April 17, 2009
1 week to go – things to know
Merchandise:
Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures.
There are a limited number of jerseys and commemorative Pinot Noir wine left. Once these have gone we are unable to get anymore. To order, go to the merchandise page on our website now by clicking on this link. http://www.contactepic.co.nz/merchandise.html
If you ordered a Contact Epic shirt or bottle of wine you will be able to pick these up from registration the night before the race. Once you have registered take your number plate to the merchandise counter for pick up.
Meals:
No road is long with good company.-Turkish Proverb
These will be available online up until the night of Tuesday the 21st of April. These tickets can be collected from the registration booth. Unfortunately, to cover the costs of extra catering, if you purchase on the day of registration or the race there will be an extra $5.00 added to the price of the meal.
The Carbo-Loading Meal is held at the registration venue (Hawea Hotel), at the same time and is a fantastic opportunity to meet and catch up with fellow competitors.
The Post Race Meal will be available from mid afternoon on.
In both cases you are welcome to purchase for your supporters as well.
To order these meals now click on this link: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/141928512
Breakfast is also available for those early rises at the Hawea Hotel (03 443 1224) and Sailz Restaurant (03 443 1696) which is a short walking distance from the Hotel itself. Please phone to book.
Accommodation:
The life of man is a journey; a journey that must be traveled, however bad the roads or the accommodation.-Oliver Goldsmith
You may not have control over the road but you do have control over your accommodation! No point doing it hard the entire time!
For those still needing accommodation for the event, we have secured a deal with the exquisite lake front resort in Wanaka, Edgewater Resort. It houses its own restaurant and bar and is easy walking distance to the centre of town. Please mention you are a Contact Epic competitor at the time you make your reservation to receive the special rate. Look here to view the suites and discover its numerous facilities. www.edgewater.co.nz
You can make this reservation by phoning 0800 108 311. You won’t be disappointed!
There is also accommodation available at the conveniently located Hawea Hotel. There is a minimum of two nights booking. To secure please phone 0800 42 93 24. To view facilities and rooms go to, www.lakehawea.co.nz 0 42 90800 42 93 24 3 24
Registration:
If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.- Mark Twain (except your confirmations!)
Registration is compulsory. You will be unable to ride without picking up your number plate and reading the pre race briefing sheet the night prior to the race.
The registration will be held in the garden bar of the Hawea Hotel. (Beware the temptation!) Enter through the main entrance and turn left. You are able to register any time between 4 and 9 pm on Friday the 24th.
Racers Edge will have a small shop open at the registration for last minute equipment, Enervit nutrition and the latest gems in the Trek mountain bike range range.
In support of ANZAC Day the local Fire Brigade will be selling poppies at the registration for those who are interested. It would be great for everyone to ride with a poppy on their shirt or bike in honour of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Lest we Forget.
Race Start:
When a man has put a limit on what he will do, he has put a limit on what he can do.- Charles M. Schwab
If you are in the Classic and require transportation to the start line from the Hotel please phone the company below as they are providing this. Please also be sure to note the time of departure will be 5.30 from the Hawea Hotel.
Alpine Coachlines, 17-23 Dunmore Street, Wanaka, New Zealand
Freephone (NZ only) 0800 SKI WANAKA (0800 754926)
Tel +64 (0)3 443 7966 Fax +64 (0)3 443 7033
Email info@good-sports.co.nz
Supporters who are coming for the start of the race at Kidds Bush will need to either leave there before 7.30 or stay until after 9 at least, as this is also the route for the Epic competitors and we are trying to limit the vehicles on this section of road. Your assistance in this respect would be most appreciated.
The Epic start will involve a short 15 min ANZAC Dawn ceremony organised by the local RSA at 7.00am. Competitors will need to be at the start line at 6.45 to be in time for this and not disrupt proceedings. Please be on time and considerate of others who will be attending the service only.
Please make sure you have a light on your bike as it will be dark at this time and you will have to ride on an open road to get from the Hotel to the start line.
