The inaugural New World Tour de Wakatipu on April 11 is attracting
widespread interest due to the innovative rural course starting at
Queenstown's Millbrook Resort and finishing in the vines at the Chard
Farm Winery.
The 45km Easter event has been added to the local sporting calendar
by well known event company Southern Traverse. Director Geoff Hunt
says they are responding to the ever increasing demand for biking
events, both serious and recreational, in the region.
"What is good about this race is that anyone, at any level, can
participate and make it as challenging as they want. We are getting a
lot of feedback from people who will be competing in their first ever
event, to elite riders and bikers who are making a come back to
competition."
Beginning at Millbrook Resort the course leads to Speargrass Flat
Road, and over Slopehill Road to a single track alongside the
Shotover River and across the restored Lower Shotover Bridge. The
next stage joins the Kawarau River track via the Shotover delta, and
another short section of single track, and then follows a short
section of state highway to the privately owned Kawarau River road on
Coneburn Station, finishing at Chard Farm.
Rob Hay of Chard Farm, a keen mountain biker, has been part of a
group which has ridden the entire course and says it has fantastic
variety.
"I love the start at Millbrook and throughout the ride there are some
great views. What I particularly like is that the course makes use of
some of the tracks prepared by the Wakatipu Trails Trust and people
will be able to experience all the good work that has gone on over
the last few years round this part of the district."
"I definitely think it will be a testing course but suitable for all
ages and experience levels. I am looking forward to the finish at our
winery."
Competitors will ride through the vines at Chard Farm to the finish
line where a mini wine and food style event will take place.
"We're looking at creating a vibrant atmosphere with music, food and
wine," says Hunt. "It will be something quite different and we're
certainly getting the impression that there will be a big turnout of
locals as well as out of towners keen to take on some new territory."
The New World Tour de Wakatipu will donate funds to Cure Kids which
funds research in children's life threatening illnesses.
Entries close on the 27th March.
Southern Traverse Ltd. is a premier international Sport Event
Management company. Southern Traverse Ltd. operates and manages
elite events around the world, including the Adventure Racing World
Championship, the AR World Series and New Zealand's icon adventure
race, the Macpac Southern Traverse.
Other New Zealand events include The North Face Peak to Peak,
TrustPower Adventure Quest, the Macpac 24hrs of Southern Traverse and
8 hour Adventure Challenge, and the Fresh Choice Womens Triathlon.
The Adventure Racing World Series is an international circuit of
premiere adventure races representing 11 countries creating a
12-month calendar of professional events around the world and acting
as qualifiers for the Adventure Race World Championship to be held in
Brazil in 2008.
sleepmonsters.com is the official ARWorld Series web site.
Casio Protrek are the official watches of the ARWorld Series
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