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Heli Race Info

Fat Tyre Heli Bike race 4^th April

From the same people that bought you the Brake Burner, Fat Tyre Adventures has now launched Otago's first Heli bike race. The Fat Tyre guides spend most days riding around the hill in Central Otago and know the area well. This is the only time most riders will get to ride from the Dunstan Mountains and 1700m above sea level. With views as far as Mt Cook to the North and the Remarkables to the South West it will be hard to concentrate on the trail as you plunge to the lake below.

The Track.

5 min flight up to 1700m -13km to the valley below.

Fast 4x4 track, loose steep rocky sections some sheep track. A small amount of pedalling but all very rideable!! The Track starts with a gentle down ward slope then a few steep sections and gets steep and faster as you get nearer to the finish line amongst the vines at the finish line – a good time could be about 30min??? Some will say what's the rush as it is stunning up there.

Location

Northburn Station 'The Shed'- Wine house Cromwell Central Otago.

HOW YOU GET THERE

On the Cromwell Tarras Rd highway 8 3km north of the Cromwell Deadmans point bridge in the direction of Tarras. Please note that there is a big sign 'The Shed' on the highway this is the correct place.

Race Day

Registration 8.30am

Race briefing 9.45am

Race starts 10am

How it all works

The helicopters take six riders and their bikes at a time. There are purpose built bike racks that fit on each side of the helicopter.

There will be a bike loader that will load the bikes. The flight will be about 5mins flying up and over the course, landing at Mt Dunstan nay 1700m. Bike unloaders will take the bikes from the Helicopter.

You will then race down the mountain- the format will vary depending on the Category but you will be timed from the top and then when you pass the finish line at the vineyard at the bottom.

Categories.

We have decided to bust away from tradition as this is not your normal kind of race.

The categories will be divided into those that want to race and those that want to go on a cheap Heli bike.

For the racers the categories are all about how long the front suspension travel is. So it will be up to the rider to be the difference and not the bike

This will be about the riders. So we have a XC style, an All mountain and a DH category separated in definition by fork length. 

WHAT TO BRING

Mountain bike, helmet (compulsory item), spare tubes and tools, there may be spear grass and will be a kilometre or two of rock garden.

It is advisable to bring a windbreaker jacket, the top of the mountain will be about 10c colder than the valley.

Food and Drink

The Vineyard will have food and drink wine and beer available all day- I will have more info on this later.

Prize giving will be about 30min after the last racer is finished (the timing of this will be dependent on the entry numbers).

More Detailed info will be sent out to racers.