...will be in Durango in Colorado - one of the USA's great mountain biking venues - on September 19.
They won the right to host the event after a tense evening of 10-pin bowling and Pacman versus representatives from Paris in France and Rotorua in New Zealand (thanks Fuzzy from NINER!) at the 2008 Worlds in Napa in California...
Registrations closed early in January but the Rotorua Singlespeed Society scored a couple of places and will be represented by Vicki Butterworth of Hawkes Bay and John McCartney of Queenstpwn.
Same race, same tattoo, same beer...
different country...
The New Zealand Singlespeed Championships is moving to the Mainland - the 2010 event will be in Queenstown (Rotorua of the south) next Anzac Weekend.
QMTBC and RSSS member Carey Vivian first expressed interest even before the 1st event in 2008. He's a persistent bugger so we thought we'd let him have a go!
There is plenty of time to plan your trip and score a cheap airfare.
The champs will return to Rotorua on Anzac Weekend, 2011 and our generous sponsor, Gregg Brown from the Pig & Whistle, has already expressed support when they do.
At this stage the RSSS are planning to have a cruisy event - poker run and/or group ride with a few beers at the Pig afterwards - early in 2010, and hopes to help send riders to Queenstown.
Stay tuned...
...1 CHAMPION... in fact two at the
2009 PIG & WHISTLE NEW ZEALAND SINGLESPEED CHAMPS
IN ASSOCIATION WITH SPEIGHTS SUMMIT...
aka The Rest of the Worlds 2009...
Anzac Weekend April 24-26...
Top XC racers, Tim Wilding and Annika Smail took out the Men's and Women's categories.
For Annika it was her second champs victory in a row, after winning the debut event in 2008.
Over 200 riders contested a tough but fun four laps on a 9-ish kilometre course on a cool Anzac Day in Rotorua.
The race started with a 500 metre run to the village where the big spectator crowd had been busy re-arranging the bikes!
There were a few rain showers but the course through Yellow Brick, up Sandy Skid then Pondy New and the end of Rollercoaster before finishing on Old Chevy, was in perfect condition. Dry, fast and firm.
Great work by course designer, Marcus Diprose, for finding the right balance for the top riders and those who were there for fun.
Speights Summit was consumed and a good time was had by all.
Earlier on Saturday morning, as riders gathered for scrutineering outside the Pig, it was apparent that wearing a costume and pimping the bike was the theme of the day. Some riders in lycra were even cunningly disguised as cross country racers.
The whole Bike Vegas team turned up as court jesters. Mark Cabin Leishman and Nic Leary arrived as matching bananas in pyjamas. Highly respected local district councillor, Dave Donaldson was William Wallace, in blue face and a disturbingly short kilt.
But the winner of over $800 worth of swag from Bike Vegas was Vicki Butterworth, dressed in Sunday best coat and high heels, on a very old commuter bike with a picnic basket on the front.
Superb.
Big thanks to all the sponsors (on the right).
AUGUST 2008: Garth and Annika both raced at the 2008 Worlds in Napa in August. Annika was an outstanding 2nd in the Women's race and 39th overall. Garth was 16th in a very strong Men's field on a brutal, rocky course.
The first three in Men's were top US pros, Decker, Weir and Wicks...
The full story was in New Zealand Mountain Biker.
Photo: The End - Garth and Annika show the effects of a dusty course. Temperatures were in the high 30s...
On Anzac Weekend, April, 2008
Rotorua pub, the Pig & Whistle
in association with Speights and some other great sponsors
and the Rotorua Singlespeed Society
presented...
The First New Zealand Singlespeed Championship
Whakarewarewa Forest...
One Man and One Woman WERE ritually tattoo'd as a punishment for winning. Congratulations to Rotorua riders, Garth Weinberg and Annika Smail, for fantastic racing on a very tough course.
Garth really pulled out all the stops to beat top XC and multisport racer, Cabin Leishman (in full beige body suit).
Our town is a great place to visit.
However, there are always some dos and don'ts to make your stay safer and more enjoyable.
Event & Venues is part of the Rotorua District Council. They've published a flyer giving you some key information about all this.
You can download it...
