 7:45 PM | Anonymous

    Mt Victoria has always been a great place to ride and with developments over the last couple of years it has become a more popular destination for mountain biking. This is really positive but due to being a public space that is also shared with other groups, has created a few issues that need to be addressed


    The Club has been working with the Wellington City Council, public and other groups to ensure Mt Victoria remains an exciting destination for mountain biking.

    The purpose of this post is two-fold. Firstly, the Club wants to keep the mountain biking community up to date with what’s happening on Mt Victoria. And secondly, we will be seeking your feedback on the developments outlined in the following.

    There are a number of projects in the works for Mt Vic. Some have been finished, some are under way and some are just on the horizon. Below is a bit of an update on their current status.



    What has been done recently?

    The Southstar Trails crew have been hard at work on Mt Victoria, giving some much needed TLC to trails in preparation for the summer season.
    1. The lower part of Hippy's has been reshaped
    2. Some corners on the Hataitai Zig Zag have been reshaped and are now more in keeping with the rest of the track
    3. There is a new climbing track above the Badminton Hall

    In addition, some preliminary trail finding work has been done on a new exit at the bottom of TTS and Park Bench (described in more detail below). Mt Vic Trail Leader Rod Bardsley has also been communicating directly with Council representatives and demonstrating his plans for future building and maintenance on the hill.

    What is being done at the moment? 


    Rod's Drop

    The Council is in the process of putting a gate at the top of Rod's Drop which is expected to be fully installed within a couple of weeks. Why is this being done? Two main reasons:
    1. The lesser issue is that the drop fires riders into an area of the field where teams tend to congregate. The field is leased by Wellington College from the Council, and used by them in addition to other sports teams.
    2. The more significant issue is that it sends riders into the Southern Walkway at speed. Of particular concern to the Council is the step up after drop that lands riders right onto the walkway at a blind corner.
    Once the gate is in, the drop will be open for events only.

    For the interim, the old chicken line from the original Super D is still there and open for riding. The Club, and Rod in his capacity as Trail Leader, are working with the Council on options in this area for the future.

    Mt Vic Management Plan

    The Wellington City Council is running some consultation on a new management plan for Mt Victoria. In particular this is for the area from the SPCA (Chest Hospital) northbound. Just as the Club has engaged with the Council on the Town Belt Management Plan, it is also involved here.

    WMTBC Club Secretary Russ has met with planning consultants who are preparing recommendations for Council. He presented the proposed changes (see below) accompanied by a rundown on the value of Mt Vic for the mountain bike community. The meeting went well, and we were able to provide the consultants with a great deal of information that they didn't have. They were especially impressed with Rod's plans around changing the exits of some trails to reduce conflict at junctions.

    The development of this plan is ongoing and the consultants reported their initial recommendations to Council last week. Until this plan has been finalised, the Council have asked that no new trail building be done in this area of Mt Victoria. However, maintenance of existing trails can continue, so keep your eyes peeled for work parties, especially as the Super D draws nearer (March/April 2015). Announcements on the Mt Vic Trails FB page.

    Regarding a timeframe on completion of the management plan - the best indication we have at this stage is some time within the next couple of months.

    Right, so what is happening next? 

    Changes to Trail Exits


    The hope is that once the Mt Victoria Management Plan is finalised, we can commence with Rod's plans to fine tune some of the more advanced trails to the north and west of the hill. The following alterations to existing trails have all been discussed with Council and agreed to in principle (although there may still be a few minor adjustments to the plan for Damains).


    Damian's

    1. Close existing entrance and re-open from LH cnr before wooden step-down on Hippy’s
    2. Form a trail from new entrance to a safer walking track x-ing approx. 10m south of existing exit
    3. Create a new trail from bush exit along grass plateau parallel to walking track to a slow LH trail x-ing. This new trail can have dirt brought in to create features
    4. At main walking track intersection, create a natural barrier feature to slow riders and divert walkers away from bank step-down
    5. Divert trail exit to a LH berm and slow uphill exit to prevent high–speed exit onto playing field

    Grom (Jump) Track

    1. Re-work trails exit with features to slow rider exit
    2. Re-open lower trail to grass slope exit to prevent riders exiting down walking trail. Then extend trail along bushline to join with Damian trail exit

    Rock Drop

    1. Re-work trail after rock feature to slow riders up to treetrunk jump then join trail to Grom track exit

    V Trail

    1. Create a natural barrier to protect rider exit to upper walking track x-ing (below toilets) and improve sight lines
    2. Re-work lower V trail exit and extend south to join with TTS at final walk track x-ing

    TTS

    1. Create new trail parallel and below road with slow exit to reduce rider/walker conflict and to prevent riders travelling down tarmac on wrong side of road
    2. Create a natural barrier at main walking track x-ing to alert walkers
    3. Alter trail exit to an abrupt LH uphill exit and add a new final trail section parallel to lower main walking track with a T-intersection exit to meet up with Park Bench trail and leading into playground trail exit

    Park Bench

    1. Re-shape traverse around ridge under bench
    2. Add exit and entrance barriers at main walking track where LOTR tourists congregate to define rider direction
    3. Create a new trail exit parallel to lower main walk track to connect with TTS so there is a single, safe exit


    Lower Super D Line - Proposed New Track From SPCA Roots to Skills Area


    The Council have informed us that closure of the the root line across the road from the Harrier Club will happen, when is TBC. 

    This is primarily for two reasons. Firstly, the heavy use in this area is eroding the ground around the roots of established trees. And secondly, the speed at which riders come off the roots into the path of other trail users is an issue.

