Cross Country Mountainbiking
Halswell Quarry, Christchurch
Wednesday 11 April 2007

Note: the number of laps have been increased slightly.
I have also updated the map slightly.
Looking forward to meeting you all.

For info on the Downhill event, click here

Welcome to the 2007 Uni Games XC mountainbiking event. This year's course is set in our backyard, the Port Hills of Christchurch. The Port Hills are covered with enough exciting MTB tracks to keep any XC rider happy for days. The Uni Games course is using some of these tracks, as well as private land, to make a fantastic 6.8km loop which takes the fastest riders around 25 minutes to get around. At this stage we expect riders to be doing three laps, plus a small start loop. So the average rider is likely to be riding for around 1hr 40min. The event village for the course is the historic Halswell Quarry, on the edge of Christchurch. Almost 50% of the course is purpose-built MTB singletrack (including the popular "Crocodile Track"), with the remainder being made up of 4WD track and a small grass section around the start area. Below is an altitude profile and basic map of the course and a map showing the location of the event registration area.

The course is being set and overseen by Rebekah & Craig Tregurtha (Adventure Events), who have been organising XC events around Canterbury for the last 5 years.

Important stuff for race day...

  • I hope to mark out much of the course on Tuesday and you are welcome to ride it then but bear in mind that I may not have it all marked so best if you have the map (below) with you
  • The course will be fully marked out and available to ride by 11am Wednesday (possibly a couple of gates will still be closed)
  • Registration 12:30pm till 1pm
  • Race briefing 1:15pm (all riders need to attend)
  • Race start approx. 1:30pm (immediately after briefing)
  • The guys will race 3.5 laps of the course, plus a short start loop
  • The girls will race 2.5 laps of the course, plus a short start loop
  • Guys and girls will all start together
  • Expected winning time for the guys is around 1hr 35min
  • Expected winning time for the girls is around 1hr 25min
  • The half lap will be done before the full laps
  • Medal presentation is expected to be around 4 pm
  • There is likely to be a mobile coffee vendor on site
  • The Canterbury University MTB Club are hoping to have a BBQ on site

    Location of the event...
    The cross country event is being held at Halswell Quarry, Christchurch. Entrance to the event is via the "Horse Entry" gate on Cashmere Rd, just 50m from the corner of Kennedys Bush Rd. NOTE: this is NOT the main entrance to the Quarry. Access is via Glovers Rd in the west, Sutherlands Rd in the north or Cashmere Rd from the east.

    For any enquiries regarding the course please contact Rebekah and Craig on 03 980 9432 or 027 3134 908, or email mtbrace[at]paradise.net.nz.

    All other information on the University Games can be found on the official Uni Games website...

    www.universitysport.org.nz

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