Huri Huri News
20.01.18

The 2018 Huri Huri Bike Festival spun into gear on Saturday, with a record number of riders taking part in the Family Fun Ride through Castlepoint Station. With 75 advance registrations and a number of last-minute entrants on the day, cyclists of all ages took advantage of the unique opportunity to ride through some of New Zealand’s most beautiful countryside on a stunning Wairarapa day.

The event, which forms an integral part of the year-long festival, doubles as a fundraiser for the Peter Laing Memorial Trust, with all registration revenue being donated help people obtain practical assistance for entry into the agricultural industry.

Festival organiser Catherine Rossiter-Stead was delighted: “It was beyond all expectations, with so many great people joining us on the ride from little Tessa on her princess bike, the awesome CrossFit team from Wellington and Jim and Sheryll who had travelled all the way from Warkworth especially for the event,” she explained.

“We are extremely grateful to Emily and Anders Crofoot for once again allowing us to ride through their land and enjoy some of the best views in the region, and to the Huri Huri team of volunteers, sponsors and funders who made the event possible.”

Huri Huri News
10 January 2018

Wairarapa cycling fans young and old are gearing up for a rare treat in Masterton on Tuesday 16 January, with a display from FreestyleLifestyle BMX – one of the world’s leading cycling display teams.

The line-up for the Huri Huri Family Fun Evening at Mitre 10 Mega on Ngaumutawa Road includes the legendary Jed Mildon of Nitro Circus, the first rider in history to successfully complete a quadruple flip.

Jed will be joined by Paul Langlands, Ellie Chew and Hugh Wotherspoon, who were all part of the spectacular display in Martinborough during last year’s Huri Huri Bike Festival. The team will be jumping, leaping and flipping their way over ramps and jumps in a display which takes place between 4pm and 7pm.

The Huri Huri Family Fun Evening will also include kapa haka displays, free BBQ food and a cycling obstacle course for kids with plenty of spot prizes, so don’t forget your bike! The event also marks the launch of the New Zealand Cycle Classic, with all the international road cycling teams being presented to the crowd before the start of their five-day event the following day. Supporters are also encouraged to dress up, as Mitre 10 Mega has donated a BBQ as the prize for the best dressed supporter of any age.

Event Manager Catherine Rossiter-Stead is looking forward to an exciting evening. “We’re delighted to be able to welcome the FreestyleLifestyle BMX team back to Wairarapa, and there’ll be some incredible feats for the crowd to enjoy,” she explained. “We’re extremely grateful to Mitre 10 Mega for hosting the event and for the support from all of our funders and sponsors which has made this event possible.”

Club cyclists are invited to take part in a criterium around the neighbouring streets, before watching the elite cyclists take on the same course at 7pm. The entry fee is $10 for this unique opportunity for local cyclists to test their cycling ability against some of the very best international riders.

Another major Huri Huri event is being staged on Saturday 20 January with the rare opportunity to explore the historic Castlepoint Station by bike along three different coastal tracks. Riders can choose from a 7km short loop (1-1.5hrs); a 14km long loop (1-2.5hrs) via the beach or a 20km (1.5-3hrs) course option that covers the limed road to Otahome and back.

The event is open to riders who have a reasonable degree of skill and fitness and registration is through the Eventfinda website www.eventfinda.co.nz or in person at Avanti-Plus Masterton. Registrations can also be made on the day from 8am.

Huri Huri News
28 December 2018

Huri Huri: Wairarapa’s Bike Festival, spins into action in January, with a repeat of last year’s highly successful Castlepoint Station event and a family fun event at Mitre 10 Mega Masterton, which includes the presentation of the teams taking part in the New Zealand Cycle Classic (NZCC).
 
Huri Huri is a series of community-based cycling events designed to celebrate the Wairarapa’s bike-friendly roads, tracks and trails; the people that ride on them and the bikes they ride. One of the major attractions is the rare opportunity to explore the historic Castlepoint Station by bike along three different coastal tracks, which this year takes place on Saturday 20th January, during Wellington Anniversary Weekend.
 