    However, the Council realises this is a popular section of trail, so what they have proposed is opening up a trail below the road that takes riders away from the road and walking tracks, and on to singletrack. This new track would have two sections, outlined below.

    Top Section

    The top section would go from the SPCA roots, with a new steep roll in and then sidle down alongside the road through the tall trees. It would meet up with an existing line and work its way through some trees and roots to a clearing above the trail Shuttle Cock.

    This section would require significant retaining. The Council have indicated that they may be able to help with the major sections, with the Club doing the parts that only need to be a board or two high, similar to the new Reach Around track on Mt Alfred.

    For regular riding, there would be a controlled speed exit onto the tarmac walking track. But for events, there is the option for the Club to put in a ramp that allows for a road gap over the walking track and onto the grass in the clearing.

    Bottom Section

    From the clearing, a new track would be built and have two exits - one into Shuttle Cock, and another into the Skills Area. This section of track still needs to be walked properly and marked out. Presently there are some large trees down from last year’s storms, that are across the intended line. From the scoping done to date, there are some natural hips and other features that will make for some sweet flowing single track.

    The Complete Proposed Line

    The images below give an idea of the complete proposed line. All is provisional at the moment and intended only to give an impression of where the track will go.

    WCC have stated that they would like the trail to be Intermediate or Grade 3+. If you need an exemplar or comparison, think something around the same level as Swigg, Starfish, Carparts or Jail Brake (all in the dry).  For the club's part, we have suggested that a main line at Grade 3 would be fine, if we can include some harder features off the main line for example a wall rides, rock drops etc. 

    Looking from the South to the North (click the photo for a bigger version)


    If you have Google Earth, you can view the track outline by importing this file. MtVicSuperDRealignmentofLowerSection.kmz

    So what next? 

    We are preparing a survey to get some structured feedback on the changes. Our goal is to get this up by the 5th of November. We'd then dearly like anyone who has an interest in riding on Mt Vic, club member or not, to take 10 minutes and fill out the survey. 

    We'll add a link to this post once it is ready. That should give everyone a bit of time to digest the above. 

    If you want to keep up to date on  you can:

    Give us some feedback

    We'd like your feedback on these plans. Please take 5-10 minutes to fill out our survey. 




  • 25 Oct 2014 7:23 PM | Anonymous

    In this month’s newsletter:
     
     

    1. Wellington DH Series Rd 1 Report - Long Gully
    2. Upcoming WDHS Races - Karori & Maidstone
    3. Long Gully Start Ramp Retired
    4. South Coast Kids Track receives Regional Community Award  
    5. 8Wired, Bruhaus & WMTBC present Ales for Trails
    6. Trail Building Updates
    7. Chance to see “Rad Company” on the Big Screen
    8. T-Shirt Orders


    Wellington Downhill Series Round 1 – Long Gully

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    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 resultsWDHS pointsPhotoset from the eventWyn Master’s race run


    WDHS Rounds 2 & 3 - Karori & Maidstone

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    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.

    1. Karori 8th Nov - Enter Online >>
    2. 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.

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    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


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    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.


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    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.


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    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!undefined
     
    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.


    undefined ... Shift+R improves the quality of this image. Shift+A improves the quality of all images on this page.

    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


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    Mo’ whips. Rider: Wyn Masters

    Download Desktop


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    And here’s one commemorating the recently retired Long Gully start ramp. Rider: Steve Wallace.

    Download Desktop





  • 18 Aug 2014 1:01 PM | Anonymous

    A new Grade 2, beginner track will be built in Centennial Reserve this September. The Miramar Track Project, a project of the Wellington Mountain Bike Club, has been working closely with the Wellington City Council and Southstar Trails on the design for this track called "Juvenile Delinquent", or "Juvie".


    Where does this track go? 

    Juvie will be a digger built, grade 2 track. The track start at the Boot Leg exit (White Gate Car Park) on the Mapuia side of the reserve. From there is will sidle around to join up with Conviction (the uphill track) just below where the tree fall from last year's storm occurred. Those who know the area well, will know that there was an old walking track that went up to a small clearing that was created from some tree fall a few years back. Juvie will make it to this clearing and then run underneath, then cross that existing walking track before continuing on to join into Conviction.


    Click to see full size image

    (Click the image to see a full size version)


    To complete a Grade 2 loop, the very top of Conviction and Boot Leg will have some new work done on it to reshape corners and ease the gradient. As part of these new works, the board walk that was damaged as part of the storm will be repaired and this section of track reopened. In addition to this, the very top section of Boot Leg, that runs on the old farm bench under some old pines, will be closed and a new track to the Boot Leg clearing will be opened. This track is at risk from these old pines and tree fall, so this is a great opportunity to mitigate this risk. 


    In addition to these changes, a new down hill pump track / mini 4x section is planned from the Boot Leg clearing to the Water Towers Gate. 


    What style of track / who are the intended users? 

    The end goal is to create a Grade 2 loop at the top of the trail project. This means that riders heading up Conviction (Grade 3+) will enter onto an easier trail at the top of the climb. 

    The new sections of trail will be digger built by Southstar Trails. The design goal is "my first single track". The  goal is to create a trail that will offer progression from the Miramar Kids Track and SoCK Track in Island Bay into riding single track. The gradients will be easier than Koru, but with Southstar operators at the helm, we can expect lots of nice flow and progressive trail features in the form of grade reversals and rollers. 

