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Welcome to Race 3 of the 2022/23 series 

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RACE DAY SATURDAY & SUNDAY, 4/5 March 2023

REGISTRATION - Te Putake o Tawa​
5.2km up Tarawera Rd on the way out to Blue Lake - click here for directions

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PARKING
Plenty of parking at Te Putake o Tawa ​

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RACE REGISTRATION PICK UP - Te Putake o Tawa (indicative these could change)
Your race packs are available to pick up at the times listed below. In your packs you will find your race plate, Cable ties, Timing Transponder:​

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  • Registration - Friday     March 3  5:00pm - 7:30 pm 

  • Registration - Saturday March 4  7:30am - 9:30am​

  • Registration - Sunday    March 5 7:30 - 9:30am

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RACE SCHEDULE 
The timing below are confirmed and time penalties may be incurred if the system tags you starting at the wrong start time.​

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LONG COURSE 5 HOURS TO COMPLETE (this could change)
SHORT COURSE 5 HOURS TO COMPLETE​ (this could change)

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NEW - Saturday SHORT course Junior Shuttle package compeititors start  at 9:00am start! (100 of you)

 

Race briefing will commence 5 minutes before your scheduled start time! 

Saturday 

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  • 9:00am 📢 NEW 📢 - Saturday SHORT course Junior Shuttle and pedal package competitors start at 9:00 am! (110 of you)

  • 9:30am  Saturday SHORT course all remaining short course riders start  

  • 2:30pm Saturday SHORT course closed 

  • 3:30pm Short Course Prize Giving 

 

Sunday 

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  • 9:30am Sunday all LONG course riders start

  • 2:30pm Sunday Long Course Closed

  • Prize Giving  3:30pm     

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*The Joker is timed, but the time does not count towards your overall race time.  If you want to be in to win our major spot prizes like, 2x  $2,000 GIANT Bike, Maxxis Tyres, Deity Component, Stans No Tubes, CamelBak, Motomuck, Leatt pads, gloves, or some Secret Spot vouchers you should do it... Oh, also the quickest time get $100 cash in both the men and female category...​

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SHUTTLE BUSES

  • 📢📢Short course category has over 200 shuttlers, which is epic, but to ensure we can move you all effeciently  we are planning on starting the Short course race in two waves - Wave one starts at 9am this wave is all junior packages *shuttle and pedal). Wave 2 - all other riders in the Short category! 📢📢

  • If you have entered the shuttle category, this is a Shuttle Assisted Race; if lines are long, think about your options, maybe quicker to pedal...

  • The number of uplifts is limited only by time.

  • Shuttled riders will receive a wristband for uplift access that must be worn on their left wrist and shown to the driver when they board.

  • Please be careful when loading your bikes and help one another!

  • Please line up in an orderly fashion where the signage directs.

 

AID STATION
Location of the food station is TBC -  thanks to Harris Tate Lawyers for the kai! Bike Clinic will help keep you rolling should you have any minor mechanicals.

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Stages 

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Short Course (we will release stage from Monday 27 Feb)

Stage 1 – Tukonohi into Whaaki

Stage 2 – ????

Stage 3 – Ma te Wa

Stage 4 – Eagle vs Shark

Stage 5 – Minerals

 

Long Course (we will release stage from Monday 27 Feb)

Stage A - Tukonohi into Whaaki

Stage B - 

Stage C – 

Stage D – Ma te Wa

Stage E – Te Rua

Stage F – Minerals

Stage G – Black House Down

 

JOKER – 

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EVENT BRIEFING AND RACE-SPECIFIC RULES

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  • eBikes  - An E-Mountain Bike is a bike operated with two energy sources, human pedal power and an electric engine, which only provides assistance when the rider is pedalling

    • Engine of maximum 300 watts as required by  New Zealand law.

    • Engine assistance up to 32kmph 

    • Pedalling assistance only, although a start-up assistance not exceeding 6kmph without pedalling is allowed

    • Riders can use the battery in place on their bike and and carry a spare or come back to event hub to replace the battery on there bike. A maximum of 2 batteries (one being a spare).  

    • Riders can not have a supporter provide a battery once on course.

  • Your stage directional cues include Directional arrows, tape, course split signage, course cross-over signage, cones, and course marshals. We’ve done the best with course marking, but you must remain vigilant throughout the race and transitions to ensure you don’t get lost.

  • You will find a yellow-painted box before the start of each stage; you must come to a complete stop with your front on the ground and front wheel in the yellow box before starting each step. No rolling starts; if you roll straight past the marshal without stopping, that stage time will be removed from your race, with no exceptions.

