Tarawera 75 Race Report.

[Ktmboy]

T75 you may ask. Read on.

Well the day dawned overcast and drizzly as the weatherman had predicted. Jeez, I hate it when they get it right. Today of all days. At least it wasn't cold so no need for the thermals.

After a record sign on and scutineering of only 2hours I managed to get the KTM onto the all important front row.The first corner was a RH hairpin so I figured that seeing as how there hadn't been a pileup for a few years that this may be the day that there was.This ended up being a wise move.

So I parked at the far LH side with only Team mate Mike Cotter on my left. We both figured that around the outside might be a good option and would enable us to mantain momentum.

Start No1 - Someone farted, sneezed or coughed and half the field took off. Luckily this was recalled as the KTM took two kicks to get going.

Start No2 - I was surrounded by 3 electric starts and seeing how the electric leg on mine still wasn't fixed I was interested to see who would win. Kick start verses Electric. Then, moments before the gun went off I noticed fuel pissing out of the crab. Panic, shit, bugger to name a few expletives. I put this behind me hooked second gear turned the engine off and waited.

The shotgun boomed and the big 300 fired straight away. We rocketed out of the blocks with nobody beside. Fuck what a feeling!! Yeah ha. Kick start dusted electric!!

Cotter got by on the outside and by the second corner I was in about 12th place.
Meanwhile there was a huge pile up on the inside corner. Instinct sometimes is right.

On the first downhill Shane McDonald went down in front of me and I narrowly avoided him. Staight up the big hill and into the tracks. The first log jam then start behind as one or two bailed and they herded everyone up around a deviation. Cock up number one from the organisers. Never have a gnarly piece so early on in a race as there are 350 odd adrenalin fueled bikers intent on getting through all at once.

My first impression after about 20 minutes. Where is the tight stuff. It was just one long moto x track. Hence quite a few got by me.

Arm pump struck and I binned it so good that I smashed my rolloffs and the front of my helmet. By the end of lap one and I was told that I was in 24th. STOP the race now please!!

New goggles and off again. Then the rain came and came and came. Coming over the brow of a hill there were about 50 riders still on the first lap stuck up a hill so I went bush with about 20 others to find a way around. Wrong move. We all got stuck and by the time we got back they had directed every one down the railway lines. Bloody dangerous not to mention a loss of about 30 places.

I binned about three more times but wasn't alone as there was carnage everywhere.

Lap three and I was told to get out of the pits pronto as they were closing the track. I got outa there and got into a good grove trying to maintain my place. However it turned to custard at another hill and again we were told to try to get through a large area of recent clearfell. Another 20 minutes later another 30 places lost. Meanwhile they took about 30 riders down the road all the way back to the pits. They missed about 15km of track. Fuckin bullshit.

So I ended up in 100th over all, 10th in class and the team 5th. And looking at the names I know that there were people in the mid 50-60's whom didn't do the whole course and I was infront of going into the final lap.

Not only that but they stopped the race after three laps with Damien King leading from brother Darryl and Chris Birch. The enduro boys were pissed as they had a plan of waiting till the last lap before they made their move. Birch was right up Kings butt along with the likes of Cam Smith, Jason Davis and a few others ready to pounce. Birch told the organisers to toughen up at the prize giving. Give that man a.

Damien King made a statement that the track was tight. He should put that comment on a Tui's ad as there was only about 7 minutes of tighter stuff but still with options to get by. Shit you could have driven a car through there.

Now Ktmboys biggest stuff up.
Unbeknown to me they gave a plastic Yamaha bag out at sign on. In it there was a ticket for dinner and for the prize draw of a PW50 or 80. Numb nuts left said bag in the motel and yep, you guessed it, it was the winning ticket. The people that won it second time around had little kids so at least somebody got the bike that will have heaps of fun on it. They had big smiles and I'm sleeping in the dog box tonight.

So, Not 100 miles only 75 and lots of pissed people. Don't know if I'll do the Tarawera 75 next year now.

[Danger]

Sounds like a great effort KTMboy but a real disapointment at the way the race was run! I have to say after reading a report like this that I have no desire to pay (I heard it was $100.00) for an event run like this. Good report!

Told ya's that kick start was quicker!

[scott411]

Sounds like a great effort KTMboy but a real disapointment at the way the race was run! I have to say after reading a report like this that I have no desire to pay (I heard it was $100.00) for an event run like this. Good report!

Told ya's that kick start was quicker!

everyone is always quick to jump on organisers when they have to make tough decisions, sometimes things don't go there way, sometimes you need to shorten events or cancel events, if everyone was going along the railway then i guess the forest would have issues on that, the TTBRC have a history of running very good events, thats why they get the numbers that they do,

having said that, i heard the frist section was not that suitable either,

and Birch was a over a minute down according to Mylaps, very few people can catch and pass two king brothers in 25 miles, it would have been a tough call, expecailly if you say it was not very tight where Chris excels

and KTMboy, great report, the tarawera is so much better with a good start,

[B0000M]

i think all the 'cheaters' or shortcut takers affected the placings throughout the whole field, i raced a hell of a lot better and faster this year than last year and find it difficult to believe im down 50 odd placings, i took no shortcuts and struggled my way through all the bottlenecks. evidently this is not a successful way to get placings... so a bit dissappointed but still had fun, my other gripe is how the scruteneering was run, as i had to stand in the rain and cold for approx 1 & 3/4 hours while 1 guy scruteneered all the bikes. so much for pre race food intake and drinking plenty etc!

then there was the bottlenecks at the start, another ballsup, hopefully those responsible for the obvious cockups will learn from their mistakes and make the event all the better next year

[Cary]

After a record sign on and scutineering of only 2hours.

