We would love for you to share your experiences on our Facebook page. If you are interested in becoming a friend of Contact Epic or just want to read what others have said please click on the link below : If you want us to post your comments on Facebook alongside a photo of you enroute just send us the excerpt and we will post for you. We have heard some humorous and heart-warming stories that I know others would love to read about.

www.facebook.com/profile.
Fortitude:
We only had four injuries that needed medical attention and only 6 people pulled out of the race and did not finish. This is testament to the fact that this event attracts a tougher, dedicated and experienced group of riders who know how to handle themselves and the conditions. We really hope this continues. We had some very cold people cross the line in the first one and half hours with only the shirt on their back. Clearly they are capable of suffering more than the average, but some were getting close to boarder line. But I suppose its all part of the adventure. I think next year we’ll go back to the warm sunny days that we are used to.

Course record:
The course record now belongs to Epic rider Tim Wilding of Wellington in a fraction over 5 hours. In our inaugural year Marcus Roy came home in 4.45 but the course was slightly shorter that year, so for a full course record this is it. Maybe Tim will return and try to crack the 5 hour mark, Marcus will make a come back to regain his crown or last year winner Brent Miller will look for another top podium spot in 2011? I suppose only time will tell.

The podium in the classic this year was completely dominated by Otago and Southland, riders which was great to see. However in the Epic, Taupo, Wellington, Christchurch and New Plymouth all made their present felt come merit prize time, so well done to you guys and gals that made the effort south to take care of business.
Fundraising:
Another reason to be proud of your efforts on the day is that each and every km you rode, whether you completed it or not, earned one dollar that Contact Energy donated towards the building of a new community centre in Lake Hawea.

Money raised during the event when to:

-$65 000.00 to the new Lake Hawea Community Centre.

-$1400 you all donated for the tea and scones will be going to the education of local children. The Mead and Dickson family have given $400 to the Tarras and Hawea Schools while the $1000 left will be used for the correspondence school their    children attend.

 -$4000 was donated by Contact to the various volunteer community groups that helped during the race.

 -$700 was earned by the local basketball team who made the bacon butties at the finish line.

 -$310 total of donations made to the Upper Clutha Tracks Trust from the entries on line.

In total over $70 000.00 was raised from this event which is a very pleasing outcome for all concerned.

Cycle shirts:
For those still wanting to purchase cycling shirts ($119.00) or caps ($29.00) we have some available. Just drop an e-mail to www.info@contactepic.co.nz and you can direct credit payment or post a cheque.

Of course if you just want a car sticker then let us know and we will post out to you! You are part of a hardy and adventurous group of athletes; it is something to be proud of.

Sponsors:
I know you have heard it all before but the event can only run with the support of our sponsors, including our naming rights sponsor, Contact and our gold sponsors Radio Wanaka, Infinity Investments and Edgewater Resort, plus the numerous product sponsors that provided the very good spot prizes a lot of you won on the day.

A thank you and support of these brands can go a long way, so remember to support those who support you and your sport.

Lost property was at a minimum this year—I think most people wore everything they had! We do have one polar fleece, one sleeveless jacket and two pair of gloves. Please get back to us with a description as soon as you can if you believe these may be yours. Also lost along the way were a pair of glasses at the Hunter River and an orange marmot jacket. Both of these competitors would love these returned, so if you have them just contact us and we will connect you.

The next Contact Epic is booked in for April 16 so as to avoid the double ups of Easter. Book in early and remind colleagues/friends that the cut off date is mid March so they will have to get onto it. For all those who book before January 31, we guarantee the same price as this year. We also have a new multisport event in the pipeline for the end of the year that is aimed more at teams. We will keep you up to date via this e-mail address.

Free photos are available from www.studio5.co.nz Just click on this link or go to the site and scroll through to find a photo of you that you want. Remember the photo number then go to the contact page and tell Garrick Cameron our superb photographer your email address, the photo number and he’ll send you a copy, just like that, all thanks to Contact.

Feedback and debriefing is important for any race. We would love to hear what your views are of the race. Please share with us your impression of the event, what you found worked and what suggestions you have for the future races. All those who return the survey to us before the end of June will go in the draw to win a $50.00 voucher to Lone Star restaurant.

