The inaugural New World Tour de Wakatipu on Easter Saturday (April 11) could attract as many as 700 competitors, with more than 500 already entered in the 45km event which will take in previously inaccessible parts of the district, traversing a course from Millbrook Resort to Chard Farm. The entries for the event close on Sunday 5th April.
Southern Traverse director Geoff Hunt says the event which caters for elite, sport and recreational mountain bikers "has caught the imagination of people from all over the region and other parts of the South Island."
"This is an event which offers people exclusive access to the right bank of the Kawarau River. The chance to go to places which are usually off limits has created a huge response with over half the field entered in the recreational division. This indicates clearly the demand from 'social athletes' for events of this nature and we are pleased to be able to provide a course which suits all levels."
The start line is at Millbrook Resort and 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 follows a short section of state highway to the privately owned Kawarau River road on Coneburn Station, finishing at Chard Farm.
The sport and elite competitors will also ride around the Lake Hayes track as part of the overall course.
"It is a privilege to be able to stage this mountain bike ride over such a great course," says Hunt, "and it is thanks to Millbrook, the Wakatipu Trails Trust, local landowners and the Department of Conservation that it is happening. We are getting such positive feedback from people who are excited about the opportunity to ride along the otherwise inaccessible right bank of the Kawarau River across Coneburn Station."
Some sections of the course including the Kawarau River Trail, running upstream from the Shotover Junction, are currently being upgraded by the organisers to improve conditions for competitors.
New companies have recently joined the "sponsor family" and Hunt says they are indebted to them for their support.
"Giant Bikes will give away a state-of-the-art mountain bike as a spot prize at the prize giving at Chard Farm and Konica Minolta has also become part of the sponsor group." Southern Regional Manager Charles Bateman, who is participating in the Tour de Wakatipu along others on his staff, says the company has always had good support from the Central Otago and Queenstown business community.
"This support has resulted in Konica Minolta becoming the supplier of choice for copiers and printers. With this in mind we are getting behind this event in order to give something back and have some fun in the process."
The Tour de Wakatipu will donate funds to Cure Kids, which is one of Queenstown's favourite charities, and raises money for vital research into children's life threatening illnesses.
The Tour de Wakatipu is sponsored by New World Wakatipu, with supporting sponsors, Millbrook Resort and Chard Farm as our Start and Finish sponsors, R&R Sport, Queenstown Airport, Giant Bikes, Konica Minolta, Southern Laser and More FM.
The event has a web site that enables online entries and this can be found at www.tourdewakatipu.co.nz