    The changes to Boot Leg will make the track wider and remove some of the pinches in the climbing corners. This will:
    1. make it easier for junior and beginner riders to climb up to the Boot Leg clearing
    2. provide more space for passing walkers and other trail users on the very popular section of track between Nevay Rd and the Water Towers Gate
    3. provide a bit of respite for those climbing up Conviction

    When is this happening? 

    Southstar trails will be on site in late September. The expectation is that we should have at least the new sidle, and hopefully all components open for Christmas. 

    There will be signage up on the tracks when the digger is on site. The new part of the trail will have no impact on access. However when the crew are reworking the existing top section, the tracks will be closed for a few days. You can keep up with progress via the Miramar Track Project facebook page. 

    Can I help?

    The bulk of this build will be done by contractors. This includes the digger build, gravelling and the tidying up and securing of wind fallen pines in the boardwalk area. 

    Saying that, there will be tidy up and finishing to do once the track beds in. Next winter we will be going through and planting out again around this track and the dual slalom/4x section.

    Why are you making these changes? Was this always the plan?

    To all those that are thinking, Oh man, you are dumbing down the climb!
    Yup, and we are unapologetic about this. 


    Firstly there are very few proper beginner trails in Wellington, and none in Wellington East. We have a great new crop of kids and beginner riders coming through, and frankly there is no progression for them. Just as Jail Brake and Solitary were designed to help riders progress to trails such as Long Gully, we need beginner trails to help these riders progress.

    Secondly, the top part of the track is also the busiest, with a large number of local walkers using the connection from Nevay Rd to access the the trail network and get through to the water towers area. A wider track provides for better sight lines, and more room for different trail users to pass each other. 

    And as we mentioned earlier, the only part of the climb that is being completely rerouted is a section of existing farm bench. Not only is this too steep, but it is at risk of tree fall. 

    There will be no changes to the lower part of Conviction, other than routine maintenance. 

    The idea of a zero/low gradient loop has always been a part of the Miramar Track Projects planning. 

    What other plans do you have? 

    Well nice of you to ask, seeing as Southstar is going to be on site, we are going to work on the third and hopefully final phase of the pump track extension. In this phase, the left over material at the southern end of the pump track is going to be used to make another series of rollers and a return. 

    Click to see full size

    Once in place, it is expected that these rollers will provide more variety, and also a way that riders can build up more speed to clear the 3 doubles on the current extension. 

    When the extension is finished, planting beds will be installed on the side of the extension as per the rest of the track, to minimise run off and improve the appearance of the track. 

    Click to see full size
    Above: An example of the new planting around the pump track. Thanks to WCC for putting the beds in place, and local volunteers for the planting. 

    Who do we thank? 

    A huge thanks to the Wellington City Council Parks, Sport and Recreation for supporting and funding these works. This project is a signficant investment in the Cennential Reseve. Along side these developments, there are plans for another beginner level track in Karori that is currently in the planning stages. 

    "Through the consultation work in developing the Our Capital Spaces Plan and via the mountain bike workshops held at the end of last year it was made clear that one area of the trail network in Wellington that is missing are Grade 2 mountain bike trails. If these trails are designed, built and managed well they can also serve the purpose of providing an easy walk for those individuals and families who are after a shorter and easily accessible bush reserve experience." - D Halliday, Project Officer

    So a big thanks to all those who have been involved in the consultation and submission process for the Capital Spaces Plan. 


    More information?

    If you want to know more details, you can contact Miramar Trail Leader and Club Secretary Russel at secretary -at- wmtbc.org.nz, or contact Ben or Russ via the MTP Facebook page. 

    Through the consultation work in developing the Our Capital Spaces Plan and via the mountain bike workshops held at the end of last year it was made clear that one area of the trail network in Wellington that is missing are Grade 2 mountain bike trails. If these trails are designed, built and managed well they can also serve the purpose of providing an easy walk for those individuals and families who are after a shorter and easily accessible bush reserve experience.
  • 10 Aug 2014 1:54 PM | Anonymous

    The club's AGM for the 2013/2014 season was held on the 7th of August. 


    Read the minutes >>


    PRESIDENT’S REPORT


    I would like to thank my fellow committee members for their support and assistance during the 2013/14 membership year. Additionally I would like to thank those members (non committee) who frequently offer their assistance and time, and all members and sponsors for your continued support of the Wellington Mountain Bike Club.


    We have seen consistent growth in our club membership over the last few years and a 23% increase in the last year (184 vs 149 in 2013), this has been largely in part to The Club widening its appeal to the community through our trail building, events and advocacy.


    A year of solidarity

    In 2013, the club was approached by a small group of parents, a couple of whom were already club members, who wanted to develop a kids loop track in Island Bay. They are lead by a highly motivated Janet Miller and Jeremy Blake. We talked them through their options in how they could operate and they decided the best long term option would be to undertake this project as part of the club’s umbrella. From here, the group and our committee worked together to gain tools, funding and expertise, all to ensure the projects success.


    The South Coast Kids Track (in Island Bay) have been selected as finalists in the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards 2014 – Wellington City Region (Sport & Leisure Category) Thanks to WCC for nominating the project and to all of those who helped to build the track. We hope you're all out there putting it to good use!

    In our first year of being a registered charitable organisation, the club received an impressive amount of financial support from both the public & funding organisations. This money has gone directly back into benefiting the community; through trail building, tools, equipment and secure storage.


    Due to the success of funding received, in late 2013 the Club became GST registered with IRD. The Committee agreed for the Club to absorb the additional 15% in operational costs (rather than passing the cost onto our membership) as a large percentage of our GST payable can be offset through the Club’s events.


