The New Mt Kahuranaki Leg

Ricko took a couple of mates to check out the proposed course on Kahuranaki Station and is very impressed and excited about how good the track is. The chaps who joined Ricko for the ride thought it was awesome.

"We checked out the possible routes on Kahuranaki, but not the link section as there is tree felling in operation at present, which highlights that these areas should not be ridden or run, pre event unless you are with the event directors.

You will be on farm tracks all the way up and down, some of them not often used. It is likely that there will be only a maximum of 400m use of the gravel road in this new version of the Kahuranaki leg. Starting out fairly gently on the farm tracks, and then pitching steeper near the top. All runnable if you are strong but quite doable for the rest of us. Some mountain bikers may have to carry their bike at the very top, but most of the uphill is very pleasant riding!

The top will necessitate stopping and looking around – just the best. You will see where you have been and where you are going to go as well as stunning vista in 360 degrees. Well worth taking your camera out of its water proof bag.

The down hill leg is fast and very exciting with far fewer little limestone boulders than I imagined. Learn to run fast downhill and this will be nothing short of a blast. The best way I have found to run downhill is with short steps and a fast cadence; long strides will kill the legs for when you get to the flatter stuff. The mountain bikers will just love it.

Suitable practice on Te Mata Peak would be the tracks from the tanks carpark to the Main gates carpark underneath the Peak House (walking and riding track). For out out of towners something like Mt Maunganui at full noise or some of the steeper tracks on Mt Vic in Wellington. For the riders keeping off the front brake as much as possible and saddle down a bit. So much fun!"

We would like to thank the landowner, Martin A'Court, for kindly allowing us access to this remarkable piece of private land. Thank you!

Cheers

Ricko