New Zealand's FIRST Urban Down Hill Race

New Zealand's FIRST Urban Down Hill Race was a huge success in Wanaka with a great turn out of competitors coming far and wide to hit the streets of Wanaka! Spectators made a day of it too with up to 200 screaming fans cheering on riders at the 'Red Rock Bar' stairs!

For many competitors this was actually their first race, with the course suiting most riding abilities as it wasn't as steep as a traditional downhill race course. The race categories were wide spread with many kids making the most of the unusual low age group for a topical down hill race.

A big thank you to 'AWS' for making it all possible

Thanks to Laurel Morrison, Mark Morrison and Nick Busse who have worked together with myself over the last 6 months to make New Zealand's first Urban Downhill Race an enjoyable event for all!

Cheers,

Dan

Thredbo State DH Round #1

Danny Bonello....deep in pre race thought

The weekend of the 4th and 5th of April 2009 saw the first round of the NSW state DH series hosted by South East Mtb Co. The turn out was pretty impressive with over 250 riders spread across the categories. There was even a category for people making a statement against rear suspension. Crazy.
The rain that had fallen in the days prior to the event had left the track in a condition that could only be described as ideal. It seemed as though there was more grip than people could deal with. I even witnessed one man weeping by the side of the trail. He later told me that he had never seen such glorious dirt pass under the tires of his cycle and the initial feeling it created was overwhelming for his emotions.
With the Oceanas having been held at Thredbo three weeks prior, the organizers knew what they were dealing with. They were so relaxed that they decided no one needed a race plate until race day.
The atmosphere is always so good at Thredbo races. With the chairlift running all day, everyone was at ease about their practice schedule, while still being anal about scouring the hill for places to wash fractions of time from their race runs. With the fastest times being in the early to mid six minute area, this track really does beat riders up so self control is always needed when hoping to conserve energy for Sunday.
Race day saw the sun revealing itself even more than it had on Saturday, though up top the wind had really picked up. This made it pretty tough for riders to stay warm for their runs as the temperature was hovering between 5 and ten degrees. The track was was no area for concern a,d remained just and tacky as Saturday, but was showing the results of some pretty greedy braking techniques.
At the end of the day it was Tim Eaton who was fastest down the hill in both his qualifying and final run. Ricky Boyer managed to snatch second place ahead of AMB Feb/Mar cover boy Cody Eichorn. A big congratulations to Tim, as this is a well deserved win. Times and results for all other categories are not something I have stored in my head, however I have no doubt that there is a website with a full list of results waiting to be viewed. Also check out pointoffocus.com for all the official photos from the race.
The next round of the NSW state DH series will be held at Ourimbah on May 2nd and 3rd. Be there, because it will be fun.
Danny Bonello

Shoosh Cycles Lucky 13 Hindon downhill

Its Back and better then ever... The Hindon down hill race!

A popular race throughout the 90’s. For those of you who don’t know where Hindon is its about half and hour inland of Dunedin. Here is the low down from our race we here at Shoosh Clyles held recently...

Only the few who had raced there a few years back knew what to expect. Hindon isn’t you’re your standard taped off single track flying through local forests or a track carved through tissues. But wide open farm paddocks carved in corrugations like a huge piece of roofing iron. That made great natural jumps and a challenging service to descend on at speed. The track was marked out with ski type gates, so riders could pick whatever line they wanted. There was whole paddocks full of different lines to choose from between gates. Apart from the paddocks there were fast gravel roads a cheeky rock garden here and there and a tight steep section to finish. After a few practice runs it was back up the top for BBQ sausages/onions and drink (all covered in the $25 rego). The Reper pit bike boys had there ramp set up for a freestyle display and some pit bike racing for a bit of lunch time entertainment. They also put on a best trick comp off the moto ramp for any riders that wanted to give it a go. Conner from Invers took it out with a sick 360 and a back flip. He scored him self a new set of sunnies for his effort.

Then onto the race runs, There was the usual 2 timed runs they went off with out too much carnage. Followed buy a free for all run (for those who don’t know what that is don’t worry I didn't’t either until the race!). It started with a le mons style run to your bike. After a bit of pushing and shoving. About 40 riders tried to get round the first bend all at once, That’s when the carnage started. There were groms getting spat out left right and center. The wide-open track made for some exciting passing maneuvers and the most fun I have had at a DH race, as well as a lot of other riders from what i heard. At the bottom Emerson's brewery had a tent and a keg handing out beer (yes that’s right just handing it out complements of Sarge. Exactly what you need after a downhill race. And its funny how beer tastes better when you don’t have to pay for it.