    As you may have noticed, The Club has started promoting itself a bit more to the general public. We started with membership stickers for our members bikes, the sale of branded t-shirts (that we will be continuing) and the start of two brand campaigns (we will be launching posters in local businesses over the next few months).


    I would like to personally thank the following businesses and organisations for their support over the last year – Burkes Cycles, Bike Barn, Bicycle, Mud Cycles, Dirt Merchants, Cycle Science, Place Makers Evans Bay, cSixx Products, Spoke Magazine, Bike Wellington, The Rock FM, BIG design, Floyds Cafe, Yeastie Boys, Gasworks, Infinity Foundation, The Lion Foundation, Transpower, Trail Fund New Zealand, Upper Hutt City Council and Wellington City Council.


    Trails

    Long Gully

    Over the last year Tony Harvey, Adrian Armstrong & Dan Smith (along with their happy trail pixies) have all done an outstanding job ensuring the existing trails at Long Gully remain ridable for everyone to enjoy.


    As many of you have by now heard, the future of Long Gully is set for some change. Tim Watson and his wife plan to build their family home on the section of land we use for our trails. The entire Watson family are extremely supportive of the Wellington Mountain Bike Club and wish to ensure we retain access to our trails on their property.


    There will be some change coming – trail access and some trail location may be changing, also the Watsons have proposed raising the amount we pay them to help their ever growing cost to maintain the road we use for shuttling. Over the next few months the Committee will be working on ways The Club can ensure we can financially afford to keep access. This may also include raising the trail users cost to access Long Gully.


    I would like to ensure you that The Club acknowledges the importance of Long Gully to its membership and we do wish to retain access, along with the trails, at Long Gully for everyone to enjoy.


    This is an ongoing project and we will keep you updated with developments through our newsletters.


    Miramar Track Project

    The focus this year for Miramar has been on fixing trails after last July’s storms, and finishing off the Pump Track/Kids Area. A grant from the Infinity Foundation, together with funds raised from the enduro events was used to purchase a container for tools and to act as an in town base for the club for trailers and race equipment. With the assistance of local earthmoving contractors, WCC and South Star trails the pump track has been increased to twice it’s original size. MTP have been continuing with their rubbish collection and planting efforts. In the coming year, there will be some changes to the top of the tracks to re route around some dangerous trees and open up a family loop at the top of Mt Crawford.


    Brooklyn Trail Builders

    After the opening of the new Windmill climbing track and the revamped Car Parts, the focus for BTB moved lower down Polhill. The new Serendipity downhill track takes the load off the busy lower part of Transient and is already proving to be a hugely popular ride.

    On the other side of the valley, a substantial grant from Transpower has allowed the club to run a paid trail crew, working on a hand built uphill called Clinical. The track runs through some very challenging terrain that’s difficult to build in and whilst progress is slower than originally planned, the end result will be very high standard. The track should be completed by summer.


    BTB have been very busy with planting both at the Aro Valley park end and up on Sawmill. Planting days have been very well attended, and have been well supported by the local community and schools. The work by volunteers has been supplemented by the recent investment from WCC to tidy up the entrance to the trails in Aro Valley. Design work is ongoing for a new descending track (Lady Lumps) that will connect into Clinical. The hope is that approvals will be granted for this track in the coming year.


    Mt Victoria

    Mt Vic was hit particularly hard by the July storms. From this devastation new opportunities have presented themselves. Once again club members and other riders mobilised in large numbers to help clear the debris on the trails. A fallen tree on Hippy’s, become a brand new table top, thanks to WCC and some digger time from Southstar Trails. Trail Leader Steve Wallace worked very closely with the council on mapping out the existing trails and installing trailhead makers. The super d line is now marked top to bottom with special trail makers. In terms of new build, the climbing track from the saddle now provides an easier climb up to the top of Mt Alfred and helps separate riders from walkers on this busy area. Steve has since stepped down from the trail leader role to focus on a new professional opportunity, and we thank Steve for his efforts in establishing Mt Vic Trails. This coming year we welcome back Rod Bardsley into the fold who will be continuing Steve’s good work.


    South Coast Kids Track

    As mentioned earlier, this brand new project has proved itself an instant success. The club is proud to be associated with this project and commends the hard work from the team of parents who drove this project. The project received significant support from both Trail Fund, for tools and trail surfacing, and the WCC Community Fund which allowed the club to contribute towards Southstar Trails digger time. The expertise from Southstar, combined with the grunt from the digger meant this track could be largely realised in less than a week. There has already been interest from other Wellington communities in this type of trail and the club looks forward to contributing to these projects and the development of these very junior riders.


    Portal

    The timing of the July storms could not have been crueller to the Portal trail crew. No sooner had they put in place some new, quality structures, the storm came through and decimated large portions of the hill. Undeterred, Eugene, Jourdan and the rest of the crew have been chipping away at the track, rerouting new obstacles and revitalising a number of the old stunts and creating new ones.


    Karori

    The storms were again brutal on Karori. But thanks to the efforts of local diggers, led by Tony Harvie and the WCC tree team, the track was cleared and ready for racing in round 2 of the DH series. This was a huge ask given the amount of tree fall.


    Tony has sinced moved out of Karori and has turned over care for the trail to Curtis Johnstone. Huge thanks to Tony for all his efforts, and his continuing work on the Race Track in Long Gully. Curtis is working with the likes of Ricky Pincott and the council on a possible extension to the track that would move the start line to further up the hill and make the most available vertical. This extension should add some more time to the track and with a little luck and much effort, it could be ready for the DH series this spring.


