Saturday 13 March 2010
Mt Vulcan, Omihi, North Canterbury
Vulcaniser Entries Received - Check your details here
Things to note -
Watch for livestock on Reeces Rd
We recommend wearing closed toed footwear around the event village due to presence of thistles
Where there is fresh limestone on the farm road take it slowly
Race Information
Categories
New for this year - Enter the category that is doing the number of laps you want to do, rather than an age category. Will still record age category and hope to give a prize to the person with the fastest lap in each age category, irrespective of how many total laps they did.
Mini-sport – 2 laps
Sport - 3 laps
Super sport - 4 laps
Elite – 5 laps
Age divisions – Under 19, 19-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60+
Timetable
Mini-sport and Sport
Registration 9.00 – 10.00
Race 10.15
Super sport and Elite
Registration 11.00 – 12.00
Race 12.15
Prizegiving for all 2.45 – 3.15
Entry fee
Important – please read: We really want you to provide us with your details before you come, as on-the-day entries are a headache. But we also appreciate that some people like to decide on the day if they will do an event or not. To make a compromise we have added a new level of entry fee. If you MAY do the event but you are not certain, fill in your details and if you do turn up on the day, you’ll only pay a $5 late fee. If you turn up on the day and haven’t let us know, we will charge a $15 late fee. Because this is different to the past, make sure your friends know so they are not charged extra unnecessarily.
- $35 for Christchurch Singletrack Club members who pre-enter
- $40 for standard pre-entry
- $45 for providing entry details by 4 pm Thursday and paying on the day if you turn up
- $55 if you just turn up on the day
Pre-entries need to be received by 4 pm on Thursday 11 March. If you need to withdraw from this event you will receive your entry fee less $10 administration fee.
When you click on the “ENTER HERE” link below, you will go through the following process:
1. Read Hazard info and conditions of entry
2. Enter your details
3. Pay (unless paying on the day) into the club bank account (02-0820-0128675-083, BNZ) or by cash or cheque (made out to Christchurch Singletrack Club) to 173 Halswell Junction Rd.
>> ENTER HERE <<
The Course
The Vulcaniser course is located in very picturesque countryside overlooking the coast with views across Pegasus Bay towards Banks Peninsula, to the Southern Alps and along the North Canterbury coast towards Motunau Island.
Each 5 km lap has an altitude gain of about 300m and due to the energy-sapping terrain, takes the fastest riders about 20-22 minutes to get around. The course is quite challenging at race-pace due to the narrow twisty forest singletrack and constant change from uphill to downhill and back again, which gives little opportunity to rest your legs. It is the sort of course that requires you to stay very alert and that challenges you both physically and mentally, but is very fun to ride. Around 3km of the course is hand-built MTB singletrack, mostly through native forest and scrub.
This course was used in the Waipara round of the 2006 Community Trust National Series and 2008 South Island Cup, where many of the best riders from around NZ came and raced and then raved about how much they loved it. One international rider even said that it was the best singletrack he had ridden in a long time!
The course begins with a short climb up a grass 4WD track (to spread you out a bit) before hitting the first section of singletrack. This traverses through tussocks for about 200m before heading down through a gate and a couple of short forest sections to a long piece of doubletrack through scrub and forest. From here you enter the Slimline, a fantastic twisty section of singletrack that heads down, down, down to the creek, then a flowing singletrack climb up the other side of the valley on Lover’s Lane that traverses through manuka and broadleaf forest. A few more undulations and you’ll find yourself riding up a semi-open spur singletrack back to the gateway you passed through earlier. Over the brow of the saddle and it is back into the very cool Boar’s Nest downhill section through more manuka and broadleaf forest. There is then a steady climb for about 200m up a 4WD track before heading into the forest on the Trimble Track, a steady singletrack climb through manuka and scrub. At the end of this it is back through a couple of gates to complete the circuit where you’ll have a big grin and be hanging out for more of that singletrack on your next lap!
Video footage of the course (approx 6MB) can be viewed here - www.vorb.org.nz/video-view-75672.html
How to get there
The race is being held at Mt Vulcan Station. Head north from Christchurch. Turn right off SH1 into Reeces Rd (by the school) at Omihi about 10km north of the Waipara junction. Travel up this road for 11km to where you will be directed up a white gravel farm road to the parking area (approx. 3km). This road is NOT SUITABLE for cars with low ground clearance. There may be a walk or bike of 700m of relatively easy gradient 4WD track to the start/finish area if the access road is slippery on race day. Allow approx. 1hr 15min from the north edge of Christchurch.
View Vulcaniser on a map - click on the (-) to zoom out.
Spectators
Spectators are very welcome at this event and are free to watch the action. However, you must ensure you stay out of the way of competitors and all children must be closely supervised. The course has some excellent viewing spots and photographic opportunites, especially with the numerous forest sections. It is recommended that all spectators have good footwear and warm clothing as there is often a cool sea breeze. As this is a working farm please don’t bring dogs.
Supporters