What a way to end a great days racing. Not a grizzle could be heard from any of the riders. As word gets round next year there will be an even bigger turn out. There are talks of there being a lot more prize money to be won. That should entice some of the Christchurch boys in to making a weekend trip to Dunedin.

And why not. I have never been to such a good value race. Where for $25 you get lunch a few beers moto display and a race. Make sure you have a look at Vorb TV episode 5 there’s a good we section on the Hindon race and if your down in Dunedin for Uni or Nationals come in and take a load off, get your bike fixed or just talk bikes with me at Shoosh cycles on Cumberland st. That’s the one way north just before you hit Stuart st if you get to countdown you have gone to far.

Cheers, Woody

Reuben Miller 1st Place

Top of the south downhill, round 2, Kaka Hill, Nelson.

The forecast for the weekend wasn’t the hottest to say the least. Saturday dawned overcast and pretty grim looking. I arrived up the track about 9. 1st run down and it was nice n tacky. The track had just had some work done on it just above and below the rd at half way so there were some nice wee surprises there. The old 30 foot step down which has been a bit of an icon on this track since 2003 has now gone and been replaced with some nice off camber corners thru trees. Coming out just up the rd from the skid and into a nice off hip jump across the skid. The track then drops away to the left of the skid site and into a right hander followed by a nice wee blind rise to keep you on the edge.

Come 1 it was starting to rain. My 1st run was pretty cautious but nice and clean. I got to the bottom fastest in senior but pipped by Ethan Helliwell by a second or so for fastest time. Kieran Bennett the favorite for the win came down with a sizeable gash in his elbow so it was of to a & e to get stitched up for him.
The rain continued all the way thru. My 2nd run was faster and less of the brakes, the track was alot wetter than the previous run which made for some pretty sideways out of control moments. I managed to beat by previous time by a few seconds and take the fastest time. All in all it was a good race with me in 1st senior, Sam Reid in 2nd and Tom Winwood in 3rd. Big ups to bike hq shop rider Tim Adams for hucking the big double at the bottom on his hardtail, yeah boi!

All in all a good race cheers to the organisers and Chris Mildon as usual, We wouldn’t have a races without him.

And bring on the final round at Ben Nevis. If you haven’t ridden this track then make your way up, its the best hill in nelson these days for anything downhill and will be a cracker. Race day is 6th December. www.nelsonmtb.org.nz for more info.

Cheers
Reuben Miller

www.bikehq.co.nz

www.nelsonmtb.org.nz

One Epic Weekend of Racing

Thursday started with finishing work early and a 7 hour drive to Timaru. The weather was not looking good for the Lewis pass so we made the decision to drive down the coast. 7 hours and a lot of corners later we arrived in Timaru. We woke Friday to an overcast day. As we arrived in Dunedin it was on the verge of snowing, I wasn’t really surprised as the four races i have done there have all been wet. We got a motel sorted and headed up Signal hill to where the race was being held to check out the track. It had changed quite a bit since last time with some sick berms at the top going into and extended slightly less savage rock garden. After that it carried on along the old track for a bit then into a new section with 3 nice doubles and then back out onto the ridge. It was then into the old nationals track from 05/06 which started with yet another rock garden and then into some pines. A nice big step-down in the pines halfway thru and then into the new bottom section. This has all been done by a dozer and was super fast with big burms and big jumps, perfect for spectators with the bottom 30 seconds of track visible from the finish line. We had seen enough so we headed back up and got the bikes. 1^st run down was the most fun I’ve had since Whistler mud riding. Every corner was fully sideways and out of control and somehow i got to the bottom without falling off. Nick and Raz weren’t so lucky with a few crashes each. A few runs later and it started raining so we called it quits.

Saturday was race day. We woke up to an overcast day which soon turned to sun with light winds. First few practice runs were pretty chaotic with groms going down left right and center. By race runs the track was perfectly tacky.

My 1^st run started good but soon into it I slid from a low line and came to a stop. The rest of the run was good and i came down with a 304 putting my into 3^rd, Eddie Masters was 259 and Hayden Donny McGregor 258.

2^nd run down was good, making it thru the line i had crashed on 1^st run but my luck ran thin towards the bottom as i was exiting a burm slightly too sideways and hit a tree head on with pretty high speed. I bent my bars so the rest of the track was pretty un co but still managed another 304. Donny showed us all how to ride posting a 253 way ahead of the lot of us! This guy is going to be on form this season and will be definitely be one to watch!

I ended up 3^rd at the end of the day which wasn’t bad considering. Donny in 1^st and Eddie in 2^nd and Tim Mackersey in 4^th a fraction behind me.