Riders can choose from a 7km short loop (1-1.5hrs); a 14km long loop (1-2.5hrs) via the beach or a 20km (1.5-3hrs) course option that covers the limed road to Otahome and back.
 
The event is open to riders who have a reasonable degree of skill and fitness. There is no age restriction, but the event is not suitable for riders who haven’t mountain biked before, as there are some steep, rocky and bumpy parts to all the courses which require a reasonable level of skill to negotiate.
 
Huri Huri’s family evening takes place on Tuesday 16th January and features the internationally-renowned FreestyleLifestyle BMX display team, which will literally turn the world upside down! As well as NZCC team presentation, there’s also a free BBQ, kapa haka displays, an obstacle course for kids and a prize for the best dressed supporter.
 
Club cyclists can also take part in a promotional circuit ride. The elite teams will later ride the same Criterium circuit, enabling spectators to get a taste of the international racing which will take place at the NZCC between 17th and 21st January.

JLT Condor, a registered Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Continental team from the United Kingdom, will return to the Wairarapa next month to contest the New Zealand Cycle Classic.
 
Team manager John Herety, a former British road racing champion, is looking forward to bringing his team back to New Zealand to contest the UCI 2.2 five-stage Cycle Classic which begins on Wednesday 17th January with a 121km stage from Masterton to Afredton and return.
 
"This will be the fourth time the team has come to the New Zealand Cycle Classic. It's a race we really like and is a great way for us to start our 2018 season,”
 
“It feels like we have unfinished business at the NZ Cycle Classic. Whilst we’ve had a number of stage victories over the years, that final general classification win has always eluded us. The Wairarapa’s terrain and great roads coupled with the outstanding hospitality we receive from everyone in Masterton are a perfect way for us to kick start our season. Let’s hope this year we can finally make that top step,” says Herety.
 
Leading the charge for the JLT Condor team is highly regarded Australian rider Jason Lowndes who just signed with the team for the 2018 season, this will be his first time in New Zealand cycle tour.  ­ A fierce competitor, who got into cycling thanks to a regular group ride that passed by his house each week, Jason has developed quite quickly says Herety. This is thanks in large part to his ambitious nature. Jason raced in Canada in 2015, and jumped to Europe in 2016, beating World Champion Peter Sagan in a sprint, as well as taking sixth in the U23 World Championship.
 
Lowndes was a very busy rider in the 2017 season racing for the Israel Cycling Academy Pro Continental team participating is stage races of Argentina, Croatia, Spain, Korea, China and Portugal among others,
 
Returning to New Zealand once again is Robert McCarthy from Ireland, a solid sprinter who demonstrated his potential in the elite ranks with stage wins in the Herald SunTour and the An Post Ras stage races.
 
Alistair Slater is a talented young rider who is developing a reputation for making break-away moves in the bunch, will be a formidable force on flat stages. Rounding out the team are: Ian Bibby, also returning to the New Zealand Cycle Classic after a strong performance in 2017, Thomas Stuart and Mathew Gibson.
 
Kiwi Alex Frame, who featured heavily in the team’s stage races in 2017 won’t be returning to Wairarapa after he signed a two year deal with Trek-Segafredo.
 
As well as confirming JLT Condor’s attendance and the already announced Swiss national team, New Zealand Cycle Classic race director Jorge Sandoval also confirmed two Australian teams have been confirmed for the tour. They are Oliver's Real Food Racing and the Mobious Future Racing team, both teams being registered as UCI continental teams for the 2018 season who have competed in Wairarapa before.
 
The New Zealand Cycle Classic is recognised as the premier international road cycling event in this country and has developed a reputation for unearthing new talent, with many of riders having gone on to win stages in the Tour de France, the Tour of Italy and world championship titles. In 2018 it will be held in the Wairarapa from January 17th – 21st with more riders coming from around the world. These teams will be announced in the coming weeks as will confirmation about whether 2017 Tour winner Joseph Cooper will defend his title.
 
The five-stage tour features two new routes that weave through Wairarapa’s rolling country side and will also see the team’s presentation held in a festive evening setting on Tuesday, 16th January in Masterton.
 