Survey link: http://www.lakehaweaepic.co.nz/survey2010/

Thanks again to everyone for your effort, good humour and camaraderie, it all makes for a great day out. Thanks also to those of you who entered into spirit of the race and assisted others along the way.
See you next year: 16 April 2011.

From the LMS Events Team

See you all again in 2011 with a new goal, PB, course or just a ride to the local Dingle Burn Cafe for a scone.

• There is no diviation off the Main Highway for the Epic riders this year, so its straight ahead, staying on the tarmac until you hit the Kidds Bush turn off.

• We will not have an Aid Station at Kidds Bush this year but we will have bananas and Enervit Sports drink etc at the other two Aid Stations.

Transponders:

This year we are trialing the use of transponders. Sports timing NZ will be supplying the units and will be responsible for the timing. We will upload results to our web site every half hour as we have done previously and you will be able to check your result at the Hawea Hotel via two new Mac monitors linked to the web site.

The Transponders will be attached to your ankle via and velcro strap, quick and easy!

Merchandise:

There are still some cycling shirts available, but we have limited numbers in each size. Go on line to www.contactepic.co.nz to order and pay for yours. We will also have sports caps available on the day for purchase.

Registration:

Please note that registration is held at the Hawea Hotel the night before the race (Friday) and will be between 4 and 9. We are unable to register anyone on the day.

The first 50 competitors to register will receive a FREE sample of a locally produced product SWEET CHEEKS, a butt butter that has proven results in reducing chamois friction for riders. This will also be available for sale at the Racers Edge shop on the night along with ENERVIT supplements and nutritional race products.

Prizegiving:

Prizegiving will be held on the day in the garden bar of the Hawea Hotel at approximately 5.30. Once the sun goes down it can get cold quickly so be sure to bring warm clothing.

Please note you must be in attendance to receive spot prizes. Our prize giving is unique in that the majority of the prizes are worn by our 5 models and you are permitted to select your own prize by removing items.

This year you will be given a Contact Epic sticker to put on you vehicles. The first person to select any prize (except the Trek bike) will be the person whose car registration plate we read out that has a Contact Epic car sticker on the back windscreen. These stickers will be given out at registration and are available on the day.

Make sure you are in to win, You can pick anything from a Giro cycle helmet, Mountain Hardwear Epic rain Jacket, A 12000 ft Sky Dive over Lake Wanaka or even a new Geax tyre for your trusty stead and the list goes on.

Tea and Scones:

For those new to the event, the Dingle Burn Station owners’ grandchildren run at tea and scones stop about two thirds of the way around the track by the wool shed on the Dingle Burn Station. For a donation to their correspondence schooling they will provide you with much needed and earned sustenance in what would have to be NZ’s most unique and remote café!! So put some cash in your back pocket and remember paper is lighter than metal!
 

Meals:

A pre-race pasta meal is available for just $16 at the Hawea Hotel over the time of registration. We will take orders for the meal up until Tuesday April 20 (tomorrow). Your order can be made online www.contactepic.co.nz with visa payment or you can just send us a note with cash or cheque prior to this day. It is great value and a great way to meet other competitors. There will be a limited number of meals sold on the night for an increased cost ($21).

There will be a buffet, including dessert, at the Hotel on race day. This will cost $25 and will start at approximately 3pm. Should you want this, you pay as you go on the day. No preorders needed.

An early morning breakfast is available at the Hawea Hotel on the morning as well as at the Sailz Restaurant just up from the Hotel. Bookings are recommended for the Sailz breakfast and you can do so on 03 443 1696.

Plate for a plate at the Lone Star!

On the Sunday after the race, from 5 pm, Lone Star are offering a free entrée with main to any Contact Epic competitor that brings along their bike plate as evidence of entering NZ’s Ultimate MTB Challenge. There will be other rider-only specials on the day as well.
 

Listen to Radio Wanaka:

Radio Wanaka, 92.2 FM is the official radio station for the Contact Epic and will be the first informed of any changes or updates to the race. So tune in and Mr Ed will talk you through everything you need to know.

Transportation to the Classic Start:

For those of you doing the Classic leg of the race, a bus service is available for you and your bike from the Hawea Hotel to the start line at Kidds Bush. You can get all information regarding this and book your seat on line now at www.alpinecoachlines.co.nz. Please note there will be NO official transport back to the Kidds Bush at the end of the race.