After the race there was a top 10 shootout with the top 10 riders from all categories all doing 1 last run with $100 cash up for grabs for the winner.

I crashed yet again. Eddie was 2^nd to last down the hill and took the top spot. With only Donny left we all thought he had it in the bag but about 10 seconds from the bottom he had a huge over the bars and lost it. Better luck next time mate!

We then headed to prize giving at a burger bar in town which was great with a lot of spot prizes.

Thanks to Donny, Eddie, Sheryl, Ant and everyone else for making this race happen and run so smoothly and bring on south island cup in Feb!

We then drove to Timaru to stay the night there.

6:30am Sunday morning we were on the road to race number two in chch.

We arrived about 830 and i was straight off to the shop to get my bike sorted from the previous day’s mishaps.

I didn’t get that sorted until 10:30 so only two practice runs on a track I had never ridden before.

The track started just below the airstrip on the port hills and ran through the gum trees for half and then into the open. It was very fast and flowy with some huge burms and some pretty cool jumps.

My 1^st race run was going well until about hallways down I hit a high line over a rock a bit fast and out of control and landed off the track. I was going through the long grass about 40kph trying to slow down and hit a rock. I sailed through the air doing various flips and then rag dolled down a bank onto the 4x4 road about 20 meters below the track. I got up pretty dam sore with a folded front when and blown tyre so it was a long ride out for me.

2^nd run didn’t go much better with another crash in the top half of the track. After that I pushed it a bit hard trying to make up time and just kept making more and more mistakes. I finished about 9^th at the end of the day. Not to fussed as i had a awesome weekend with some wicked riding on new tracks which is always good.

Cheers to bike HQ yet again for the use of the van and the race organizes who it wouldn’t be possible without.

Until next week.

Reuben Miller

www.bikehq.co.nz

Top of the South DH Series, round one, Blenhiem, NZ

Sunday the 12^th of October started with clear skies and no wind, the perfect day for a race.

I woke up, picked up Kieran, Rasmus and Nick O’rouke and we were on our way.

Practise was a little late to start as usual over that side of the hill but once it got started it ran smoothly with most people getting in 5 or 6 practise runs.

It was my first time back on the bike since being in whistler 3 weeks ago so I was itching to ride.

Track conditions were mint as with it tacky up the top and dry and dusty in the trees. Having ridden various track combos on this hill before this was by far the best. Starting next to the road and rolling down through some nice turns and a few small jumps before crossing the road and into a nice 30 footer which you can hit fully tapped. It then goes down a fairly steep fire road with some berms and a few sick flat/off camber turns in the pines on the side. One high speed turn later and you’re out onto a skid site for a 30second sprint just for shits and giggles. After the skid it was into the pines starting off with a nice steep chute with a hard right hander at the bottom. The rest of the track was full of berms and long off camber sections which were out of control.

In my first race run i had a mint run until I clipped a pedal and got thrown over the bars but was straight back up and down to the finish, second race run was sick as and out of control thru the off camber i got to the bottom pretty happy with my run and amped as after the off camber.

In the end I finished up behind recently signed Kieran Bennett in 1^st and local fast guy and fellow pro elite Sam Reed in 2^nd who put in the hard yards getting the track sorted for the race.

As usual thanks to the organisers for a really well run event and Bike HQ for their support.

Untill the next race...

Reuben Miller.

First kiwi To Win World Cup

Wanganui’s Sam Blenkinsop has become the first New Zealander to win a Mountain Bike World Cup title!

Follow the link to watch the 19 year olds win during the final round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup in Schladming, Austria.

http://freecaster.tv/1000006_1005837


Results:
UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, Schladming

1st Sam Blenkinsop (NZL) 4:10.16
2nd Sam Hill (AUS) 4:11.80
3rd Gee Atherton (GBR) 4:12.36
6th Justin Leov (NZL) 4:18.33

Big Crash Durring Southern Race Series

Had a bit of a mozza in the Clyde race recently. Went down on Friday had a sic day the new part of the track is so fun. They made the track twice as good no hussin down 4wd tracks anymore. Did 4 runs and that was me had the track sused.

Went back on Saturday got in 4 practice runs and had it pinned. Seedn run i crashed halfway down jumped back on only to realize me handle bars were 70deg to my wheel but went on just abit slower and got 9th, so thought sweet.

Race run crashed about 40 sec into it, bike washed out at about 40km and i went chin/neck/chest first straight into a rock the size of me. Couldnt breath for about a minute. Had blood gushing from the chin so pushed over to the road and rolled down told a couple of dudes i was sweet and drove home sore and guttered.Got Xrayed up, nothing broken yeah but throat was really croaky and sore so had to go to Dunedin to see the throat specialest to find out i got a big hematoma on voicebox. Over time should be sweet.