Being held simultaneously, is Huri Huri a series of community based cycling events designed to celebrate the Wairarapa’s bike-friendly roads, tracks and trails; the people that ride on them and the bikes they ride.
 
These include: an opportunity to explore the historic Castlepoint Station by bike along three different coastal tracks on Saturday, 20th January and a fun, family friendly evening at Mitre 10 Mega Masterton on Tuesday, 16th February. This promotional evening will include a freestyle BMX display; fun cycle obstacle course for children; a free barbecue and a promotional circuit ride for club riders. The elite teams will also ride the same Criterium circuit enabling spectators to get a taste of what exciting, international racing will unfold in the coming days.
 
DETAILS FOR THE 2018 NEW ZEALAND CYCLE CLASSIC
 
Teams Official Presentation & Promotional Criterium: Tuesday, 16th January 2018
Mitre 10 Mega Masterton, evening
Includes teams presentation, Criterium, Huri Huri BMX display, family BBQ
 
Stage One. Wednesday 17th January 2018
122.5km
Masterton – Alfredton - Masterton
 
Stage Two. Thursday, 18th January 2018
120km
Masterton – Gladstone Circuit – Masterton
 
Stage Three. Friday, 19th January 2018
136km
Masterton - Martinborough
 
Stage Four. Saturday, 20th January 2018
147km
Masterton – Te Wharau – Admiral Hill
 
Huri Huri event
Explore Castlepoint Station by bike, 20th January 2018
 
Stage Five. Sunday, 21st January 2018
120km
Masterton. Riders complete 12 laps of a 10km circuit.

Huri Huri News
23 November 2017

Kuranui College acting principal Maree Patten has ditched her car in favour of an e-bike and has already clocked up a whopping 6,600kms since making the switch in September 2016.
 
The South Wairarapa teacher spent time in Denmark last year and was attracted to the bike scheme run throughout its capital Copenhagen. “My husband and I hired e-bikes. They’re a lot of fun, you just pay for them and drop them off at the next stand,” she explained. “Inspired, I returned home and bought my own e-bike. The weather’s generally nice here and this country is just perfect for cycling.”
 
Patten admits she’s no ‘greenie’, but immediately embraced the health benefits of cycling and has cycled to work from her home in Martinborough to the college in Greytown ever since.
 
She has only missed eight days out of about 180 since adopting this new form of transport. Four were because it was dangerously wet, one was because the Waihenga Bridge was closed, and the rest because Patten was away at a teacher’s conference.
 
“The wind has been a challenge and logging trucks are just dreadful. I also hate the bridge going into Martinborough. It’s such a nightmare because it’s so narrow: I just end up riding in the middle of it.
 
“The steep hill out of Martinborough can also be a challenge because there’s no shoulder at the top of the cutting, so when you get passed by a logging truck, which are pretty common, and the big cattle trucks – some of them get so close you feel sucked in.”
 
The e-bike chosen by Patten is a power-assisted entry-level bike. It doesn’t have a throttle, so must be pedalled. The power-assist means that the bike goes much further with one revolution than an ordinary bike, which can come in handy when you’re cycling up hills or into the wind.
 
“I do adore my electric bike. On really windy days, like some of the terrible southerlies you can get, it can be horrible. The wind almost pushes me backwards, so you just put the bike on high power and it takes away the effect.
 
“I don’t mind hail, and the rain is only an issue when the road is very slippery. On the way back down to Martinborough, my bike gets up to in excess of 50kph and it can get quite scary. If I came off I’d lose a lot of skin,” she said.
 
Patten has ridden her bike throughout the winter and takes safety very seriously ensuring she wears reflective clothing and uses lights. “Although my bike’s got great lights, I try to get home before it gets dark. Safety is hugely important. You have to remember you’re a cyclist and you’re no match for a big truck or a car. You do have to have your wits about you and be vigilant on the road.
 
Patten says she wouldn’t be so committed if she didn’t enjoy it, and it’s the enjoyment that has kept her going, with each journey taking up to 40 minutes each way.
 