Withdrawals:

If you are unable to attend for any reason we would appreciate being informed. This just keeps our systems and organisation tight and current. Just an e-mail, text or phone call to with your name and category would be much appreciated.
www.info@contactepic.co.nz or 027 4595106

Supporter entertainment:

Destination Hawea have a number of events on the day for supporters.
Village Market Day
Saturday 24th April 10am – 2pm
Beside Sailz in Lake Hawea
 

Art @ The Nook
An exhibition by local painters, potters, wool craft artists
Also the last weekend of the famous Nook Road plant sale
Saturday 24th April 10am – 4pm
Sunday 25th April 1pm – 4pm
At Nook Road Nursery
www.nookroadnursery.co.nz for details
Maps available from Lake Hawea Motors & Sailz
Supporting the new Lake Hawea playground equipment for the under 3s
Remember our race is about self responsibility, So keep an eye on the local weather so you can plan your trip and the gear you need to get the job done. Weather Link Cllick Here and Here 

Get yourself to the start line with the right gear, make it to the finish with your bike in tack, then give yourself a big pat on the back for taking on one of the longest and most demanding, single day mountain bike rides in the country. Whether you are going hard out and finish in 5 hours or cruising around the course in 12 taking in the scenery, we look forward to sharing this inspiring part of the country with you.

The LMS Team
LMS Events
Wanaka

Challenge – Inspire – Believe – Achieve

Welcomes competitors & support crew participating in the Contact Epic

We would like to invite you to:

Village Market Day

Saturday 24^th April 10am – 2pm

Beside Sailz in Lake Hawea

Art @ The Nook

An exhibition by local painters, potters, wool craft artists

Also the last weekend of the famous Nook Road plant sale

Saturday 24^th April 10am – 4pm

Sunday 25^th April 1pm – 4pm

At Nook Road Nursery

www.nookroadnursery.co.nz for details

Maps available from Lake Hawea Motors & Sailz

Supporting the new playground equipment for the under 3s

Why can’t you do this ??

Unfortunately we have ordered the medals and completed our databases. The databases are sent off for the production of race number plates, to create  the results data that has to be placed onto software before the day as well as the most important databases for emergency contacts and medical information. We do not what to chop and change this continuously as we would if we accepted late entries etc.

It is far more financially beneficial for us to accept late entries, but with safety being paramount and the race being so remote we need to leave databases as they are. Should any accident occur we need to be sure in our eyes, as well as those of the law, that we have done everything we can to ensure the information we have is accurate and up to date.

We apologise for the disappointment of some. Please be assured we closed off entries as late as possible.

Please read the information below and be sure to note anything relevant to you.

Merchandise

There are still some cycling shirts available, but we have limited numbers in each size. Go on line to www.contactepic.co.nz to order and pay for yours. If you have already purchased one these will be available for you to collect at registration. We will also have sports caps available on the day for purchase.

Meal

A pre-race pasta meal is available for just $16 at the Hawea Hotel over the time of registration. We will take orders for the meal up until April 19. Your order can be made online with visa payment or you can just send us a note with cash or cheque prior to this day. It is great value and a great way to meet other competitors.

There will be a buffet including dessert at the Hotel on race day. This will cost $25 and will start at approximately 3pm. Should you want this, you pay as you go on the day. No preorders needed.

Transportation to the Classic Start

For those of you doing the Classic leg of the race, a bus service is available for you and your bike from the Hawea Hotel to the start line at Kidds Bush. You can get all information regarding this and book your seat on line now at www.alpinecoachlines.co.nz. Please note there will be NO official transport back to the Kidds Bush at the end of the race.

Tea and Scones

For those new to the event, the Dingle Burn Station owners’ grandchildren run at tea and scones stop about two thirds of the way around the track by the wool shed on the Dingle Burn Station. For a donation to their correspondence schooling they will provide you with much needed and earned sustenance in what would have to be NZ’s most unique and remote café!! So put some cash in your back pocket and remember paper is lighter than metal!

Withdrawals

If you are unable to attend for any reason we would appreciate being informed. This just keeps our systems and organisation tight and current. Just an e-mail, text or phone call to with your name and category would be much appreciated.

www.info@contactepic.co.nz or 027 4595106

Registration

Please note that registration is held at the Hawea Hotel the night before the race (Friday) and will be between 4 and 9. We are unable to register anyone on the day.

