Huri Huri News
28 January 2016

Wairarapa Multisports, in conjunction with Orui Coastal Walk, held its second Town to Tide event last weekend, as part of this year’s Huri Huri Bike Festival.
 
Despite the blistering hot weather, a strong field of competitors took on either the biathlon option of a 44km bike from Henley Lake in Masterton and 16km run across undulating farmland along the coast to Riversdale, or the full triathlon option, which also included a 14km kayak along the Whareama River.
 
Gary Jarvis from Wellington gained the individual multisport title in just over 4 hours. “It was a very challenging and hot run.  The course was great and the event had a real community feel. Town to Tide is a best kept secret,” he said.
 
Ali Hollington who had travelled down from Napier won the individual multisport women’s fastest time in 5 and half hours. “It was really worth it and good fun. We had to cycle into wind over a hilly course, the kayak paddle was into the tide and the run challenging and hot, but a great way to warm up for next month’s Coast to Coast,” explained Hollington.
 
Biathlon Event (bike/run)
 
1st male individual, Gavin Champion (2.41.43), 1st female individual Julie Millar (3.06.35),1st men team Wills Kent & Graeme Butcher (2.31.57), 1st women team Marie Jury & Kim Presow (3.44.38),1st mix team Michele McCabe & Leroy Pitt (3.32.25).
 
Multi Sport (bike/kayak/run)
 
1st male individual, Gary Jarvis (4.17.26),1st woman individual: Ali Hollington (5.31.44),1st men team Brian Faulkner, Brian Sanders, Malcolm McDonald (4.21.59),1st mix team Steve Hannam, Doug Aplin, Sue Bankier (4.18.02)

Huri Huri News
27 January 2016

Last Thursday’s Atiwhakatu TrailBlazer has been declared an outstanding success by both participants and the organisers of the Huri Huri Wairarapa Bike Festival.

The 14km mountain bike ride along the Holdsworth to Atiwhakatu Hut track was not a race, but attracted dozens of experienced riders keen to take up this unique opportunity. The whole event took just three a half hours from the time the first participant left Mount Holdsworth Lodge until the final one returned, with the journey back proving to be far quicker as it was down the steep incline.

Huri Huri Event Manager Catherine Rossiter-Stead was delighted with the success of the ride. “The Atiwhakatu TrailBlazer was organised on the basis that it was a one-off opportunity and we are very grateful to DoC for giving us this rare opportunity and making the process so straightforward.

“Mountain bikers came from across the Lower North Island, including leading mountain biker Jonathan Kennett, who really enjoyed riding the track,” she said.

One of the biggest challenges faced by the organisers was how to transport the bikes safely and efficiently across the East Holdsworth Creek swing bridge. Carterton Scouts came to the rescue, thanks to the resourcefulness of their leader Ben Laybourn, who gave the problem to his brother – a stunt engineer in the film industry. He devised an ingenious pulley system to speed up the process of transporting swing bridge which was extremely effective. “This was a great opportunity for the scouts to employ some innovative thinking and they spent a really enjoyable day in the bush setting up and helping out. We were pleased to be able to contribute to the success of the event,” explained Laybourn.

Rossiter-Stead was delighted with the way the Wairarapa community got behind the bike festival. “It’s been a very successful event from the dozens of kids who enjoyed Sunday’s mini criterium to the seasoned mountain bikers who tackled the Atiwhakatu TrailBlazer. Thank you to all the volunteers and Wellington Free Ambulance who helped out with the TrailBlazer.”

Huri Huri News
11 January 2016

Excitement is building in the lead-up to Huri Huri: Wairarapa’s Bike Festival which starts on Wednesday 20 January, in association with the New Zealand Cycle Classic.
 
The six-day event offers everyone an opportunity to get involved, whether it’s getting on a bike and taking part in a trail, mountain or road biking event or cheering on the international cycling professionals as they race along Wairarapa's roads and through the towns. There are numerous ways that members of the community can join in the fun of the New Zealand Cycle Classic during the festival.
 
The Union Cycliste International (UCI) 2.2 five-stage race features 18 top international men’s road cycling teams. The New Zealand national team is made up of top Kiwi riders such as Micheal Vink and Brad Evans, who are both contenders for the 2016 New Zealand Cycle Classic title. British cycling legend Kristian House and NZ rider James Oram will be cycling for UCI Continental Pro team ONE Pro Cycling, and the race line-up will also feature the experienced JLT Condor team from England, on their second visit to New Zealand, as well as Kenyan cyclist Sulieman Kangangi cycling for the Kenyan Riders Downunder team.
 
Stage One of the New Zealand Cycle Classic kicks off at 2.30pm on Wednesday at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort Solway Park, with the riders embarking on a 123km ride out to Gladstone and Longbush, finishing at Dixon Street at 5.30pm.
 