“You’ve really got to use your eyes and look around and take in the beauty we have here in Wairarapa. When I ride my bike in the morning into Greytown, I look to the left and it’s just stunning. On a really cold frosty morning when it’s so clear and so crisp, you just look at the snow-covered ranges and you think - oh my goodness – I live in the most beautiful place.”

Huri Huri News
31 January 2017

Wairarapa’s hosting of the New Zealand Cycle Classic and Huri Huri: Bike Festival received a great endorsement from the Swiss based Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and from several riders who took part.
Zac Prendergast was the UCI’s international commissaire appointed to officiate the 30th anniversary of the Cycle Classic held across the entire Wairarapa region last week. The five day event attracted 95 riders from nine countries and concluded on Thursday afternoon in Masterton with New Zealand rider Joseph Cooper, racing for IsoWhey Sports Swiss Wellness, being crowned 2017 champion.
 
Mr Prendergast said he was impressed with the event’s organisation, the quality of the racing and the environment in which it was held.
 
“Overall it’s been very successful. It’s been done with considerable collaboration between the New Zealand Police, the marshals, the organiser and officials. The environment that has been created is positive with people looking for solutions,” he said.
 
“The racing was very good every day. On the fourth day if you wanted to know anything about bike racing you would have wanted to see that stage, because it was a classic stage with all the elements of weather, attacking teams and positive racing.”
 
The New Zealand Cycle Classic was instigated 30 years ago by Jorge Sandoval and originally staged in Wellington. For a time it was jointly held between the Wairarapa and Wellington before being moved to Manawatu. It returned to the Wairarapa in 2016 and has developed a reputation for unearthing new talent. It is also the only UCI sanctioned race to be held in New Zealand in 2017.
 
Mr Prendergast, who raced for a combined team in the event in 1998, said having the Tour staged in the Wairarapa was good for a number of reasons: including having all teams based at a single hotel for the duration of the event.
 
“Wairarapa is a great playground. I’ve raced in over 14 or 15 different countries and the roads here are perfect. They are quiet, they allow us to race competitively, they allow for the safety of the riders and the police protection we receive is wonderful. The weather typically is great,” he said.
 
“The fact that the riders can be based here for the whole time is very good. It allows the support members of the team, like the mechanics, to concentrate on their job rather than pack and unpack all the time. Having no transfers makes life easier and I know the teams love this.”
 
His comments were echoed by John Herety, a former English road cyclist who represented Great Britain in the Olympic Games and is now the manager of English based JLT-Condor cycling team which finished third overall on the teams’ classification points table and won three out of five stages. Herety, who also attended the event in 2016, praised the way the whole the event is conducted.
 
“We are really pleased with how our team went, and congratulate IsoWhey on a very well raced tour. We were really pleased to come back to New Zealand and we thoroughly enjoyed our time here. It’s a wonderful event and we can’t wait to return next year,” he said.
 
Mr Sandoval said the logistics of staging an event like the Cycle Classic were complex and extensive.
 
He thanked the New Zealand Police who helped make the event safe for riders and the public; race officials and judges; the Masterton, Carterton and South Wairarapa District Councils; Destination Wairarapa, the regional tourism organisation; Trust House, NZ Community Trust; community sponsors including Fagan Motors, Mitre 10 Mega, The Sign Factory, MCS, Beehive, WizWireless and Ricoh as well as all volunteers and marshals who helped out during the week.
 
“As event organiser I want the tour to be better each year, this time was no exception. The racing was very good. It was full on all the time. It was very fast on Stage 4 with the average speed being 46kph. The top speed was 106kph down Te Wharau hill. We were unlucky with the weather on the first day but it got better as the week went on,” said Sandoval.
 
“This event can’t survive without the help of the Police. They are imperative for the safe conduct of the races on our public roads. They do a really good job with the race motor cycle marshals and the race officials who do our results are terrific.”
 
Mr Sandoval was also pleased with spectator turnout and increased community engagement this year. He also paid tribute to Catherine Rossiter Stead, who organized Huri Huri: Wairarapa’s Bike Festival.
 
