raglanmtb
The home of Raglan mountain bikingWainui tracks update
Empire of Dirt are starting work on the tracks in the Wainui Reserve in April 2015. We have nearly raised all of the money needed to get us the first few kilometres of tracks established in the pine forest (stage 1) but are still in need of a few thousand. These tracks will mostly be ‘feeders’ – tracks that will get bikers quickly to the fun stuff. If you would like to make a contribution to the project, please email Merren at raglanmtb@gmail.com
Local tracks in the planning
Raglan is a near perfect destination (let’s be honest) but is sorely lacking in mountain biking trails. Recently the club got into gear to formalise its status and start planning for tracks in the Wainui Reserve.
The Wainui Reserve is large public area above Ngarunui Beach (the main surf beach) and attracts a lot of visitors year round for swimming, surfing and walking through its farmland and forest walkways. The club identified the reserve’s large pine tree stand as perfect for a small mountain biking park, and thankfully the council agreed!
Empire of Dirt, the masters of trail making have helped us see the HUGE potential of the area and have designed a few kilometres of linking track that utilises the terrain to its best advantage.
Our committee is now busy applying for grants to get the ball rolling so watch this space!
Karioi Classic a winner
This year we saw record entries at over 300. People travelled from Auckland, Taupo, Tauranga, and even Christchurch to race. It was fantastic to see not only more elite women take part, but the record smashed for the single lap by over 10 minutes.
King of the Mountain went jointly to brothers Matt and Sheldon Gorter who crossed the line together.
Queen of the Mountain went to Sonia Foote.
Our very own Raglan MTB club member, Mike Loten, won the male single speed division to claim the ‘One Gear No Fear’ prize.
Club member Geoff Buysman finishing the Double Buster
Mike Loten winning the men’s single speed division
The start of the single lap
The start from the air, courtesy of Droidworx
It’s that time again
To register for the Karioi Classic:
This is the fourth year the event has been running, and competition will be fierce, especially now that there is a cash incentive ($500 for the King or Queen of the mountain).
See the website for details on the race and how to register.
Trail Notes documentary
Raglan Mountain bike club hosted the beautifully filmed Trail Notes: “a collection of stories capturing the lifestyles of passionate mountainbikers from the Southern Hemisphere Mecca of Rotorua and the infamous trails of the Whakarewarewa forest. The film follows four unique individuals and showcases their stories of how mountainbiking captivated their lives and what has drawn them to the sport and intoxicating location of the forest. Each of these interconnected stories creates a tapestry of the local scene that mimics the winding trails of the forest. These stories of personal battles, commitment and passion to the sport of mountainbiking, illustrate both the individual and collective culture that these trails breed.” Nick Stevenson, Producer.
Have a look at the trailer: http://vimeo.com/33524622
Website: www.trailnotesfilm.com
Don’t miss out on seeing it. You can get a copy in an upcoming edition of Spoke magazine.
