Mountain bike race planned

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 247, 21 June 1988, Page 16

Mountain bike race planned

An unusual sports event billed as the "Brass Monkey" is coming to Waiouru next month. It will be the first mountain bike or offroad bicycle event in the area. Hosted by the Waiouru Multisport Club, it is b&ing organised by the Manawatu Mountain Bike Club. Race co-ordinator Andrew McNinness, retail manager of the Pedal Pushers shop at Palmerston North, says it is hoped scores of top riders from all around New Zealand will take part. Already there are 20 starters. The 30km course has been mapped out by Waiouru enthusiasts led by local mountain bike enthuisiast Chris Lawrence (School of Infantry). Mr McNinness said this week the organisers had driven over the course in a four-wheel drive vehicle and it took them two hours to cover the ground. He expects the top mountain bike riders will complete the course in about 90 minutes. It runs over tank tracks in the Desert Road area and includes a variety of steep hills, dirt and metal roads, mud and slush. The organisers hope the event will become an annual one. They are also hoping Television New Zealand will televise this year's race. Mr McNinness wanted to make special mention of the Army's support for the event. Camp Helwan has been made available

for accommodation of competitors and their supporters. The race will be held over the weekend of July 2 and 3 and visitors will arrive at the camp from 4.30 p.m. on Friday. The event will include a dual slalom and downhill time trials as well as the endurance event. On Saturday night there will be a social function after a meal provided by the Waiouru Golden Oldies Netball Club. An amusing comment has been made by the Manawatu Mountain Bike Club, one of the first organised off-road bicycle groups in the country, in its newsletter to

competitors. Predictably, it's about the weather, which the club says "may well be cold and miserable". Hence the "Brass Monkey" title for the event. A long list of clothing suggestions has been sent to competitors. Some of New Zealand's top racers are expected to come to Waiouru for the race. The sport has taken off in the last few years with the staging of national races for the last two. Mountain biking had its origins in California 14 years ago when Gary Fisher built a bike with a sturdy frame and balloon tyres which he could ride over the many forest tracks common to his neighbourhood. Forest track riding soon included downhill races and to these have been added dual-slalom events and trials. The sport has mushroomed to such an extent that every major bicycle manufacturer is making a mountain bike model. Prices range from $460 up to about $3000. Many well-known triathletes have taken up the sport. Dual-slalom and trials are short-course events. The former involves two riders in a brief downhill dash against one another. Trials are similar to the motorcycle sport with contestants having to manoeuvre across and down a short obstacle course without putting a foot on the ground. However, endurance racing has the biggest following and this is what will be held at Waiouru.