“We were really pleased to see people at the farm gate waiting each day for the race to pass by and on the final day, spectators lined the course on the outskirts of Masterton. We haven’t seen that in the past which is really good,” he said. “People are realizing this is an international race that’s exciting to watch. The race atmosphere just gets better each year.”
 
“Also, the Huri Huri events held at the same time were great. It helped reinforce how much fun the sport of cycling is – from a participation level all the way through to seeing riders compete at an elite level. A great example was during stage three in Martinborough … there was a fantastic crowd watching the BMX freestyle display who then cheered the NZ Cycle Classic riders over the finish line. Many of these kids then got to meet the likes of Olympian Hamish Bond.”
 
Destination Wairarapa general manager David Hancock said both events helped put   Wairarapa on the international cycling map and showcased the whole region.
 
“There’s no denying how important these events are to help showcase the Wairarapa to the world. We had 993 guests nights coming just from the tour group with supporters of the teams contributing to the whole economy – in terms of accommodation, spend at local cafes and retail outlets,” said Mr Hancock.
 
“Images of our rural scenery and our townships were beamed all around the world and race reports were being read globally each day. We had cycling fans in England, France, Italy and the Netherlands contacting us directly requesting information on the tour and copies of the Classic programme while many riders have indicated they will return home with nothing but positive comments on the region.”

Huri Huri News
17 January 2017

New Zealand Cycle Classic race director Jorge Sandoval is a man of strong views, but not exaggeration. So when he talks about the field for this month’s UCI 2.2 five-stage event being held entirely in the Wairarapa, as the best he’s assembled … you know he is being sincere.

“We’ve had some fantastic fields over the previous 29 years with riders coming from Europe, America, Asia and Australia, but I believe the 2017 field to be the best ever,” Sandoval said.

“Having 10 overseas teams, including riders from Italy, Spain, United Kingdom, Colombia, Italy, the Philippines, Indonesia and some of the top riders from Australia and New Zealand taking part, I think this year’s event is going to be fantastic.”

The New Zealand Cycle Classic, which celebrates its 30th Anniversary this year, gets underway on Sunday, 22nd January and concludes five days later. To celebrate Sandoval has three new routes planned including the opening stage which takes riders from Masterton to the spectacular coastal community of Castlepoint; “The Five Towns” which will see riders cycle through all five of the Wairarapa’s characterful townships and a fast 12 lap, 10km circuit just west of Masterton.
 
He is predicting days of exciting racing.
 
“Team JLT Condor will make things very difficult for the other teams. It is fully professional. The riders have been in training camps and racing with success in Australia for a month,” said Sandoval.

“While among the New Zealanders, the hottest name is 2017 New Zealand road champion Joe Cooper who is a professional rider with UCI registered team IsoWhey Sports SwissWellness. He should be right up there when the tour heads into the steep hills as well as 2010 tour winner Michael Torckler and Brad Evans, the latter who will be racing the tour as part of the New Zealand national team.”

Australian riders have won the Tour five times in the last nine years so Sandoval expects there to be several genuine tour-winning prospects taking part. However he also expects much attention will fall on Hamish Bond, who recently made the transition from rowing to road cycling.

“We also have Hamish Bond who won back-to-back Olympic golds in the men’s coxless pair and eight world championship titles. Bond will race alongside New Zealand professional cyclist Michael Torckler in the Blindz Direct team and no doubt, this is the real test for Bond in his short cycling career.”

The New Zealand Cycle Classic started out in Wellington with stages raced through the central city, along Lambton Quay and on main roads linking Lower Hutt to Waikanae. For a time, it was jointly held in Wairarapa and Wellington, then moved to Manawatu, before returning to the region in 2016. The Tour has become renowned for unearthing new talent or helping up-and-coming riders step onto a bigger platform.
 
“We’ve had the likes of Julian Dean, Chris Jenner, Robbie McEwen and Hayden Roulston all claim the yellow jersey while many others have gone on to ride in the Tour de France. For me that is very rewarding,” says Sandoval.
 
Sandoval, who came to New Zealand from Chile in 1976 as a political refugee, is very proud of what he has achieved. First he had to learn English, and to have created the classic, and successfully run it for the last 29 years is a tribute to his persistence, organising skills and love of cycling.