  • Long course riders have 5 hours to complete the course starting from 9:30am Sunday 5 March. Course closed at 2:30 pm. Time penalities start from 2:31pm at the event hub. So if you get back to the hub at 2:31pm, you will have time penalities.

  • Short course riders have 5 hours to complete the course starting from 9:30am am Saturday  4 March. Course closed at 2:30pm. Time penalities start from 2:30pm at the event hub. So if you get back to the hub at 2:31pm, you will have time penalities. 

  • You can re-run stages as many timers as you would like providing you are within your allocated time.

  • You don't have to race the Joker (unless we have made changes to the race format), but if you want to be in to win major spot prizes, then we suggest you ride it... 

  • Follow the arrows. No crossing the tape. If you break the tape, you must repair the break and re-join the track where you left it.

  • We have marked some transitions, but most are not marked - so you will need to familiarise yourself with how to get to each stage start point. Download the map, ask a rider, buddy up with a local or ask our team.

  • Attach your transponder to your front fork with cable ties that we will provide. You roll over a mat at the start and finish of each stage; you will hear a loud beep once you have gone over the mat. 

  • Non-shuttle riders are urged to use alternative routes to the shuttle bus roads when transitioning between stages. Riders who opt to ride up roads used by shuttle buses must use parallel cycle paths if available; otherwise, keep left and pull over to give way whenever a bus approaches from ahead or behind. Dust may be an issue!

  • No riders are permitted to ride on any walking tracks.

  • Do not ride on Tarwera Rd, Waipa Stage Mill Rd, Waipa Bypass Rd or 8 Mile Gate Rd; you will be disqualified!

  • Do not ride down Hill or Tawa Rds unless an allocated track taptrack-taped off the road is available. 

  • You cannot tow anyone during any element of the race.

  • You are more than welcome to practice on Friday/Saturday.

  • When coming back into the hub, ride over the start/finish mat and hand your transponder back to our team. 

 

General safety messages

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  • Do not ride on any public road.

  • Do not ride on any part of  Waipa State Mill Rd; instant disqualification. Please stick to the allocated riding tracks.

  • Do not ride on any public road to access the forest.

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Your responsibility is to know the safety requirements, compulsory equipment, race rules, and terms & conditions of entry available on the event website. Cycle helmets must be worn when a rider is on a bike. The Chinstrap must be fastened and secured appropriately on the head. It would help if you were self-sufficient.  Please carry what $ or supplies you need to keep your bike in operational order and your body hydrated and fuelled.

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If you withdraw, please report to the timing personnel at the race finish with your timing mechanism.


On any dual-purpose multi-directional pathways to and from the forest and inside the forest, please show consideration to other users, ride to the left in a single file, and keep your speed under control around every bend.

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Do not block the progress of other users.


Please follow the event marshal’s instructions.
 
CRASHED RIDER INCIDENT
If you encounter someone who requires medical assistance, you have a personal obligation to stop and assist. In the case of a crash where someone requires medical aid,  this means:
Secure the safety of yourself and others.
Stop the next rider coming down and get them to verbally inform subsequent riders that there is a rider down on the track and that they “must slow down or stop”.
Ask the next rider down to ride on and inform the next marshal of the location of the accident.
Attend to the injured rider to support and reassure them until the medics/marshals arrive.
 
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR BEING A GOOD PERSON:

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  • Please apply good common sense. 

  • Know your limits - Err on the side of caution and race safely

  • Give clear communication of intentions to pass and show patience.

  • Be a good sport and allow others to pass quickly.

  • Please care for our forest and be a tidy kiwi out there.

  • Embrace the challenge, have fun, and enjoy yourselves out there

  • Smile for the cameras

  • Race stages can be completed in any order.

  • Course splits give riders options related to track difficulty and specific features. The decision is yours. Splits also indicate where the Short stage route and Long stage route deviate.

  • Please apply common sense, ride within your limits and stay in control.

  • Riders who feel the trail presents a challenge beyond their skill level are advised to dismount and walk/run down sections they are uncomfortable with.

  • If a rider has sufficient time, they may do a Race Stage more than once, but they must ride up under their own steam (unless they are shuttled riders). The rider’s slowest time for that stage will be dropped.

  • A rider may return to restart a stage again without finishing it.

  • Riders must return to the start/finish within their allocated time allotment; otherwise, a time penalty of 6 seconds for every minute late will be added to the rider's accumulative race time. Riders must return their timing transponder at the finish line.

  • Note: Whilst race stages are closed to the general public, please show consideration for all other forest users.

  • …And most importantly, please come back in one piece.

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