    Maidstone DH

    Maidstone had been one of the areas that was in need of some TLC and some leadership around the trail crew. Our thanks to Kerry White for putting his hand up here. Thanks to his hard work, both on the tools and coordinating other volunteers, the track was in tip top shape for the first round of our DH series.


    Mt Albert 4X

    Another area that was in need of someone putting their hand up to take some leadership in the care and maintenance, the 4X had become somewhat neglected. Kudos needs to go the club members who organised some impromptu work parities to clear the line and reshape the lips last spring. In the coming year we look for better and bigger things to come with Dan Smith and Peter Cassidy coming forward to coordinate digs on the track. The goal is to get some casual Friday night racing going again over the summer.


    Events

    The Club has continued our strong relationships with both Revolve & PNP in support of both there and our events. A special thanks goes out to Bernie Cruze for his help in providing quality timing at our events.


    DH Series

    After taking a year off, 2013 saw the long awaited return of our Downhill Series. The series proved to be popular again with 79 individual competitors competing across the three events. We are eager to build on this momentum and plan for this years series to attract even more riders to Wellington.


    As part of the series in 2013, we secured $5,000 worth of funding. This ensured the purchase of a new PA system and Portable Generator (these have both been put to good use) along with some money to go towards the cost of hiring First Aid, Toilets and Shuttle Vans.


    Enduro Series

    This year the club ran our first Enduro Series. Comprised of some already established events, the Escape from Mt Crawford, the Mt Vic Super D and Revolve’s Super V and two brand new events, the Wainui and Makara Peak Enduro’s. There were over 500 entries over the 5 events.


    Funds raised from this series went directly to the trail centre’s hosting the races, with over $8,000 raised to go towards trail maintenance. The club drew no revenue from this series and were happy to do so as many of our projects were direct beneficiaries. Next year we will be looking to run the series again and take a small per rider fee to cover our costs. A huge thanks to the Yeastie Boys for their support of the series.


    Shuttle Days

    Our Shuttle Days have proven to be hugely popular with both members and non-members. Our Christmas Shuttle Day was hugely popular and we managed to raise $350 for Arthritis New Zealand.


    Once again, by running these events both within and outside of Long Gully, the Club has also attracted new riders who would normally shy away from events.


    Fundraisers

    Tom (the Pom) Adams was the brainchild behind the inaugural Klunkers for Chainless for Charity. The goal was to raise some funds and collect parts and bikes for the Mechanical Tempest and Bike Junction. A great evening of low key racing on bikes of all types.


    In partnership with SPOKE Magazine, we showed the New Zealand premiere of Won't Back Down, the Steve Peat movie. The event had a reasonable turnout and the auction we ran was hotly contested in which we raised $220 for Sarah Atkin to help get her to the 2014 World Championships in Norway

    .

    WMTBC Members racing overseas

    During 2014 the Wellington Mountain Bike Club have had club members racing internationally. After claiming the New Zealand title, Sarah Atkin secured the Oceania DH Womens Elite title as well.


    Local rider Bryn Dickinson has been competing in both the European and World Cup races for the Devinci Global Racing DH team. Both Sarah and Bryn will make their way to Norway to compete in the 2014 World MTB Championships


    Advocacy / Community engagement

    Over the last 12 months our Committee has been working directly with the Wellington City Council (along with other community groups) to advise on the following topics,

    • Town Belt policy
    • Draft Annual Plan
    • Capital Spaces Plan
    • Transport planning
    • EBikes policy.

    This has involved a significant amount of time in the preparation of both written and oral submissions. The officers would also like to thank all club members who made individual submissions on these plans.


    The committee has also been engaging with council officers on short and long term plans for track and mountain biking in the city. It is encouraging to see that the council is placing an emphasis on outdoor recreation and informal sport by looking to include it as part of the recent Sport and Recreation Forum that I and some of our trail leaders attended.


    Our contribution and involvement in these projects has been widely recognised by Wellington City Councillors and has helped in solidifying our name further within the Wellington community.


    Achieving Goals

    Last year the committee laid out a Strategic Plan for this year. It is indeed encouraging that so much of what we set out to achieve was achieved in the areas of trail building, events, advocacy, and governance of the club.


    One area that is ongoing is working on a suitable replacement for the 12 bike trailer. This trailer is really not suitable for use outside of Long Gully due to the size and nature of the tyres and width of the deck. A number of options have been investigated for new trailers and designs, with the committee very nearly closing a deal for a ready made trailer, only to find that although it was shorter, it was in fact wider than the existing 12 bike. Our thanks to Bike Wellington and David Woodnorth for the use of their trailers over the past year. The committee now has a plan for the trailers and is collecting quotations in preparation for a funding application to purchase at least one new trailer.


    Ongoing challenges

    1. Volunteers – We need to grow the number of people who can both help organise, perform jobs and marshall at our events. Without this help, we simply can not run events. We continue to look at ways to incentivise volunteering, but our ideal would be for club members to encourage friends and family to help out wherever they can.
    2. Trail user conflict – We encourage all trail users to be courteous to each other while using the trails. Even if the other user is at fault in an incident, by being polite, it will help build a good repore for all mountain bikers.
    3. Illegal trail building in the community makes both mountain bikers and WMTBC look bad - it affects our sanctioned work we are carrying out with the WCC.

    Looking ahead to the next year.