“The classic is now one of the biggest international cycle races in Oceania,” he said. “Moving the tour to the Wairarapa permanently is the best for the event. I’ve been working really hard for the last 29 years to get the event where it is today and to ensure the people of New Zealand see a top cycling spectacle. Having the support of companies such as Trust House, the New Zealand Community Trust and all Wairarapa authorities among others, has made things easier.”
 
Being held simultaneously is Huri Huri: Wairarapa’s Bike Festival which celebrates the Wairarapa’s bike-friendly roads, tracks and trails; the people that ride on them and the bikes they ride.  The 2017 Festival (www.hurihuri.co.nz) has a variety of events and activities held across the region, catering to all levels of involvement in biking and to all ages.  These include the Town to Tide multisport race; the Castlepoint Station family fun ride; Pedal for Parkinsons road cycle; mountainbike workshops and a kids programme.
 
“The Wairarapa is fantastic destination for cyclists of all ages and abilities. Our local authorities are very pro-active in making it a top cycling destination in New Zealand and having the Cycle Classic based here as well as the HuriHuri is helping them achieve that goal.”
 
“I look forward to seeing the Cycle Classic grow in importance in the Wairarapa, and receive increasing support within the local community,” said Sandoval.

For more information please visit www.cycletournz.com.

Huri Huri News
10 January 2017

Three of New Zealand’s top mountainbikers will hold special skills workshops in the Wairarapa this January, as part of Huri Huri: Wairarapa’s Bike Festival.

Wyn Masters, a former under-17 and under-19 junior New Zealand downhill champion who now rides for GT Factory Racing and competes on the international downhill series circuit including the Crankworx World Tour, will lead the workshops being held at the new Rivenrock Mountainbike Park, located on the outskirts of Carterton and Masterton.

Masters will be joined by Cam Cole, a former Junior World Downhill Champion and New Zealand and Oceania Downhill Champion and BMX rider, and Tyler Perrin, an experienced mountainbike instructor. The trio will hold three workshops on Thursday, 26th January 2017 and Friday 27th January 2017 with each rider catering to one of three levels: beginners, intermediate and advanced riders.

Masters says the beginner workshops are designed for riders who want to try mountainbiking and develop new skills while the advanced workshops will help riders fine-tune existing skills and learn some new tricks.

“Our workshops will cover all basic bike skills and bike set up to help riders progress to the next level,” says Masters.

Masters is thrilled to be involved in Huri Huri, a festival which celebrates the Wairarapa’s bike-friendly roads, tracks and trails; the people that ride on them and the bikes they ride. He is equally excited about checking out Rivenrock, a purpose built and professionally designed mountainbike park based on a private 500 acre farm near Mount Holdsworth.

“We’ve heard great things about Rivenrock and are thrilled to be one of the first groups on it. It’s a really exciting initiative for the Wairarapa and can only help grow the region’s already great reputation for cycling,” says Masters.

Stage one of Rivenrock just opened this month and includes 15km of purpose built trails that weave through pine forest, farm land and also uses existing forestry trails. Over the coming years, Rivenrock owners The Hind Family are planning to add another 50km of trails.

The Rivenrock Mountainbike Workshops are part of the 2017 Huri Huri: Wairarapa’s Bike Festival, which is being held in conjunction with the New Zealand Cycle Classic, a UCI 2.2 five stage elite men’s cycle race. Huri Huri has a variety of events and activities held across the region, catering to all levels of involvement in biking and to all ages.

Another festival highlight will be the very rare opportunity to explore iconic Castlepoint sheep and beef station by biking one of three coastal tracks. On Sunday, 22nd riders can choose from a 7km short loop; a 14km long loop via the beach or a 20km course option that covers limed road to Otahome and back. It’s a great chance for riders to bring a picnic, view the stunning coastal scenery and at the end make their way to the main Castlepoint beach to cheers in New Zealand Cycle Classic competitors finishing stage one of the race.

