Crazy about Karapoti
Michael Jacques / 04.03.2004
Wellington’s summer that never happened has failed to dampen the enthusiasm for New Zealand’s favourite mountain bike race. Raced over a gruelling 50km course deep within Upper Hutt’s Akatarawa Ranges, the Karapoti Classic is New Zealand’s longest running mtb event.
For 19 years the motto has been “We race rain, hail or shine,†and despite the classic course being scoured badly by recent flooding this Sunday will be no exception. With help from the Upper Hutt City Council and Wellington Regional Council, organisers have ensured that Australasia’s most renowned mountain bike event lives up to its motto.
Riders of all abilities will gear up for 50km of 4WD trails, gnarly single track, wheel sucking sludge, raging river crossings and wall-to-wall wilderness. Among them are some of the world’s best mountain bikers. This year’s highlight is an entry from Australia’s two-time world junior champion Lisa Mathison, who will line up as favourite for the women’s race.
It’s the women’s race that takes top billing for the 19th Giant Bicycles Karapoti Classic. Challenging Mathison – who recently won the Oceania senior title in Rotorua – will be Swiss pros Sandy Kunz and Miriam Saugy, top Canadians Heather King and Emily Miazga, and in form Kiwis Robyn Wong and Sonia Foote.
Mathison is fresh off her Oceania victory while Miazga was recently third in the Coast to Coast multisport race. Kunz is a former Swiss champion. while Saugy specialises in gruelling endurance races such as Karapoti. But it is the Kiwis Wong and Foote who could challenge the world champion closest. Wong – who is Wellington’s top female rider – and Foote are fresh off taking out the top two placings in the New Zealand series, and with crucial Karapoti course knowledge in their favour could be the biggest challengers to Mathison.
The men’s sees Australian Olympic squad member Peter Hatton taking on defending champion Tim Vincent, national series runner up Michael Northcott, New Zealand number four Mark Leishman, Levin’s in form Jason Clement and Australian number five Tim Bennett. Vincent won Karapoti in 2001 and 2003 and Clement is the junior record holder on the course, so their combined course experience might also be too much for the Australians.
Behind these rock stars of mountain biking organisers have attracted a full field of 1000 riders. As well as being New Zealand’s premier mountain bike race, Karapoti is also the sport’s biggest cultural gathering and among the competitors will be 62-year-old Upper Hutt doctor Alistair Rhodes, who has ridden all 19 events and the Minister of Sport, Trevor Mallard.
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