Living Springs, Allendale, Lyttelton Harbour
RaboDirect NZ MTB Cup, Cross Country UCI Cat 2
Round 2, Sunday 22 January 2012
Want to race? All the information you will need can be found on the MTBNZ website and the postal entry form is here
The laps at LS we assume will be Elite Men (6), Elite Women (5), U19 Men (5), U19 Women (4), U17 Men (4), U17 Women (3), Senior Men (5), Senior Women (4), Master 1 men (5), Master 1 Women (4), Master 2 Men (4), Master 2 Women (3), Master 3 Men (4), Master 3 Women (3), U15 Men (3), U15 Women (2)
For information on the Downhill Event being held at Mt Hutt on Saturday 21st January, visit Gravity Canterbury
Where is it?
The Course
The course is about 5 km long. It travels through a mix of native bush, pine forest and open farmland and will be about 60% singletrack and 40% 4WD track.
The course begins in a grass paddock then enters a grassy laneway which it follows for about 100 m before entering another paddock and beginning a gradual climb to the far side of the paddock. The course follows a fenceline beside a dry creek bed, through a short new piece of track then climbs up a rocky open hillside before crossing a grass paddock which brings you to a moderately steep (150 m long) 4WD climb up to The Pines. Once in The Pines you climb for about 1.2km on singletrack.
When you exit The Pines you continue on the Rhymes with Orange singletrack through regenerating kanuka which sets you off on the long singletrack forest descent. Initially it winds down the Mississippi through kanuka forest (500 m), then crosses a grassy spur (620 m) into Zane’s, a 1.3 km long section that descends in native forest with frequent bends (some of them sharp), a rocky creek crossing and several wooden bridges. Riders with good bike handling skills will be rewarded on this descent.
Once out of Zane’s you come on to Skoolz Out (300 m) where you do a couple of detours – one across a creek with a steep climb out of it and one through an old rock quarry known as the Canyon Drop. At the end of Skoolz Out before you get to the cattlestop you veer off the track and down the hill, riding through a small paddock beside a creek. When you exit the paddock continue out to the Farm Park on a fast flatish dirt 4WD track . Riders go through the yards and around the back of the kitchen, turning hard left across a bridge back into the finish straight, ready to go around again.
If you are wanting to practice on the course please refer to the map in our Living Springs trail brochure for access, ensuring you access the trails off the Bamfords Rd gate (900m up Bamfords Rd). You will be able to bike around all the singletrack, but the route through the Farm Park end of the course will not be available until at least after it is checked at 5 pm Friday. Please do not attempt to ride it before then as there will be other people using the area.
You can check out some photos from previous events under the PHOTO tab.
View 2010 Living Springs map as in MTBNZ booklet showing the XC and DH courses by clicking here.
Spectators
The best spot is near the bottom of Zanes (riders cross creek then climb up steep pinch and just a few metres away is the Canyon Drop where riders drop steeply in to a small gully). Other possibilities are on the open spur alongside Mississippi as you can see riders several times, at the creek crossing just before the finish line, and in the Pines near the start where the riders do a loop (near Marshal 1) If you are spectating please make sure you are off the track whenever a rider is approaching because they can be going very fast, and keep a close watch on children. There is room in most places to walk just off to the side of the track. There is LIMITED parking at the Bamfords Road gate (please keep the gate clear for emergency access) but we would prefer you to walk up from the Event Village area. Riders love spectators to make LOTS of noise so don’t be shy about bringing along noise making implements. I am in the process of doing up a spectator guide – I will add in competitor details if and when I get them.
Timetable – Sunday 22 January 2012
U15, U17, Senior and all Masters
Registration 9.00 – 10.00
Briefing 10.15
Race Start 10.30
Prizegiving (U15, U17, Senior and all Masters) 1.00
U19 and Elite/U23
Registration 12.30 – 1.30
Briefing 1.45
Race Start 2.00
Prizegiving (U19 and Elite) 4.45
Categories
All ages are set as at 31 December 2012 in accordance with UCI rules (the international body for cycling). Please note that in order for a category to be included as a separate title category there needs to be a minimum of five entries in that category at the NZ MTB Cup rounds (otherwise it will be combined with another age group (s)) You will see some categories have already been combined, we really want to encourage more participation and feedback has indicated the more people in a grade (regardless of age) the more fun and competitive it is (having others to race against!) U23 XC competitors can compete in either the Senior category or in the Elite category (on application and approval from the MTB Selection Panel) during the NZ MTB Cup and National Champs events. At National Championship events, Elite approved U23 XC competitors will compete within the Elite race category and under the Elite UCI points scale. At the Oceania Champs, U23 competitors will compete in a separate category.
How to enter – visit the MTBNZ website
Postal or On-the-Day entry $40 for National License holders
Postal or On-the-Day entry $60 for unlicensed riders (includes cost of day membership to MTBNZ)
Information & Offers of Help
For more information on the Living Springs event, please contact Rebekah or Craig on 03 322 7886 03 322 7886 03 322 7886 or email rebekah@singletrack.org.nz . We would love to hear from people who would like to help set up, pack down or marshal.
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