Support for new Grade 5 technical trail in Rotorua to be used in 2015 Enduro World Series event
Once again, Trail Fund distributed more than anticipated to keen mountain bike clubs around the country, who were thrilled to receive funding to help them further their goals.
“We had planned to only distribute one grant for $3,000 and two grants for $1,000 – but there were so many deserving projects that we decided to offer more,” says Trail Fund NZ chairperson Ben Wilde. “That’s why Trail Fund NZ continues to push our fundraising efforts – so that when the time comes, we can help great projects like this.”
This round’s recipients will be using the funding for a variety of projects – some in well-established mountain biking areas and others that are just getting off the ground.
Hawkes Bay Mountain Bike Club (HBMTBC) received $1,500 to purchase a motorised wheel barrow, which will help them continue to develop trails in Pan Pac Eskdale Mountain Bike Park. Located just a few minutes’ drive north of Napier, HBMTBC has already constructed more than 80km of trails over the past 20 years.
Makara Peak Mountain Bike Supporters received $1,500 to fund way finding signage throughout the park, a project which is already partially underway and has been discussed for years.
Mana Cycle Group is in the process of getting resource consent for up to 50km of mountainbiking singletrack in Rangatuhi Colonial Knob, which is on the western edge of Porirua City, and have so far been granted permission to build a 10km beginner track. To help get the project underway, Trail Fund gave the group $1,000 for trail tools.
Trail Fund NZ also gave $1,000 to Marlborough Mountain Bike Club to help fund Grade 2 and 3 level tracks on Victoria Domain in Picton.
Last but not least, Rotorua Mountain Bike Club received the $3,000 grant to help construct a new technical trail for Round 1 of the 2015 Enduro World Series, to be held in Rotorua. The Grade 5 trail will be hand-built by a small handpicked group of volunteers with experience building similar trails and an equally experienced professional trail building contractor.
After the race, the trail will be open to the public, leaving a lasting legacy from the event.
“This new Grade 5 trail shows the progression of trails in Rotorua that the club is driving,” says Rotorua Mountain Bike Club’s Rob Smail. “We’ve done a lot of work in the beginner and intermediate end of trails and this is a move to cater for the more elite riders – this way, everyone who comes to Rototua can have an awesome time on our trails.”