Big Changes for 2012 Motatapu Mountain Bike Start

Motatapu event organisers, Iconic Adventures, today announced the biggest shake up of the Motatapu mountain bike, since the inaugural event in 2005.

"We have made two radical changes, which we believe will have a dramatic impact on the start line for 2012, and hopefully add a new dimension to the race for a lot of competitors,” says Event Director, Gemma Boyle.

“For the first time we will be reducing the number of mountain bikers in the field from the self imposed limit of 2,000 we have had in place since 2006, to 1,700 for 2012. This also includes a reduction in the elite field from the 140 that competed in the 2011 event to 100. “

The biggest change, however, will be the starting waves for the sport class which is 75% of the field. Previously the sport waves have set off in age groups. Now the order that you enter in determines your start position for the 2012 Motatapu Mountain Bike, with 200 bikers per wave.

“It’s first in - best start,” says Gemma Boyle. Gemma says the new start sequence will ensure that there is a mix of ability, age and gender in each wave. “Consequently the entire field will be strung out more’. “

It will also allow competitors who want to compete alongside friends, spouses and family members to collectively enter at the same time and be in the same wave start,” she says.

Gemma Boyle says that the race for podium places in the competitive sport categories will become more of a time trial than a stage race. “To be assured of a podium finish you will have to race the clock rather than the people around you,” she says.

Gemma Boyle says competitor feedback lead to the decision to change the wave starts. “The number one thing the people who enter early want was a decent start position.”

Director of Iconic Adventures, Geoff Matthews, says the reduction in numbers in the mountain bike field was also to create space for the new off road half ironman distance triathlon trialled in 2011.

“The new off road half ironman distance triathlon will be both an individual and a team event with a maximum field of 150 individuals and 150 teams. The triathlon field as with last year's trial will set off before the mountain bike field,” he says.

Geoff Matthews says introducing the team triathlon event will also give those people returning to the Motatapu for the 4th, 5th or 6th time something new to consider and to compete in.

“It starts with a 2km swim in Glendhu Bay in Lake Wanaka, then joins the 47km mountain bike field to cycle from Glendhu Bay to Arrowtown through three high country stations, before completing the 15km mountain run over the historic Arrowtown.com Miner’s Trail, he says. “The triathlon proved to be a hit with the inaugural competitors, with a flat swim, a fast bike ride and an extremely tough run section.”

Entries are exclusively online and open at 9am on the 1st July 2011 at www.motatapu.com for the March 10, 2012 event.

Image: Camilla Stoddart