Lower Hutt mountain biking is taking off
Lower Hutt mountain biking is taking off with purpose built tracks enticing riders to Wainuiomata and a list of summer events lined up to test the local steel. Port Nicholson Poneke Cycling Club is Wellington?s hub of mountain biking activity and organises rides in the Belmont Regional Park and in Wainuiomata. Poneke Club mountain biking convener Marco Renall says the Belmont race, set for November 1, attracts between 150 and 200 people. ?Probably about one third of the people competing are from Lower Hutt. ?There is a lot of activity there, with social club races and rides, especially with new tracks being built in Wainuiomata,? says Mr Renall. The Hutt Valley Mountain Biking Club captain Steve Meers says the recently built tracks are purpose built for speed and adrenaline. ?A highlight is the tracks in Wainuiomata; they are single tracks and really made for a cross country, technical ride,? says Mr Meers. The Hutt Valley club mostly deals with social riders and hosts a casual Wednesday ride every week. They organise a massive cross-country event for the last weekend of January in the Akatarawa Ranges that attracts over 100 riders. The Poneke Club currently hosts New Zealand?s male champion and the female Under 23 champion from Churton Park. The next big regional summer season race, after the Belmont Park meet, is in February. It will be held in Wainuiomata to coincide with the Hutt City Council five week-long Summer Festival. Mr Renall says, ?It?s defiantly a growing sport; we are up 20 percent from last year in terms of race numbers?. ?There are a lot of great riders in the Hutt. A good ride is from Corner Street in Petone up into Belmont Park ? you can ride it north to the Haywards.?
