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Mark your calendar for 2011 |
| Easter Sat April 23rd 2011 |
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2010 Results are posted |
| Just click on the appropriate button and download the file. Note that many did not enter their wave, and while most have been found and results corrected, there might still be the odd error. Contact us if required. |
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Last newsletter and race numbers |
| You can check your registration time table, wave starts and your race numbers on the registration page, just click on the link following and scroll down to the bottom of the page for your pdf downloads. Click here |
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The 2nd event: 3rd April 2010 |
| Mark your calendars, we are planning the second New World Tour de Wakatipu for Easter 2010, and will keep you informed along the way |
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Event closes with 835 registered |
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| View News in Brief Archive |
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9/09/2010 4:51:41 a.m. |
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NEW WORLD TOUR DE WAKATIPU PROVIDES SPECTACULAR BACKDROP |
| 12/04/2009 3:27:13 p.m. |
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Queenstown's newest mountain biking competition, the New World Tour de Wakatipu attracted 845 riders for the inaugural event on Saturday (April 11), with the overwhelming response from both serious and social riders indicating it will draw even larger fields, as it becomes an established event on the Easter calendar.
The fastest competitor of the day, Mark Williams of Queenstown, who won the 45km elite open section in 1.36.21 , praised the organisers for creating an event which suited all levels of riders "in such spectacular terrain."
"It was awesome and everyone was so positive about it. For many of us it was great to ride trails that we haven't been on before and the single tracks in particular were fantastic. This is going to become huge in the future."
The 36km recreational event started at Millbrook Resort following a recently opened trail through Millbrook West to Speargrass Flat Road. From there it led over Slopehill Road to a single track alongside the Shotover River and across the restored Lower Shotover Bridge. Off the bridge a very tight track led on to the wide gravel roads of the Shotover Delta, through a gravel pit, followed by 300 metres of single track along the banks of the Kawarau River.
The next stage rode through Remarkables Park, on to the state highway and across the Kawarau Bridge, followed by another short section of state highway to the privately owned Kawarau River road on Coneburn Station, finishing at Chard Farm vineyard.
Sport and elite riders also completed a circuit on the Lake Hayes track.
Williams rode neck and neck all the way with Malcolm McLeod (Alexandra)
and took the open title after a final sprint to the finish line, just nine seconds ahead of McLeod.
"I knew it would come down to that sprint, it was anyone's race," says Williams
The fastest woman overall was elite veteran Raylene Bates (Mosgiel) in 1.59.15, just pipping Georgie McLean (Clyde) in the elite open who clocked 2.01.47.
In the sports division veteran Oliver Young (Wanaka) was fastest in 1.43.40 and Barbara Buchanan competing in the masters' section was the fastest woman in 2.11.15.
Veteran Greg Paterson (Invercargill) had the winning time in the recreational division in 1.39.43 and Pippa Jerram (Christchurch) competing in the open section was fastest woman in 1.43.48.
The attraction for many riders was the opportunity to ride on the usually inaccessible right bank of the Kawarau River, across the private land leading to Chard Farm.
Head sponsor John Thompson of New World says the diversity of the Tour de Wakatipu, concluding with the stunning ride through Coneburn Station, was an absolute highlight and his family was excited about sponsoring such an innovative event.
"The scenic trails the course took in were amazing and in spite of the numbers there was no congestion. The whole thing was brilliant and New World is certainly in for the long haul to support the event. We can only see this growing and the great thing about it is that it is perfect for first time event people."
Race Director Geoff Hunt says while the elite athletes could make a real race of the event, it was the first time event riders that the Tour de Wakatipu targeted.
"There were over 450 riders in the recreational division and many had never entered an event before. The feedback was that they loved every minute of it although the final grunt up the hill, through the Chard Farm vineyard to the finish line was a Rob Hay surprise!"
"The access Coneburn Station allowed us was indisputably the reason so many people entered and they certainly weren't disappointed. The festival atmosphere at Chard Farm at the finish line was incredible and we are looking forward to developing the event and the finale even further next year."
The Tour de Wakatipu raised $4,500 for Cure Kids which provides funds for research into children's life threatening illnesses. Cure Kids CEO Kaye Parker, who rode in the event, was delighted with the support.
"Cure Kids has so far invested $21m into research and has made some remarkable breakthroughs. It is only with support from events like the Tour de Wakatipu that we can fund this vital research and raise awareness of what we want to achieve." |
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