Wellington MTBO Series Starts 27 April

The first half of the Wellington MTBO year is firming up, with the choice of the first three venues. Later events are less clear due to travel plans by pioneers Brent Hoy and Michael Wood, but offers to shoulder some of the organising are rolling in. It is unclear as yet where or whether there will be a NZ Champs this year.

The series this year will be broken in two by a two-day Wellington Championship at Wairarapa's Ngaumu Forest, scene of last year's NZ Champs, but it will use some new territory which was unavailable last year due to logging. The dates will be June 29/30.

The first series event will be at Tunnel Gully north of Upper Hutt on 27 April, and the second on 25 May at Waitarere (subject to logging). At both of these events there will be a mapreading training session immediately prior so that new bikers can gain skills from the old hands. The details are:

• 27 April Tunnel Gully, signposted from Te Marua Dairy just north of Upper Hutt. Real tunnel (old Rimutaka railway), forest roads, some single track, medium steepness, native bush and pine forest, scenic picnic area with toilets.
• 25 May Waitarere (subject to logging), signposted from Waitarere village north of Levin. Network of forest roads and lots of single track on flat coastal sand-dunes in plantation forest.
• Mapreading Training 11:30-12 Registration 12-1 Starts 1-2
• Entry $15 adult $10 junior, $5 discount orienteering club members
• Enquiries Michael Wood Ph 04 566 2645.

These dates are "last Saturday of the month" for easy memorising, and it is hoped that the region's other clubs will be able to complete the series in July and August. Already-made maps to MTBO standards which could be used are St Pats Forest, Whitby and Makara Peak. All of the Hutt Valley urban area is in the computer, and would be suitable for a score-type event with a fixed time limit. Plus other areas that have been talked about from time to time.

Written by Michael Wood and installed on 19 Mar 02, updated 24 Mar 02.