    The committee has developed a strategic plan which puts in place some tangible goals we are looking to achieve in the coming year. We will present this plan at the AGM. These goals have been aligned with a broader vision for the next 5 years. I encourage you all to review these plans, and invite you to help us make these a reality.


    Please continue to support your Club & your incoming Committee. Thanks for all your support over the last year.


    Best wishes to all in 2014 & 2015.

    Dave Preece

    WMTBC President

  • 13 Jul 2014 8:19 PM | Anonymous

    New membership year - time to renew

    No doubt you have received your reminders via email. Memberships are now open for the 2014/2015 year.A reminder that you need to be a current financial member of the club to vote at the AGM and to be nominated for an officer or committee role.


    New Family Membership

    This year the committee is very happy to announce a new Family membership for $50. This recognises the growing number of families that are joining the club, and hopefully will encourage a few existing members to sign up the rest of their family. A family is defined as two or more family members who all live at the same address. Sign yours up now.


    Just a note that you should be able to change your membership from an individual to a family at renewal, any problems, then contact the club secretary.


    Notice of AGM

    A reminder that our AGM will be held on Thursday August 7 starting at 6:30pm with pizza, then into the meeting at 7pm. If you are intending on coming, please RSVP by registering for the event so that we ensure we get enough pizza.


    The agenda is as follows:

    • Minutes of last years AGM
    • President's report
    • Treasurer's report and statement of accounts
    • Election of officers
    • Constitution updates
    • Strategic Plan review
    • New Business

    Nominations for officer and general committee roles are now open. A good number of our existing committee are happy to continue their roles, but as always, we are keen to get new people involved. See the AGM event for details about the committee roles and how to make a nomination.


    Constitution Updates

    The AGM is an opportunity to update our constitution. As a registered charity, we need to take special care when we update our constitution to ensure that we comply with the charities rules.


    This year we are making 3 changes. These are all around payments the club can make to club members for services they provide, and a new clause that allows for (but does not require) honoria payments to committee members. A great deal of research and talking with Charities and the Societies Office goes into preparing these changes and the committee would like to thank Peter Cassidy for his efforts here. To see the full proposed changes, see the AGM agenda. A majority vote of those present is required to pass these changes.


    Racing Update

    The club would like to congratulate Sarah Atkin on her selection for the World Champs in August. Sarah has had a stellar year capturing both the National and Oceania titles. It is an expensive business getting to World's and there is no financial support from the national bodies. As a privateer, this means Sarah has to pay for the lot out of her own back pocket. If you would like to to help her out, head over to her giveallittle page and make a donation. See the full team kiwi announcement on the BikeNZ site.


    Brynn Dickerson is in Europe with Gypsy Racing and starting to get some solid results. Check out his track preview of the Val di Sole course on Pinkbike, Yeah boi!




    "Whisky" Mike Cowlin is on a van trip of BC and has been hitting up a few Enduro races. Looks like he has been giving the locals a scare with some solid finishes, even as he contends with some bruised/cracked ribs after giving himself a scare on some BC singletrack.


    We wish all our Welly racers well. If you know of anyone else giving it a crack overseas, then drop us a line so we can give them a feature.


    Planting Season In Full Swing

    Epic Turn Out For Planting in Polhill



    BTB had an epic turn out for their mega planting work party in early June. 50 people turned up to help put the 350 plants into the ground and spread mulch. A great cooperative effort with Aro Valley Regeneration Group and Kai o te Aro, the neighbouring community garden. Brooklyn Primary School then got stuck in and got another 350 plants into the ground at the top of Sawmill. Top effort all round.


    Cleaning up and planting out in Miramar




    The Miramar Track crew started their planting season with a clean up, with a dozen volunteers, including some kids and trail dogs, picking up rubbish at the Nevay Rd entrance. The team managed to fill a skip in less than an hour and make a start on their planting efforts for the season. Miramar will be running at least two more planting work parties in early August, so watch their Facebook page for details.


    New Trail Leader For Mt Vic

    Steve Wallace has stepped down from the Mt Vic Trail Leader role due to new work commitments. The committee would like to thank Steve for his efforts over the past couple of years. On top of the new track development around the Saddle, Steve has been working hard with the council on maintenance and signage for riders on the hill.


    The committee has confirmed Mt Vic fanatic, Rod "he of the many many #tag" Bardsley as the new trail leader. Rod's focus in the coming year will be on maintenance and reworking exits on some of the trails that cross popular walking tracks to reduce walker/rider conflict. Rod is planning a group ride to run through and discuss some of the changes, so keep tabs on the Mt Vic FB page for details.


    South Coast Kids Track Official Opening

    The SoCK Track crew planned their official opening to coincide with a big planting work party. Due to the large turn out, the planting was done and dusted in around 20 minutes!

    This meant the kids could get straight into the fun, with an old school lolly scramble (if anyone from OSH/ACC is reading, no one was killed or maimed) followed by race. A le mans start, with the parents messing around with the parked up bikes, then a lap of the track. Congratulations to the winner Izzy. Her prize, to help Deputy Mayor Justin Lester cut the ribbon. The track has been nominated for a Wellington Community Award, well done to Jeremy, Kether and the rest of the crew.




    A big thanks to WCC for their continued support of the track, Trail Fund NZ and Revolve for kicking in some funds, Southstar Trails for the epic build, Floyd's Cafe and New World Island Bay for donating food for digs and sausage sizzles, Welly MTB Club members for pitching in at work parties and Placemakers Evans Bay for lending us their epic BBQ trail for the sausage sizzle at the track opening.