Thursday sees a 10am start at the Copthorne and cyclists will once again head out towards Gladstone. The ride is 139km, but this time the riders race through Martinborough Square nine times before the winners stand on the podium for the jersey presentations in the square at around 1.25pm. This is a great opportunity for people to dress up in the colours of their favourite country, wave flags, get behind the teams and be part of the amazing race action - with the added bonus of meeting the cyclists afterwards.
 
Stage Three is a 130km race out on the Carrington Circuit in Carterton. Starting at 10am on Norfolk Road, the cyclists complete eight laps of the 12km circuit taking in Mangatarere Valley Road, Hururua Road, Hinau Gully Road, Cobden Road and Haringa Road and finishing back at Norfolk Road at 1.30pm.
 
Stage Four is the penultimate day and involves a mammoth 147km which includes three King of the Mountain climbs. Riders travel from the Copthorne at 10am and travel towards Riversdale, returning to Masterton towards Wainuioro over Limeworks Hill and then onto the top of Admiral Hill via Te Wharau Hill.
 
The public are encouraged to enjoy a lunchtime picnic under shady trees, halfway up Admiral Hill at 529 Admiral Road. Spectators can cheer on the cyclists racing for Parkinson’s before the world’s premier cyclists take on the massive hill challenge. There will be a sausage sizzle and barista coffee, and a chance to once again to meet the cyclists as the stage winners and King of the Mountain are presented with their jerseys on the picnic podium. Admiral Road is scheduled to be closed from 11am, so picnic goers should get up Admiral Hill before then.  The main race is expected to finish at 2.15pm.
 
The professionals begin Stage Five at 10am on Sunday. Starting at the Copthorne, the cyclists ride out to the Alfredton circuit and complete 122km before finishing the race on Dixon Street in Masterton. This final stage of the New Zealand Cycle Classic gives young cyclists an opportunity to experience cycling the final stage through the finish line of a real road cycling event, as well as having the chance to stand on the winner’s podium and receive a yellow jersey of their own. The Huri Huri Mini (Kids) Criterium is open to youngsters aged from under 5 to 13 years old.
 
There is also the opportunity to win some great prizes by taking part in the Best Dressed Farmgate Competition. Show your support and decorate your farm gate along the route of the New Zealand Cycle Classic.
 
Visit www.hurihuri.co.nz for more details on the festival and to enter the Pedal for Parkinson’s Hill Challenge, the Huri Huri Mini (Kids) Criterium and Best Dressed Farmgate competition. For more information about race routes and timings go to http://www.cycletournz.com/stages-.

Huri Huri News
1 January 2016
 
Looking for something to do with the family this summer?  Huri Huri: Wairarapa’s Bike Festival has teamed up with the region’s only daily newspaper to create the Wairarapa Times-Age Huri Huri Treasure Hunt.
 
The hunt is on to find answers to clues which can be found across five of Wairarapa’s most popular cycle trails: Rimutaka Rail Trail, Greytown - Woodside Trail, Masterton Recreation Trail, Martinborough Town Trail and Carterton Mountain Bike Park.
 
Families have an opportunity to tackle a cycle trail each weekend throughout the month of January and hunt for the answers to the clues which feature in the newspaper.
 
Participants are encouraged to look out for the treasure hunt adverts and complete as many trails as they can. All completed answers will go into the draw to win some great prizes including a brand new Avanti Shadow bike and Huri Huri Goodie bags! The bike has been donated by the Wairarapa Building Society and Avant-Plus Masterton.
 
To pick up a copy of the treasure hunt clues, visit Wairarapa Times-Age, Avanti-Plus Masterton and Green Jersey Tours in Martinborough.
 
The Huri Huri Bike Festival runs from 20-25 January in association with the New Zealand Cycle Classic, an international men’s cycling race featuring the world’s premier cyclists which is being raced soley on Wairarapa roads.
 
Huri Huri also features the Ruamahanga Trail Ride along the banks of the Ruamahanga River to Lake Ferry, Pedal for Parkinson’s road cycle challenge up Admiral Hill in Gladstone, Blackwell and Son’s Very Posh Pashley Picnic in Greytown, the Town to Tide multisport race from Masterton to Riversdale, a kids mini criterium along the final stretch of the New Zealand Cycle Classic race and the one-off Atiwhakatu Trailblazer mountain bike fun ride.
 
For more details on the Wairarapa Times-Age Huri Huri Treasure Hunt and other Huri Huri events, visit www.hurihuri.co.nz.
 
To enter the Wairarapa Times-Age Huri Huri Treasure Hunt, email [email protected] with the subject line 'Huri Huri Treasure Hunt' or post to PO Box 445 Masterton. Please include your contact details, the answers for at least three trails and your phone number. The closing date is noon Monday 1st February 2016.