...so stoked im all good, guttered about the race everything leadn up to it was going well. Beatiful weather and even beter track but thats racing aye. Looking forward to getting back there and hitn that corner twice as hard and fast!!!!!

Tristan Muirhead

Garbanzo Downhill with Rueben Miller

This year I have been lucky enough to come over to Whistler BC to spend a summer here riding racing working and everything else that goes on here.
The Garbanzo downhill is one of the many events part of the annual freeride festiville crankworx. Crankworks is held every august and is the world biggest mountainbike bike festivlle.

One of the longest downhill races to be held in the world the Garbanzo starts at the very top of whistler bike park and finishes at the very bottom. Twisting and turning thru some of the most technical tracks on the mountain.

This year the week leading up to it consisted of rain, rain and some more rain. Come race day it was still raining. As i got to the top for my run it was pretty close to 0 degrees and windy with rain. I was about mid way to start in the elite field.

My run started good as i left the top into original sin, the track conditions were very muddy but as it was raining the roots were still clean so you could se the slippery bits. As i got about a 3rd of the way down and into in deep it started getting hard. I was tired from the previous pedal section and my goggles were starting to fog, the trak was geting harder by the second and my arms were getting tired. About halfway thru i caught the rider in front, who instead of pulling over decided to slow down in front of me. I finally got past him on a high line but lost my flow. As i came out of in dep there was a 200 metre up hill section into duffman, after already riding the length of two normal downhill tracks this was very hard. I pedaled so hard I was almost seeing stars and spewing into my helmit. Into duffman was a bit of a joke as i couldnt do much from being so rooted, i came over a small jump and onto a northshore bridge, as i landed my wheels slipped from underneath me and i was a goner. I fell about a metre onto the grond and had to climb back up and get my bike. From then on it took me awhile to find my flow again but started to get it back towards the bottom. The last section of track was the hardest as it opened up and got flat. With the finish in sight i gave it all i had, thru monkey hands and into the last corner of the giant dual track and over the last jump. I cross

ed the line with a 16.04 putting me in 40th place about 1:40 behing the winner Gee Atherton. Not the result I was after but i had a lot of fun!

By far the hardest downhill race I have ever done, would definatley reccomend it.

Ill be back next year for sure!

Thanks to http://www.bikehq.co.nz/ and ironhorse bikes

Cheers
Reuben Miller

Mountain Biking Down Under

In early May 08, around about the time the South Island of NZ was hit with its first snow fall for the season ahead, I jumped on a plane to Australia! I left home in Wanaka for Queensland, Australia.

I lived in a tourist orientated town called Airlie Beach (South of Cairns). The place is a very popular backpacker’s destination. There are endless water activities in the area including scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef. There are even 74 islands in the Whitsunday’s to go see by boat! The land around Airlie is relatively flat terrain, mostly used by sugar cane farmers. While Freeride and down hill mountain biking is pretty sparse in the area, there is plenty of riding South and North of Airlie Beach.

One particular riding spot I went to was a place called Kitchent Dam. It is 20 minutes drive North of Mackay. This down hill track is regularly used for state races and some local races. A very demanding trail with about half the track covered in rock gardens. It’s been well ridden in so lines through the rocky sections are easier to pick out and they are always adding new features to the track. I’m here in the winter and its 25 degrees plus! …so pushing up after every run is a little tough! Highly recommend a 4X4 vehicle for shuttles.

There is a classic outdoor pub about 100 meters from the bottom of the trail for any refreshments after the riding. The bottom of the trail is actually in the Kitchent Dam Camping ground. This whole place would make for a great long weekend get away for those that can get to it for riding, and hang by the lake.

By Dan

Junior Mens DH review

Cam Johnson
16 Yrs old

From ALEXANDRA, NZ

Dan asked me to write how I found the Wellington Nationals Track at Long Gully. As well as that I’ll tell you about some other mean races from this season.

VERTIGO ran an OPEN Chainless race in January, at Coronet Peak. The downhill track was mean as, it had good corners and flowed nicely. I finished 8th overall and with a faster time than I got in the SI Subaru series with a chain. Can’t wait till next season when Coronet hopefully has a longer riding season.

Also I teamed up with Martin, a top mechanic from Bike Fix, Queenstown for the ‘Brakeburner’ Event. A 6 hr Endurance Race, also at on Coronet Peak. We were the BIKE FIX Team and were in the Open Men’s Class, (he’s a bit older, lucky he’s super fit). The track had heaps of uphill, and not much down. In the end, we came second to the Vertigo Team. It was a bloody good day, and a great group to hang out with.