    The track has received some huge praise, with congratulations and interest from as far afield as Perth, WA. The club is already talking with WCC councillors about the possibility of similar tracks elsewhere in the city, so watch this space.


    Wicked Wellington Competition


    Bike Wellington and HELiPRO are turning it up for the ultimate adventure experience. After being choppered in to Makara Peak, you'll ride the track down with a professional photographer snapping you like a pro. If you are keen, all you need to do is enter online.


    See you on the trails!


  • 20 May 2014 10:13 PM | Anonymous

    1. Enduro Series Wrap



    Time flies and it is over a month now since we wrapped the Welly Enduro Series. We had over 500 entries across the five events, and raised near on $8,000 for the various track projects.

    A big thanks to The Yeastie Boys for sponsoring the series, Placemakers Evan's Bay for helping out with their mega bbq trailer and Floyd's Cafe for keeping our volunteers well fed. A special thanks to everyone who helped out with the races, whether it be timing, marshalling, registration, driving or general helping. We do rely on the good will of volunteers to ensure that we can run these events, so a massive thanks to all of you.

    2. Welly Racers Heading Overseas

    The international race season is already well under way.

    It was great to see National and Oceania Champ and club member, Sarah Atkin getting back into the swing of World Cup racing in the mud at Cairns. Sarah qualified in 12th and improved to 11th in her race run. She is running as a privateer this year and is aiming to make the World Champs, and hopefully a few of the europe based races along the way. Sarah is fundraising, so if you can spare a few buck head over to her Give a little site and help her get to world champs.

    Also heading to Europe after putting in some hard yards in our paid trail crew in Polhill (and smashing out a couple of firsts in the WES) is Brynn Dickerson. Brynn has been picked up by the Devinci development team - Gypsy Racing. He is now on his way to Europe to hit up the IXS Cups, European World Cup races and other selected events.

    On the Enduro side of things, Rosara Joesph has got herself a slick new Enduro sled and will be heading off shortly to tackle some EWS rounds and other races. 

    Best of luck to Sarah, Rosara and Bryn.

    3. Big changes in Polhill

    WCC has initiated some improvements for the park area at the bottom of Transient/Serendipity. Once the works are finished, the area will be safer for all users and there will be an all weather surfaced track leading to the entrance of Transient.

    The club's employed trail crew has been making steady progress on the new uphill on the other side of the valley, Clinical. This track is about 60% complete. Now that works has finished on Serendipity, the work of our hired trail crew will be supplemented by volunteer digs. Keep tabs on the BTB facebook page for these that will be run every second Sunday.

    4. South Coast Kids Track Opening

    Stop press: Due to the weather forecast, this has been postponed till June 7th at 2pm.

    This Saturday the 7th of June from 2pm, the SoCK track is combining their offical opening with a planting work party. After the planting is done, the track will be opened with some fun races kids vs parents. The Placemakers Evan's Bay BBQ trailer will be on site, so bring some gold coins.

    The track recently recieved a coating of gravel, with WCC and Trail Fund supplying the money for the materials and local parents and club members suppling the labour. This should ensure that the track is good to go year round.

    For more information on the Opening / Native Tree Planing Work Party - check out the SoCK Track Facebook page.

    5.Wellington- The Coolest little MTB Capital in the World!


    Mountain Biking Proposal to Wellington City Council Economic Development

    Wellington is mountain biking’s best kept secret. There is a great opportunity to market Wellington as a MTB destination and deliver significant economic growth to the city and region. In recent months a group of Wellington mountain bikers (including club representatives) have held meetings to discuss this- a bold vision supported by a business plan that identified both marketing and track/infrastructure development was identified.

    Last week, the core committee (John Hutchings, Matt Farrar, Anthony Edmonds, Ash Burgess and Ben Wilde) proposed that Wellington City Council invest $60k out of the economic development fund to develop a comprehensive business plan (there was a news article about this in the DomPost ).This funding will pay for a dedicated project manager/business plan writer to lead the development of the plan and an independent economic research specialist to validate benefits proposed. It is anticipated that investment identified in the plan will not just be funded by WCC. Support will be sought from key central Government agencies (for example the Toursim Growth Partnership), Greater Wellington Regional Council, Hutt City Council, educational institutions, Wellington businesses and sponsors and the mountain bike community.
    We look forward to spreading the word to the world about our great little city we call home!

    John Hutchings will be the project leader and will update on progress with the application via club newsletters. For any queries or more information in meantime please contact John, john.hutchings@paradise.net.nz

    6. AGM Dates and Membership 2014/2015

    This year's AGM will be held Thursday 7th of August at 6pm. Club will be shouting drinks and pizza. As per tradition, there will be a bike movie after the AGM. More details to come closer to the date.

    The committee has decided that memberships for next season will remain at the same rate with $30 for membership, and $15 extra for the Long Gully car pass. Next year we will also start offering a family membership. This will cover a family living at the same address for a rate of $60. Just a reminder that all club memberships are due 1 July and are valid through to 30 June.

    7. It pays to be a member

    On Saturday we were advised by Hutt police that they had recovered a bike with a club membership sticker on it. Dan our memberships guy checked our records and we were able to reunite Kerry with his bike. As they say, membership has it's rewards.


  • 23 Apr 2014 2:29 PM | Dave


    The Wellington Mountain Bike Club has a position available as a Trail Builder based in Wellington City.
     
    This is an exciting role that will see you working on the newest trail in the Polhill Reserve, Clinical.
     
    Our ideal candidate will have trail building experience, and be passionate about the development of new trails. A First Aid Certificate is also preferred.
     
