A new children and family-oriented mountain bike event is set to introduce several hundred people to the joys of the Onepu Mountain Bike Park.
The inaugural ‘Onepu Strawberry Bike Jam’ will be held on Wednesday (13 February) and features a great programme of events aimed at primary and intermediate school groups, senior riders, families and, at the end of the day, more competitive cyclists.
Organiser Kim van der Aa says entry to the Bike Jam will be free to all participants, thanks to event funding provided by the Whakatane District Council, as part of its Bike-wise month activities.
“Our aim is to get as many kids and schools involved as possible and encourage children, their parents and grandparents to experience the thrill of mountain biking in this fantastic new, purpose-built facility,” he says. “The day kicks-off with the Kids Relay event at 10.00am followed by a fun ‘strawberry hunt’ and prize-giving. Then at 12.15pm, Paul Langlands - one of the country’s top jump exponents will be providing a demonstration in the dirt jump area dubbed ‘The Sandpit’. This will enable folks to witness first hand one of the most exciting off shoots of off-road cycling and one which has captured the imagination of many of our local kids and adults.”
Children’s events will conclude with a fun bike orienteering event at 1.00pm. This will be followed at 3.00pm by a ‘Gold Card Ride for Seniors’, which aims to introduce active, older cyclists to the Park’s various mountain bike courses. “
At 4.30pm, we have a Family Fun Ride planned then at 6.00pm, the serious excitement starts with the All-comers Cross Country Race. We’re aware that a number of top riders are participating in the Rotorua Bike Festival that’s running this week so we are hoping some will come over and take part. However, this is a fun event and we’d love to see a big turn-out of local people who want to see just how much fun mountain bike racing can be,” Mr van der Aa says. Registration for the Cross Country race begins at 5.15pm with a race briefing at 5.50pm.
The day will conclude after the Cross Country race – around 7pm, with a freestyle jump competition with prize money donated by earthcycles (aka Kim van der Aa) and Jason Hubbard from Hubbard Contractors Ltd. Paul Langlands will be guest commentator. Lastly there will be the senior prize-giving and a barbecue.
The Onepu Mountain Bike Park is a recent addition to the region’s cycling attractions and has been developed by the Onepu Community Care Group in conjunction with the owners of the forest venue, Norske Skog Tasman.
Schools wishing to take part in the relay event are asked to contact Kim van der Aa as soon as possible (email: earthcycles@hotmail.com or phone 021 053 1501).