The Queenstown Bike Festival is now just around the corner, and with it comes one of its star event, the New World Tour de Wakatipu.
Now in its fifth year, the event attracts elite and sports riders from all of the South Island and beyond, but also your everyday pedaller and whole families with whiz kids as young as 11 years old.
Part of the event's attraction is the stunning beauty of the course itself, at times breathtaking with the autumn leaves turning to gold along the Cone Peak station side of the Kawarau river. It is also varied, and provides two lengths to adequately suit different ability and skills level.
Another reason why it is a great event to partake in is for its atmosphere, both on the course and its start at Millbrook Resort but paticularly so at the finish line at Chard Farm:
Spectators cheer on the competitors at the old Kawarau bridge and in Frankton.
Competitors and supporters mingle in the early hours of the Saturday morning, coffee in hand, while they go through registration, catch up with old friends, and refuel on fruits and other goodies provided by New World Wakatipu and other sponsors.
Of course there is also musician Mathurin Molgat and singer Jessie Coutts from Beach, food stalls manned by local providers, wine and beer to cater for the hungry and thirsty riders at the beautiful venue that Chard Farm is.
Finally it is the people themselves, with gifted racers happily sharing the course with the sunday rider, young and not so young. Friends ride alongside each other and entire families, parents, children, grand parent, share the glory as they cross the finish line. And this year we have introduced a run section from the bottom of the Remarkables to Chard Farm, once again on that exclusive road along the Kawarau - simply stunning and all good to go for the avid runner.