    Approximately 4-30 hours of work are required per week. However, working hours/days are flexible so you’re able to manage other commitments.  
     
    This is a 4 week fixed term contract, commencing Saturday 10th May until Friday 7th June 2014 and remuneration is $15.00 per hour.
     

    Applications closed 5pm, Sunday 27th April 2014.

  • 26 Feb 2014 8:27 PM | Anonymous


    NZ National Downhill 2014 - Sarah Atkin FTW!



    Sarah going for the win. Photo "borrowed" from BikeNZ website.

    The big news from the recent National Downhill Champs held in Rotorua is Sarah Atkin’s inaugural Elite title. Wellington local Sarah took the top step emphatically with a 6 second lead over Alanna Columb, and almost 7 seconds ahead of Harriet Letcham, both from Queenstown. Some would say, ourselves included, this has been coming for a long time and it’s great to see Sarah riding strong.

    The Elite men’s field was stacked as usual and the title was taken out by Hawkes Bay’s George Brannigan, with Wanganui’s Sam Blenkinsop less than a second back followed by Switzerland’s Nick Beer.

    So sending a massive congratulations out to Sarah and to all other club members who took part in the event! Check the full report over on the BikeNZ site.

    Christmas Shuttles x Longest Day Ride

    It’s a while ago now, but we neglected to mention it earlier. Saturday the 21st marked the fifth annual Longest Day Ride and we thought it was a good opportunity to get our Club members together for some Christmas Shuttles. Besides an amazing excuse to ride your bike all day, those participating in the Longest Day Ride raise funds for Arthritis NZ.

    And what a day! The super keen were up at Polhill for a run at first light and shortly after 9am, the late risers were met at Miramar. After a couple of hours there, we moved on to Wainui, then to Karori Park followed by Mt Victoria and then finally back to Miramar for the last runs. By about 8pm, the last handful of riders were calling it quits and yarns were being spun around the BBQ.

    At its high point we had about 30 riders and surprisingly there was only one incident all day involving one lad riding off Hippys. You’ll be pleased to know he wasn’t off the bike for long.

    We’re also pleased to announce that $350 was raised for Arthritis NZ. Many thanks to all those that came along and to the drivers.






    Welly Enduro Series

    For a full calendar of events, results and points standings head over to wmtbc.org.nz/enduro


    Round 1 Report - The Escape from Mt Crawford

    Round 1 of the Enduro Series at Miramar was a blast. Over 90 riders on the day, so great conditions and relaxed vibe. The riders in the Felony class soon mastered the top of the track diversion (nick named “Ball and Chain”) and everyone got three runs under their belts.

    The Sufferfest Hill Climb up Jail Brake lived up to it’s billing. Riders must have been hitting their max heart rate by the time they hit the rock drop.

    Karl “The Weasel” Patterson backed up his performance from last year and took at the Felony class Enduro and the King of the Mountain. Whilst in the Women’s it was Sascha Smith taking the double in the Women’s.

    A huge thanks to Placemakers Evan’s Bay, The Rock FM and Burkes Cycles for supporting this event, and of course to The Yeastie Boys who are supporting the entire series.

    Round 2 Next Sunday March 9th at Wainuiomata

    The second round of the WES will be at WTP next Sunday.

    This will consist of 2 runs down different courses, with untimed liaison stages to the top of each course.

    Registration from 9am. Race runs should be done and dusted by 1 with prize giving shortly after.

    We are running all age group classes, with prizes for each class. Excellent Yeastie Boys beer for those of age, and something equally sweet for those who aren’t.

    Enter online >>

    Round 3 Revolve Super V

    Ladies, don't forget there is one round of the WES just for you - the Revolve Super V. This will be a fun day of shuttles and racing in Polhill. Head over to the Revolve site to enter.


    Round 4 cSixx Mt Vic Super D Entries Open Now

    March 30th is lining up as a big one. The Mt Vic Super D gets bigger and better each year.
    Entries are open now on the club site.

    New for this year is the Mini D, a super D for 7 - 12 year olds. This will be held on a different course that follows some of the easier trails down from the top of Mt Vic back to the event village at the Harrier Club.

    Steve Wallace and the Mt Vic Trails Crew will have a few course changes in store for this edition of the event that will keep you on your toes. Digs are running mid week in the evenings. Check the  Mt Vic trails facebook page for details.

    Volunteers Needed - Get us a volunteer, get free entry.

    We need a number of volunteers, particularly to Marshall for our upcoming events and we need your help to find them. To that end we are going to offer free entry to all of those who find us a volunteer.

    Here is how it works:
    • Find us a volunteer for Wainuiomata, and you get free entry to the cSixx Mt Vic Super D
    • Find us a volunteer for the cSixx Mt Vic Super D, and you get free entry to the Makara Enduro
    • If your volunteer turns up and does their bit on the day, then we will sort you an entry.
    • It is that easy.

    If you have a husband, wife, brother, sister, father, mother, friend or flatmate who can help out, then please email secretary at wmtbc.org.nz with their contact details.

    T-Shirt Order - Get your order in before this Thursday Night



    Yes we are doing another run of T-shirts, and you have till tomorrow night to get your orders in.

    Men’s and Women’s styles, a range of colours, $35 including NZ postage.

    Order yours now >>

    Karapoti - Volunteers required.

    We have had a request from Michael Jacques for 6 more volunteers required for help on Saturday, including tail end Charlie.

    There will be free lunch, T shirt and a free entry to next years event, if you can help please email Michael direct-  Michael Jacques michael@mdj.co.nz



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