Cam durring the Brake Burner Race at Coronet Peak

Wellington Nationals Track

Well the track started on the ridge between the wind turbine and that white dome thing, and dropped to the burnout pad. While not too technical, the track was fast and full of loose drifty corners, it also had a wall of gorse along the lower part of the track that you could use as a crash pad if you needed too… OUCH!

The track ended up worn out by race day and real dusty. The weather wasn’t friendly either, typically Wellington, wind was strong and gusty, and for the unlucky, it accounted for bad race run times.

Thanks to the organizers though, it was really well run by Vince Langford and the team…. up with the best of them. Wellington is a great track to ride, any chance to do it? Get there.

Another great track to ride, was Lava Flow, in Christchurch, I went up for the NZ Open. It’s a short and wickedly quick track, very rough, and heaps of big rocks. Finishing 3^rd in U19 here was a highlight for me, before heading back to Nelson for Oceania’s.

Cam durring the NZ National Round in Nelson

The Oceania’s held on that Nelson track up Maitai Valley was in good condition. The track had cool jumps, loose rocks all the way down, and it was steep and very fast from top to bottom. The more I raced this track the more I liked it. Thanks to Chris Mildon and guys for a great and well run event.

Just run last weekend, September, Linger and Die downhill race in Alexandra. Good track, all us boys been working on it thru the winter, came in 3^rd under 19, after a bit of cross country (by mistake) right near the bottom, 6^th fastest race time overall for the day.

Next race, 3^rd Round Bluff Series race, 11th October, see yah there.

CAM

SPONSORED RIDER THE BIKE FIX, QUEENSTOWN,

RED TUSSOCK GALLERY ALEXANDRA

PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY James Allan

and Eddie

Miss Downhill in NZ

The Austrian Pro Downhill racer, Helene Fruhwirth came to New Zealand for an off season and describes her trip…

I have travelled to New Zealand twice now to compete in the National Downhill Series, firstly during the 2005/06 summer and more recently the 2007/08 season. The racers are a great fun and an awesome way to see the fabulous country and meet riders alike. The Nationals begin in December and finishes in February. These races send you from one end of the country to the other. I decide to race in NZ because here in Austria where I come there is just nowhere to ride in winter time. Everything is covered with snow and it’s cold and wet. It’s great off season training.

Yes and so no wonder that I came back. It took 2 years because I had to finish my studies. But this time I knew many people, knew places where to go and more. But I was even more nervous to come back to NZ than I was at my first trip. I didn’t know if it could ever be better than two years ago!

Now I can say this trip was so different that I can’t compare it at all. It was great to see all my friends, who I took to my heart. It was also really good riding new tracks I hadn’t riding before (e.g. Dirt Park NZ).

The whole trip nearly fell through because I managed to twist my ankle in trampoline training (suspected of a broken Talus) and got a plaster 10 days before I was to fly out. It was nightmare I couldn’t believe it. I put all the eggs in the basket- cut the plaster 24 hrs before my flight and got a special brace with crutches for the plane. The flight was a nightmare to my foot as it got swollen and put me trough pain during the whole flight. When I arrived it was okay I just thought about riding to get over the pain. I hardly could walk the first to weeks but I could ride my brand new Morewood bike!

I raced all the national races, took it easy got good results and good feedback from my sponsors. I loved the atmosphere to race in NZ. Nobody cares about my time, my results, who I was or what I should be. I could just be 100% me. In Europe I have to ride with a little more pressure, in that I need to always be in the top 10. Of course I used NZ as my training ground to get ready and prepared for the World cup season but I also enjoyed other things like wakeboarding, mini motocross riding with Dan McMullan, fishing, Jet ski riding, cliff jumping, pump track riding, the barbeques!, partying with the my friends, dancing with Chris and so many other things. I was having to much fun to miss Austria.

The down hill tracks in Europe compared to NZ are so different. I would say we have less jumps and not so many crazy lines. It’s not really surprising to me that different riders appear in the top 10 of the world from one day to the other. I loved to see how motivated the kiwi riders are. I didn’t have days where I didn’t get a ride with someone somewhere…. So great!

Now its time to head back home to Austria for racing DH and 4X in the Northern Hemisphere. I plan to race our Nationals, World Cup races, World Champs, Crankworx in Canada, European Champs in Italy and more!

If somebody is keen to follow my race life check out my blog on www.miss-downhill.com

I wanna thank: Kai Crow, Dan McMullan, Dave and Gail Judson, Chris Vanderkolk, Hadley Boyce, Hamish Kay and his flat mates and of course all my sponsors.

Photo by James Allan