Photo Report: NZ South Island Secondary School MTB Champs

Oct 17, 2018
by Matt Wood  
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South Island Secondary School MTB Champs

Words & Photography // Matt Wood

Racing is back on the menu in the lower end of the country and the future of New Zealand mountain bike racing is bright if the entry numbers from the Secondary School MTB Champs are anything to go by. The Mountain Biking Otago club played host last weekend to the South Island Secondary Champs for the 5th year running.

The event was hosted over 3 days by the local club at Signal Hill in the coastal city of Dunedin.

Dunedin is famous for Victorian architecture, the world's steepest street and a university with a solid party culture. The riders were treated to the inner city trail network of Signal Hill. Mountain Biking Otago has just completed the first stage of a new car park and event hub and, what better way to try it out than with a large event.

Entry numbers were large with the downhill receiving twice the number of entries as the NZ National Champs and nearly 4 times for the cross country bucking the national trend of declining participation in national level XC and DH events, even with the huge increase of people taking up mountain biking as a hobby.

There was a friendly, yet ultra-competitive rivalry between schools firing up the competitors, as they try to win the bragging rights of being the overall South Island champions.


Friday, Day 1 - Enduro.

The event kicking off of the final Friday afternoon of the school holidays and with snow in the forecast, the grommies were entertained with a four-stage enduro race. The conditions were windy wet and cold with occasional snow flurries at the top of the hill which added a hustle to the liaisons as well as the race stages.

There were well over 200 entries to the race overall and this is the first time an enduro has been run as part of the Secondary School Champs event. It was a great success as its best to start training our next enduro world champs early. Race timing was perfect with the last riders finishing the final stage as a hail storm rolled across the city, so 10/10 for planning.

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RFID timing and set over 4 timed stages, for some it was their first taste of enduro.

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Cohan Glintmeyer looks like he knows how to enduro.
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Abby Ross navigates a rock garden on stage 1.

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Oli Clarke was almost impossible to spot with his camo race kit.

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Finally a break in the clouds.

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Jorden Sutherland from Shirley Boys High.
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Luke Wayman of Christchurch.

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Loren Edwards (U14 Girls) makes short work of the rocks.

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Riders lining up for stage 4, looking out over North Dunedin.


Day 2 Downhill.

After a night of strong winds, competitors returned to Signal Hill to find it had been blow dried after Fridays hail and sleet. 224 keen high school kids geared up ready for a day of shuttles and high paced racing. The track was one that was tailored to all those who were racing allowing both those new to the sport, and any up and coming national champs to pit it out against one another on the 1.7 km track, with an elevation drop of 280 meters.

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The team pits look just like a national cup round, but without all the empty beer cans.

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Racers start queuing up, keen to get their practice laps in.
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Trail bikes outnumber downhill bikes these days.

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Alex Barke of Queenstown wasted no time getting stuck into practice, but run out of luck in seeding with a dnf

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Oliver Elkington knows you always have to throw down when you see a camera.

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Jessy Janssen in the zone
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Connor Leov of Geraldine

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Kalani Muirhead a Wanaka shredder, on her way to a solid 10-second win in the U16 girls

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Nico Femandez keeps it low and fast over the finish jump

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This rooster didn't keep it low but he did keep it fast, crossing the finish beam on his face like a champ.


Day 3 Cross Country.

The weather was not kind to the cross country competitors. By the end of racing on Saturday, the hill was almost bone dry, but a solid dumping of rain overnight drastically lifted the difficulty for rides and the excitement for spectators. The rain had turned the downhill segments from a nice mid grade trail into a greasy slick clay descent that was ripe for some schoolboy heckling.
Such is life in the world of racing mountain bikes, you can’t pick the weather on race day, so 230+ riders got stuck in and had a blast round several laps of the course 4km course with some fierce sprint battles and some wins only taken by half a bike length.

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The look of determination on Brandon Thornley's face shows he was in it to win it from the get-go, and that's exactly what he did, winning the U20 boys

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Oliver Mann knows you always need to throw down when mum's watching

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Slick corners really pushed riders skills to the limit, as keen punters waited for the next victim to come unstuck.
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And this is what MTB racing is all about, a solid heckle.

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Hamish Sadler rides by historic Pelichet Bay Rifle Butt constructed in 1880ish.

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Overnight rain caused havoc on the now slick trails.

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Dunstan High School student Imi Blance the fastest woman of the day.

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Emma Cunningham and Caitlin Titheridge sprint to the line for 1st and 2nd in under 17 girls.

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MBO club president and event organiser Kristy Booth making sure everything goes to plan. This woman has put in an amazing amount of admin to make this event what it is.
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Inside the timing control centre where longtime MTB timing guru Hamish Seaton and wife Pam take care of the important stuff. Hamish has put more hours into the Dunedin trails and the overall riding scene than anyone else.

The event was organised by A huge thanks needs to go out to the volunteers from Mountain Biking Otago that organised the even as well as the event sponsors RIDE 100%, Maxxis Tires, BBB Bike Parts, Giant Bicycles New Zealand, Marleen Wholesalers, Ltd, and Bike Otago. Thanks to the team from Red Cross Dunedin for the first aid and picking up the pieces when things didn't go right for the competitors and all the Mums and Dads for bringing their kids to the race.

Mountain bike racing is alive and well in the south.

Full results can be found here https://schools.cyclingnewzealand.nz/results

Author Info:
woody-nz avatar

Member since Nov 23, 2002
12 articles

17 Comments
  • 7 0
 I spent my formative years riding Signal Hill and drinking Double Brown out of a glass bottle because I was classy.
  • 3 0
 Mate, both of those things are rough as guts. If you're classy now, you've upped your game. Significantly. If you haven't, you're in good company. I just rode signal earlier tonight, and am now attempting to class it up with a scrumpy.
  • 1 0
 Dough-bros? Luxury!

Now, kiwi lager on the other hand. If you shook the can too much sometimes they'd rupture.

Meant you developed silky smooth styles on Student track while playing Russian roulette with the can in your back pack.
  • 3 0
 this was a quality event and the kids had a blast. fun for us volunteers too. track checking, marshalling and a damn good day of shuttle driving. Reverend Rodge will definitely be back next year????
  • 3 0
 Absolutely great coverage! Hope Pinkbike will do the same for the US NICA MTB kids. Colorado League State championships here in Durango, CO this weekend. Gonna be some outstanding riding and riders!!
  • 1 0
 Colorado? We finally get to see Randy! There is a Rampage discipline, isn't there?
  • 3 0
 School MTB champs! That is absolutely brilliant!! We need this everywhere now.
  • 3 0
 This is good news. Well done NZ for givin a hoot
  • 4 0
 nice photos too Matt
  • 3 0
 I miss those trails! Keep it up my kiwi counterparts!
  • 2 0
 Just moved to Dunedin from the UK. Looking forward to trying these trails out
  • 1 0
 Stop showing off :-)
  • 2 0
 Shot Woody.
  • 1 3
 I thought riders had to wear uniform or school colours without sponsors?

What is the world coming too......?
  • 5 0
 They do but you look like a bender so no one does.







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