Quality field lines up for Enduro
It’s been a largely local turnout for this year’s Aorere Enduro event, but the riding has lived up to Nelson’s reputation for worldclass mountain biking.
A start list of 93 riders in men’s and women’s open, masters and under-21 categories lined up for the 2021 edition – as well as the first ever Gravity junior enduro event for riders between the ages of seven and 16.
Run by the Nelson Mountain Bike Club, the event has previously been an EWS Asia Pacific round and EWS Qualifier event.
Covid-19 postponed the planned EWS round until 2022, but this did not deter a strong local presence from providing a quality field that was matched by some testing terrain.
The Easter event also provided an opportunity to gain Enduro World Series qualifying points as well as NZ MTB Crown series points.
The Waahi Taakaro Golf Course in the Maitai Valley hosted the race village, with seven stages taking in some of the best trails Nelson has to offer, with practice and racing taking place over three days.
The first day of practice on Friday allowed riders to take a close look at Whaimana, the new Nelson trail that hasn’t been raced before but was an integral part of yesterday’s competition.
Despite rain throughout the week and into Saturday morning, the weather gods gave organisers a reprieve with morning rain clearing by the time riders set out around 1.30pm.
Saturday saw three stages take place – starting on the Fringed Hill and a trail named ‘‘Butters’’, in memory of the late Dr Bernard Simmonds, a club member who died while riding on the local Ka¯ ka¯ trail last year.
The subsequent stages took riders back to the Maitai Valley, with spectators having useful vantage points along the Smasher and Loam Ranger courses.
At the end of day one, local and EWS rider Brady Stone held the top spot in the open men’s section with a total time of 11 minutes 36.61 seconds, 14 seconds ahead of nearest competitor Cole Lucas.
Stone said it was good to be a part of the Aorere Enduro, having missed the 2019 event due to his involvement with the EWS overseas.
Although familiar with most of the trails used in the Aorere event, he said the Butters run in particular had provided a new challenge that was thoroughly enjoyed by participants.
‘‘That was pretty interesting and loose with everyone trying to get down the hill in one piece,’’ he said.
Stone was pleased with his own times and performance on the first three stages, despite a small mishap on the Smasher course which sent him down a bank but ultimately failed to halt his charge to the top.
‘‘That’s how it goes sometimes.’’
The familiar trio of Raewyn Morrison, Louise Kelly and Robin Goomes held the top positions in the women’s open category, while Jessica Blewitt held a comfortable overnight lead in the under-21 field.
Kurt Lancaster led the masters men field in a time of 13:08.30, while less than 0.8 sec separated first-placed Todd Ballance and third-placed Brynley King in the men’s under21 category.
Of the 49 junior riders tearing down the Turners and Hot Box and Mr Chomper trails, Oscar Slack took honours in the onestage event, Morgan Williams the two-stage event, while Aidan Robinson took out the three-stage category.
Day two of racing provided the sternest challenge to the field, with four stages closing out the event on Sunshine Ridge, Whaimana, Aorere and Matai Face trails.
Final results were to be determined late yesterday.