Rotorua to host World Cup mountain bike event

Rotorua will host another international mountain bike event with the UCI Trials World Cup next September.

BikeNZ announced today that Rotorua had been selected as the host venue for the fifth and final round of the UCI Trials World Cup on 12 and 13 September 2009.

Trials is one of the most exciting of all cycling disciplines, with riders navigating their way over spectacular obstacles with points deducted if they set a foot on the ground

It is the first time New Zealand has hosted this event which will be run by BikeNZ with strong support from the local organising committee spearheaded by Dave Donaldson, who was responsible for bringing the world mountain bike and trials world championships to Rotorua in 2006.

The event is expected to attract the world’s best as it follows on from the world championships in Canberra from 1-6 September.

BikeNZ marketing manager, Greg Hamilton said the World Cup was an excellent opportunity for cycling in this country.

“BikeNZ’s mandate is to guide New Zealand to success. We see this event as a great fit, superb for the profile of the sport, great for spectators and it will bring the world’s best here.”

Mr Hamilton said BikeNZ is keen to engage with the local Rotorua community with a range of programmes in the lead up as well as supporting events to really develop the festival atmosphere at the event.

“It’s a great opportunity to link in with the 2009 UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships, and being the final round, we are confident we will attract the worlds’ best trials riders to New Zealand.”

Dave Donaldson, chair of the local organising committee said the Rotorua cycling community is excited about the event, which will be staged at the Village Green.

“It reinforces Rotorua as a premier mountain bike destination,” Mr Donaldson said.

“We have had excellent discussions with landowners and local stakeholders and believe the Village green will be a fantastic venue. There’s added interest with the craft market alongside the venue.”

He said they hoped to take full advantage of the new trans Tasman air service to the new international airport.

Mr Donaldson said they would now be seeking local volunteers to sign up for the event.

Trials is an exciting spectacle with riders having to get over obstacles grouped into “sections” without setting foot on the ground or they incur penalties. The most common obstacles are rocks and shrubs but can be almost anything, including cars and tables. After negotiating a series of “sections”, the rider who has collected the fewest penalty points is declared the winner.

New Zealand’s UCI Trials Commissaire, D’arcy Belfield the event would be a real boost to developing more trials riders in this country.

“We had three New Zealand riders at the world championships in 2006 and we would expect to have good representation at the World Cup. The event will definitely raise the profile of the sport and provide a tremendous opportunity for New Zealand riders to compete against and watch the world’s best in action.”

Trials is extremely strong in Europe which will host the other four rounds of the World Cup in Spain, Germany, France and Belgium, with riders from those countries dominating this year’s World Cup rankings in both the 20 inch and 26 inch categories.