Tea and Scones:
The bicycle is the most efficient machine ever created: Converting calories into gas, a bicycle gets the equivalent of three thousand miles per gallon.- Bill Strickland
For those of you new to the Contact Epic, YES, it is true. The Dingle Burn Station Owners put on tea and scones for competitors just over 2/3 of the way through the race. It proved to be the most appreciated café for miles!! All they ask is if you think you might like to partake could you please have a gold coin donation “up your sleeve” for their children who require a number of extra items due to the necessity of being schooled via correspondence. A great way to support our local, rural children and get some energy back into the body for the last leg home.
Food and Gear Preparation:
Failing to prepare is preparing to fail!
One thing we can’t guarantee is that you will get wet and it will be cold but if I was a betting man I would say the odds are good in these parts. Please remember that you will be a long way from home. We had some very resilient people last year take on this challenge with very few injuries or issues. We would love the same this year.
A big part of this event for us is moving away from wrapping competitors in cotton wool. We believe you will be a lot safer by accepting responsibility for yourself, your bike and dealing with the issues that come from being out in the hills when you break a chain and face a 4 hour walk back or when a cold southerly starts snowing on you.
So please help us to keep the red tape as thin as practical by being as prepared as possible for the worst case scenarios. See our recommended gear list and race rules. We have provided a weather link so you can see what the weather is doing and make the appropriate decisions.
Think: Weather/Injury/Bike failure/Fuel for the legs.
Weather:
The trouble with weather forecasting is that it’s right too often for us to ignore it and wrong too often for us to rely on it. ~Patrick Young
It is best you check the weather a night or two before the race so you can pack appropriately. If you don’t have a preferred site try this one, http://metservice.com/public/maps/rain-forecast-3-day.html
Please note you are in a remote and mountainous area. The weather can be extremely changeable and is often different from neighbouring towns like Queenstown.
Prize giving:
I read the sports page of a newspaper first as it records people’s accomplishments; the front page has nothing but man’s failures.
Prize giving will be held at 5.30 on the day of the race in the garden bar of the Hawea Hotel (so you don’t need to move your poor legs any further). We know you will all be cold and tired (bring extra layers) so we will keep things moving as quickly as possible. We will acknowledge our sponsors, present cheques to our volunteer community groups then deal with the merit winners and spot prizes last.
This year we will have a Beauty or the Bag system for spot prizes. There will be 5 models dressed in MTB gear from head to toe. When your number is read out you get to select the Beauty or the Bag. If you choose the Beauty you select one item off one of the models until they have nothing left. (or as close as public decency allows!) If you select Bag you choose a lucky dip envelope that contains an unknown spot prize. These will all be displayed on our prize tables so be sure to check and see which of these are your pick during the day! A good mix of choice and luck. Remember our major spot prize is the TREK 6500 Mountain Bike valued at over $2000.
Supporters:
The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team. John Wooden.
The local community is holding a Market Day from around 11 am on the day of the race. It will be situated just up the road from the finish line, next to Sailz Restaurant and will have a range of local art and craft on sale.
There will also be ODT newspapers available free of charge to keep everyone up to date on the latest news.
Global Biking:
Global biking is a new website that connects mountain bikers from around the globe. It is an easy way to be better informed about what other countries have to offer (as well as being able to skite about our own great land of course!) and to converse with others who share the same passion.
Link onto www.globalmountainbiker.com
Withdrawals:
A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.
If you are unable to make the race for any reason we would greatly appreciate an e-mail. This just makes a number of organizational jobs on the day a lot smoother. Hopefully we will see you in 2010 if that is the case.
If you are heading off on holiday could you please check our website along the way. We will be posting all news and information on the Latest News section.
Up to date information will also be on Radio Wanaka the week prior to the race so tune your radios to 92.2 (or 94.6) in Wanaka or 99.1 in Cromwell. Cancellations and any changes will be announced on that station.
We will be checking our e-mails up until midmorning on the Friday before the race.
Good luck with the final preparation and remember:
The reward for those who persevere,
far exceeds the pain that must precede
the victory
Category: Latest News
Tags: 2009
Leave a comment