2024 ITINERARY
THE ‘TOP OF THE SOUTH’ ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND – TE TAU IHU
YOU’LL EARN YOUR TURNS, BUT WE WON’T HOLD BACK ON THE UPLIFTS
IF THERE’S A ROAD, WE’LL SHUTTLE IT
WHEN THAT ROAD GETS ROUGH & STEEP, WE’LL TAKE THE 4X4
WHERE THERE’S NO ROAD AT ALL, WE’LL JUMP IN OUR HELICOPTERS
AND WHEN THERE’S NOTHING BUT WATER…
…WE’LL CALL IN THE SEA SHUTTLES
AN EPIC ROUTE SANDWICHED BETWEEN 3 NATIONAL PARKS, TAKING IN BOTH HISTORIC TRACKS AND IMBA GOLD-LEVEL MTB TRAILS
IN SIMPLE TERMS, YES, ITS AN UPLIFT-ASSISTED ENDURO RACE. 4 TO 6 GRAVITY-BIASED RACE STAGES PER DAY, CONNECTED BY SCENIC BACKCOUNTRY LIAISONS AND SHUTTLED UPLIFTS USING 4X4, HELICOPTER & BOAT. VISITING A DIFFERENT CORNER OF THE REGION EACH DAY, FROM THREE DIFFERENT BASECAMPS. THE WINNER IS THE SHORTEST TOTAL CUMULATIVE TIME, ADDED ACROSS ALL STAGES IN THE WEEK (EXCLUDING THE LIAISONS).
WAIROA GORGE
DAY 2
GOLDEN BAY
DAY 3
CABLE BAY
DAY 4
COPPER MINE
DAY 5
MARL-
BOROUGH
DAY 6
NELSON
CITY
DAY 1 | THE WAIROA GORGE
4X4 SHUTTLES. ALL. DAY. LONG.
A DEEP, RUGGED VALLEY PURCHASED BACK IN THE 90’S BY A SECRETIVE BILLIONAIRE, TO CREATE A BIKE PARK FOR HIS OWN PRIVATE USE
HAND-BUILT BY A TRAIL CREW PICKED-OUT FROM AMONGST WORLD’S BEST
RECENTLY GIFTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION & MANAGED BY NELSON MTB CLUB. (SWEET AS, BRU)
THIS IS NO FAIRY-TALE, JUST 72KM OF EXQUISITELY CRAFTED BEECH-FORESTED GOODNESS
MANAGED BY NELSON MTB CLUB FOR THE BEST MOUNTAIN BIKE RACES ON THE SOUTH ISLAND
DAY 2 | GOLDEN BAY
REGULAR SHUTTLES + SOME PEDALLING
HISTORIC PACK-TRACKS FILLED WITH GIANT FERNS, INQUISITIVE BIRDLIFE & WARP-SPEED SINGLETRACK
RIDE THROUGH TO THE BEACH, TYRES IN THE SAND & BEER IN HAND, AT THE GATEWAY TO THE ABEL TASMAN NATIONAL PARK
DAY 3 | CABLE BAY
ARRIVE BY BOAT THEN JUMP IN THE 4X4
ON A FLEET CHARTERED ESPECIALLY FOR THE NZ RALLY. MOST LIKELY, ACCOMPANIED BY STINGRAYS & DOLPHINS
1 HOUR ON THE WATER THEN IT’S BUCKLE UP, SHUTTLE UP, AND RIP INTO MILES OF HAND-CUT, JANKY, JURRASIC-STYLE SINGLETRACK IN THIS COASTAL PARADISE LOCATION
DAY 4 | COPPERMINE
HELI-DROP & 4X4 SHUTTLES
MINERAL MINING HERE IN THE 1800s HAS LEFT A UNIQUELY BARE, RED-STAINED, RUGGED MOONSCAPE. MULTIPLE PACK-TRAILS RUN THROUGH IT THAT HAVE SINCE BEEN PERFECTLY ADAPTED FOR YOUR RIDING PLEASURE
A TERRAIN THAT FEELS STRANGELY ALPINE YET BARELY 1000M ABOVE SEA LEVEL. STILL, 1 KM OF VERT DOWN TO THE BEACH, THEN MORE SHUTTLES? THAT’LL DO NICELY
DAY 5
MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS
HELI-DROP & 4X4 SHUTTLES
AZURE WATERS, WHITE SAND, DOLPHINS & RAYS. GREEN PEAKS RISE FROM SHELTERED BAYS
A DENSE NETWORK OF ANCIENT NATIVE FOREST THICK WITH BRIGHT GREEN MOSS, THREADED WITH HISTORIC MINING & HUNTING TRAILS
DAY 6 | NELSON CITY
DID WE SAVE THE BEST TILL LAST?
AN IMBA CERTIFIED GOLD-LEVEL RIDE CENTRE (ONE OF ONLY 6 WORLDWIDE)
NATIVE BEECH & PINE FORESTS WITH BOTH RAW & TECHY, AND FAST & FLOWY TRAILS RUNNING FROM THE MOUNTAINS BEHIND, RIGHT THROUGH TO THE BEACH
NELSON WAS CONFIRMED TO HOST THE EWS IN 2021 BUT COVID TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FORCED CANCELATION. 2024 IS NELSON’S TIME TO SHINE
DAY 6+ | AFTER PARTY
TIME TO RELIVE THE ADVENTURE & SHARE TALES OF STOKE, SKETCHY MOMENTS & HERO LINE CHOICES. AND TO EXCHANGE CONTACT DETAILS, BECAUSE YOU’LL SURELY BE SEEING ALL THESE NEW MATES OF YOURS AGAIN, SOON.
TIME TO RELIVE THE ADVENTURE OF YOUR ENDURO RIDES & SHARE…