Route Change

For those of you doing the Epic leg of the race (125km) please note that you will remain on the road the entire way to Kidds Bush. We will not include the deviation route that we did last year.

Accommodation

There are still a couple of rooms left at Hawea Hotel. If you wish to secure these you will need to say you are entered into the Contact Epic. The phone number there is 034431224.

Once entries close, you still have 3 1/2 weeks left of training or tapering or carbo-loading, what ever takes your fancy.

You all have about 12 hours to complete the course so its a big slow day out or a fast exhausting one, either way you can choose.

Good luck and keep the rubber on the road.

LMS Team

Remember…..10 days to go until entries close!!!! Get entered now!! This is

your only chance this year to race the Lake Hawea circuit.

The order for the Contact Epic cycling shirts is going into Tineli at the end of the week. Don’t miss out! Go to the merchandise section of the website or follow this link http://www.contactepic.co.nz/merchandise.html . Please check sizing as they tend to be on the smaller size as opposed to the larger.

Classic transportation to the start line is available again this year.

Those of you doing the Classic leg of the race a bus service is available from the Hawea Hotel to the start line at Kidds Bush. You can get all information regarding this and book your seat on line now at www.alpinecoachlines.co.nz. Please note there will be  NO official transport back to the start line at the end of the race.

Only 2 weeks until entries close!!

No late entries so get those mates who were wondering to get online and enter now!

www.contactepic.co.nz

For those from Wanaka…there is a training ride every Tuesday departing from Proactive Gym at 5.30. Each ride will be led by a different person, one that has undertaken the event and can give you any hints if that is what you want. For those of you already well underway this is a great strength training session or just a chance to meet some new people.

Course:
For those brave souls who did the Epic course (125 km) last year, we are changing the deviation below the Hawea Look Out back to the original route. So there will be NO deviation this year, stick to the road and get that all done and dusted as you warm up for the 4×4 tracks that start at Mead Road.  For the Classic riders there’s no change for you.

Aid Stations:
There will only be two Aid Stations this year. The one at Kidds Bush for the Epic riders will be removed as it only 40-60 mins from the start and we think it better to put the electrolites, bananas etc well into the course when it really is needed. This way there will be some more product at Green Bush and Dingle Burn Aid Stations.

Remember there will be a bike mechanic as ‘tail end charlie’ for both courses and at the two aforementioned Aid Stations.

Training:
Pro Active Gym in Wanaka have set up an 8 week training programme for preparation for the race. If you need some structure or help with your training then check it out at contactepic.co.nz/hints.html or you can find the link to the programme on our home page just under the photos. You local riders can pop in and see them at the gym if you want any advice, they’re keen to help anyone who needs it.

There is also a bunch ride on Tuesdays after work at 5.30pm, start at the Gymfor those who are interested. It will be for a 1.5 hrs max and is open to all abilities. The rides will be headed by some people very familiar with the race, the course, mtbing and can offer some advice on anything you may need to know. It will last for 7 more weeks leading up to race day.  Generally it will be a strength day (that means a few hills).  So if you’re are keen to hook up with some different people or a change of scenery then come along and check it out.

There are also other handy hints on the Contact Epic website from our local MTBing gurus on the course, your bike and the very important aspect of nutrition. It’s a big day out so you have get the right amount and type of fuel in the tank to be at your best. If you are just cruising around then it doesn’t matter as much but you’ll enjoy the ride a lot more if you have got the nutrition side of it sorted.

Guests:
Steve Gurney is coming back again this year but he wants to ride a tandem around the loop. I think at this stage we have two tandem entries so he’ll have someone else to race.

The international flavor is again present with entries from Aussie, Singapore and America.

Entries:
Remember entries close on the 31st of March 2010 so enter now to avoid disappointment in case you forget.
 
This year you can donate to the Upper Clutha Tracks Trust, which is a group of very keen people who build biking and walking tracks all around Wanaka and the Upper Clutha. They do a great job and with your support they can continue to build tracks that keep bikes and walkers alike off the roads and in the hills where they are meant to be.

A donation is possible by adding an amount where you enter on line: to enter go to www.contactepic.co.nz/entry.html

“For the rich there is psychiatry, for the rest of us there is mounting biking”

Keep safe out there and we will see you on the start line soon.

Cheers

The LMS Events Team