LAKE TAUPO CYCLE CHALLENGE - THE CONTACT HUKA CHALLENGE 2010

2010 Course

The course will be much the same but we will have new single tracks replacing old tracks that are going to the grave yard, and new tracks that will come from the skunk works. The course will be around 80 kms but one thing we will guarantee is it will not be easy, and live up to it standing as the hardest mountain bike race in NZ.

Mountainbikers will start on Tongariro Street with the solo cycle challenge riders. They will then go up the control gates hill and follow the grass verge before dropping on to the Redwoods track leading to Huka falls then up to the Hub café. Through the tunnel into the Wairakei Mtb bike park were they will ride virtually every track in the park. They then exit the park via the tunnel again and go down to the Prawn Park and around Contact Energy geothermal power station following the western side of Aratiatia dam. Crossing the dam they then follow the Aratiatia track on to the Rotary Ride and back into town via more single tracks over the bridge and finishing off with a loop through the new Riverside Park, around the boat harbor and along Tongariro Street, with the roadies to the main finish line.

How HARD IS IT

Yes its hard you have to be fit, and for the person who love’s technical single tracks you will love the race . They keep coming at you all the way into town. The second part of the relay will be the easier section but you will still get heaps of tracks.

Relay

Yep we will have a relay in next year with sort of a even split 42/40 km split the first part having more climbing.

The second part of the relay will be easier but will still have grade 4 tracks The first track after the relay interchange will be a full on very techy grade 4 track which takes no prisoners and with very little room for passing. All second riders must be prepared to ride these sorts of tracks.

The relay interchange will be beside the road on SH1 where we have heaps of parking and room. All relay riders will have to make there own way to and from the interchange, it’s a very easy ride. We will have a map in your race packs to show how to get to the interchange both by bike and car

Support Stuff

We will have a water point at the Hub café, you will also be able to slip in and get some food and a short black if you need one to keep you going. That is going to be at about the 50km point. We will have Marshals on the tracks to help pick up the broken bits but in true MTB style you have to look after yourself.

Tracks

Most of the ride will be on single track of grade 2 and 3 with about 10 % grade 4. There will be a small amount of road to ride (it will be up a hill) and a 2km section of 4x4 track - sorry but we have to link up the single tracks somehow! Expect to get tight technical tracks up to grade 4 all the way to Wairakei Resort Hotel so don’t have a sleep on the job.
The tracks are all in great nick and the new tracks have packed down. Bike Taupo’s track crew have done a lot of work getting the cross over bridges and connecting tracks built and its going to be one great ride of single track after single track

Distance

The distance is going to be around 80 kms again. And we reckon you will have about 65kms on single track. We will post the correct distance when we get closer to event day.

Training

Last year’s finishing times worked out to be about equivalent to riding your road bike around the lake. But all said it was a lot harder on the body. Although we do not have any extra long climbs you will get a lot of climbing and descending with some climbs being quite technical. Endurance should be a big part of your training as well as training to ride for long periods on single track. Expect to get hit with single track all the way back into the town but they have great views.

Why

This race was dreamed up by mountain bikers for mountain bikers. We wanted an old school type race on mountain bike tracks not gravel roads and it had to be as hard as around the lake. We have achieved that, its going to be hard but a full on epic that you will remember for a long time

Proceeds

Any surplus proceeds will be put back into biking; many of the tracks that you will be riding on have been built with the proceeds from past Cycle Challenges

More Course Info

When you register and get your goody bag we will give you heaps more info that you will forget but we will be able to say we told you so.

Three types

1. The Huka Challenge is for all normal people who are up to the challenge and are in for all the normal prizes on the day.
2. The Huka XL is for the elite riders racing for prize money they must hold a race license.
3. Relay made up of a 45/35 km split first part being the more techy

Capped

Yes this race has capped numbers because of some of the public tracks that we use. When entries open next year we advise that you enter straight away We will try and set up a system to show the number of entries we have on the web site so you don’t miss out. We are not taking the piss on this as we expect the cap to be reached in 2010 with the relay section being run

Entry

For an entry form or to enter online go to http://regonline.activeeurope.com/register/checkin.aspx?EventId=866848

Course Maps

Check out the maps for the Wairakei Mtb Bike Park and also Rotary Ride maps. Plus watch the track crew news as to what tracks are being fixed or being build over the winter.
MTB Practice course map and other resources are also on the CycleChallenge Website