All funds raised from The Castlepoint Family Fun Ride will go towards the Peter Laing Memorial Trust. Laing managed Castlepoint Station for nearly 40 years and earned a reputation as a hardworking, practical man who was also a great visionary in his field. The Trust was established to grant scholarships to people with a Wairarapa connection who want to work in the agriculture sector.

Other festival events include the Town to Tide multisport race from Masterton to Riversdale, a kids’ Cycle Classic holiday programme and Pedal for Parkinson’s road cycle.

For more information on festival events and to register for the Rivenrock Mountainbike Workshop please visit www.hurihuri.co.nz.

DETAILS
What:        Rivenrock Mountainbike Workshops

When:       Thursday, 26th January.
                   3pm – 5.30pm followed by a BBQ

                   Friday 27th January
                   9.00am – 11.30am followed by a BBQ

                   Friday, 27th February
                   12.30pm – 3pm, followed by a BBQ

Where:      Rivenrock Mountainbike Park
                   Mt Holdsworth Road
                   Carterton
Cost:        $100 per session (includes BBQ)

Gear:        Bike and helmet are compulsory. Pads recommended

Other:       There will be eight riders per workshop.

Content:   The workshops will be divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced groups. Each workshop will focus on bike set up, body position on the bike and cornering. The intermediate and advanced workshops will also focus on jumping, riding steeper sections and how to approach a race or an event. There will also be an opportunity to ask Wyn Masters, Cam Cole and Tyler Perrin any specific questions.

Registration:    Register for the workshops via www.hurihuri.co.nz

Huri Huri News
9 January 2017

Wairarapa BMX fans will be treated to a world-class display from some of the country’s top riders later this month, in one of the highlights of the Huri Huri Bike Festival.

FreestyleLifestyleBMX, a team of internationally competitive riders, will be showing off their skills in Martinborough and Kahutara on Tuesday 24th January, performing high level stunts including backflips, 360 spins and superman combinations over a portable ramp.

They are well-known as NZ's premier BMX display team, performing at major events such as Big Boys Toys, D1NZ drifting, NZ Tattoo & Art Festival and Wheels for Cure Kids.

The line-up includes Ellie Chew, NZ's number one female rider, Paul Langlands, winner of the NZ Dirt Series, Hugh Wotherspoon, 3rd in the NZ Dirt Series, Jono Hopping, one of the country’s leading top 'Street Riders'.

Following the displays, there will be a chance to meet the riders, grab autographs and selfies and pick up some great giveaways.

FreestyleLifestyleBMX team owner Paul Langlands says the team is excited about performing in the Wairarapa for the first time.

“We’re really keen to get down to the Wairarapa as we haven’t been there before to show off our tricks. The kind of riding we do will be new to most people down there and we hope to give people a thrill so they go home excited about what they’ve seen.”

Huri Huri event manager Catherine Rossiter-Stead is thrilled to be able to offer such an exciting event as part of the week-long festival. “It’s a real privilege to have the FreestyleLifestyleBMX team taking part in Huri Huri and their display is going to be one of the highlights of the festival,” she explained.

“The display in Martinborough is open to everyone from midday and it’s a great opportunity for BMX fans young and old to see some of New Zealand’s best riders in action right here in the Wairarapa. The team will also be teaching young riders a series of basic tricks earlier in the day at Kahutara School as part of our Kids Holiday Programme. Places are strictly limited so all riders aged 8-14 must register online in advance.”

The Huri Huri Bike Festival takes place between 21st and 27th January, which includes Wellington Anniversary weekend, and is run in association with the New Zealand Cycle Classic featuring some of the world’s premier road cyclists.

The festival features a range of exciting cycling events such as the Pedal for Parkinson’s road challenge on Admiral Hill, Town to Tide multisport race and a rare opportunity to explore Castlepoint Station by mountain bike, in support of the Peter Laing Trust.

For more details on any of these events and to register, visit www.hurihuri.co.nz

Huri Huri News
15 December 2016

Olympic and world champion rower Hamish Bond will step up his cycling career next month when he contests the New Zealand Cycle Classic, an international stage race held entirely in the Wairarapa.

Bond, one half of the indomitable New Zealand men's rowing pair with Eric Murray who won back-to-back Olympic golds in the men’s coxless pair and who’ve won eight world championship titles, will contest the 30th Anniversary of the Cycle Classic being held from January 22nd – 26th 2017. Bond will race alongside New Zealand professional cyclist Michael Torckler in the Blindz Direct team and says he is looking forward to testing himself against some of the world’s top international riders.

“I’ve done so little racing and am still finding out what I’m capable of in different situations,” he says. “You can only learn this about yourself when putting yourself under pressure, so I’m hugely motivated to give myself and the team the best possible chance to do well.”

Bond, who finished eighth on general classification in this year’s Tour of Southland while helping his Vantage Windows and Doors teammate Torckler to sixth place overall, says finishing the New Zealand Cycle Classic is one of his key goals for 2017. He will also contest the New Zealand Road Cycling Championships being held in Hawke’s Bay two weeks earlier and is confident his race fitness will carry on through between the two major events.

“I should be carrying good fitness into the Cycle Classic and depending how I go at the road championships will dictate what I can do doing forward … I will be pushing myself against some of the best in the country and against riders from overseas.”

Bond, who recently relocated to Wellington with his wife, has dropped 9kg since switching his focus from rowing to cycling. But he says there’s similarities between the two sports which hold him in good stead.

“There’s massive cross overs in being a high performance athlete. The biggest part probably is you learn how to suffer and push yourself harder. Rowing is demanding on your cardiovascular system and physiology and is endurance based, so all of that is directly transferrable to cycling.”

Blindz Direct team manager Stuart Thomason is thrilled to have Bond join Torckler in the team. He says the pair will line up alongside upcoming riders Joshua Aldridge, Jason Thomason and Cameron Wynniatt.

“The team is based around Michael, a former winner of the New Zealand Cycle Classic, and we are confident he will do well on GC. Hamish will be very useful as he is so strong on the bike. He has an amazing aerobic capacity and endurance and will be particularly useful in the cross winds,” says Thomason.

New Zealand Cycle Classic race director Jorge Sandoval is equally excited about having Bond line-up for the tour.

“Next year’s 30th celebration of the Cycle Classic is looking to be the best so far with a top line up of overseas teams coming to New Zealand with the aim of taking the tour title and scoring some early UCI points,” says Sandoval. “Having double Olympic rower Hamish Bond in the tour is a privilege for me and I expect he will show his aggressiveness. I hope he goes really well.”

“I observed him doing really well in last month’s tour of Southland and am keen to see him test himself against some of the best professional teams ever come to New Zealand. Team tactics will be crucial and what makes our event so hard is the speed and the number of challenging hill climbs, especially on stages one and two,” says Sandoval. “Having someone like Michael Torckler riding alongside Hamish is a great asset to the tour and will be terrific for spectators’ to watch too.”

Sandoval says he will announce the line-up of international teams coming to the Wairarapa in the New Year.
 
The New Zealand Cycle Classic is a five-stage, elite international men’s road cycling race staged entirely in the Wairarapa. It is the only Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) sanctioned race to be held in New Zealand in 2017.

It begins on Sunday, 22nd January 2017, with a 156km stage taking riders from the Wairarapa’s biggest town of Masterton to the spectacular coastal community of Castlepoint. The following day riders will complete a 147km hilly route that finishes atop of the steep Admiral Hill in Gladstone, while stage three sees riders travel from Masterton to the wine village of Martinborough and then complete eight laps of an 8km circuit. Stage four is new and will see riders head south down SH2 travelling through all five of the Wairarapa’s characterful townships before concluding with a fast and furious finish near the Martinborough Square. The fifth and final stage is based just west of Masterton and will see riders complete a fast and furious 12 lap, 10km circuit.

Being held simultaneously is Huri Huri: Wairarapa’s Bike Festival which celebrates the Wairarapa’s bike-friendly roads, tracks and trails; the people that ride on them and the bikes they ride.  The 2017 Festival (www.hurihuri.co.nz) has a variety of events and activities held across the region, catering to all levels of involvement in biking and to all ages.
 
For more information please visit www.cycletournz.com.