Cock up number one from the organisers. Never have a gnarly piece so early on in a race as there are 350 odd adrenalin fueled bikers intent on getting through all at once.

Then the rain came and came and came.

However it turned to custard at another hill and again we were told to try to get through a large area of recent clearfell. Another 20 minutes later another 30 places lost. Meanwhile they took about 30 riders down the road all the way back to the pits. They missed about 15km of track. Fuckin bullshit.

So I ended up in 100th over all, 10th in class.

Not only that but they stopped the race after three laps with Damien King leading from brother Darryl and Chris Birch.

Damien King made a statement that the track was tight. He should put that comment on a Tui's ad as there was only about 7 minutes of tighter stuff but still with options to get by. Shit you could have driven a car through there.

So, Not 100 miles only 75 and lots of pissed people. Don't know if I'll do the Tarawera 75 next year now.

Well as a mid field rider I can agree with you on the set up for the start of the race but only takes 1 guy to stop on(ANY) hill and the pileup begins. I spent 10mins getting up that first hill!!

Same goes for the sign on, but they are having to deal with 300+ riders..........

Like the saying goes, you can't please all the people all the time.......

I think the ride was great and as only my 2nd time i'll be back next year

everyone is always quick to jump on organisers when they have to make tough decisions, sometimes things don't go there way, sometimes you need to shorten events or cancel events, if everyone was going along the railway then i guess the forest would have issues on that, the TTBRC have a history of running very good events, thats why they get the numbers that they do,

having said that, i heard the frist section was not that suitable either.

and KTMboy, great report, the tarawera is so much better with a good start,

I can certianly understand some were dissapointed with having the race cut short but organisers have to keep safety of ALL riders & there own crew in mind.

I got held up on start line as two bikes in front of me that didn't start and then knocked off on start straight as well as held up on several hills but thats the T100 and winter riding

Me, i'm just aiming to finish top 100 next year.........

[camchain]

I think my mouth went a bit dry just reading that KTMboy. Bad luck on the prize draw (what a bugger!), but despite dropping back from early on you'd have to be happy with your place esp. your Vet class. Bloody impressive work there. A bunch of good names above, below you and some in the DNF section as well.

Always interested to note how quick the motocross guys are in these type events (eg Shane King in 07 ISDE) compared to the enduro guys. Must have something to do with not needing electric starts eh Danger? (chuckle, chortle, cough)

Shame about the stuff that put a bit of a dampener on things for you guys. How the hell did these shortcutters get away with what they were doing? Anyway, I reckon good on all of you who signed up and did it.

[Katoomer]

Mother nature was the winner.Scrutineering was stuffed up because we were to take our numbers and put them on the bike ourselves .That didn't work in wind and rain so they did it for us hence the first bottleneck although it cleared for the briefing ok.
I'm sure at the briefing they said the truck with the countdown clock would drive out of the way and then we would be in the starters hands .It was still there when that rider messed with his e start after we got the dead engine signal and got it to backfire. It was ok for me as I moved up from the 3rd row to the 2nd.
Start was ok for me as the outside had heaps of room to avoid the pileup. I took the straight up option on the first hill only to get cut off at the top so I went back down and had another crack at it with better luck and had a fun 1st lap.
2nd lap was a little sticky but those hills were still ok and I was surprised to see the first bottleneck and lost a good 10 mins even going alongside the railway line .
3rd lap the rain was making things worse, however getting told at the pits that the race was over when the leaders finshed lap 3 was good motivation as I was thinking I might improve on last years finish. By the time I got up the last hill I was stuffed and went into survival mode to the finish . I know I lost a lot of places to the riders that got to bypass the last hill but I don't care as I'm pleased with my effort as an old rider in those conditions.
Talking to people at the prizegiving I think it was the right call finishing 1 lap early . There maybe repercussations to the club for riding along the railway and another area that was used as a bypas and I would hate to see this event stop being held because of no venue.

[cheese]

Well I loved the race last year and this year I have to admit I walked away shaking my head a bit. I was saving myself a bit for a third lap and I was going a bit slow after I binned it on the first big downhill (apparently there was a hole that was catching heaps of people).

I stood in that que to get checked from 6am till 8:30. They decided at about 730 to change the direction of the que and all the people on the left side lucked in. Put me in a bad mood to start a bit.

I had a good race though adn a good start in this race is so important. I guess a bottle neck is just inevitable with 325 riders and a narrow track.

I still have no idea how everyone was getting stuck on that bit of hill where tehy diverted teh track. I just shot up it on the first lap after it had cleared.

I'm really quite gutted to hear about the cheaters though. I think that the club struggled this year to run the race as they apparently just about burnt out last year putting so much effort in. I put a big effort in this year to get fit for the race which helped alot, but to hear that some people were cheating really pisses me off. I guess that is why my placing came up a bit.

[Katoomer]

I think that the club struggled this year to run the race as they apparently just about burnt out last year putting so much effort in.

Last year's venue was alot easier to organise but the Maori trust that owns that land had decided no more riding there so I think that made it hard find a new start area to get to the forestry. Maybe the T 100 is going to get too hard to hold.

[dammad1]

Last year's venue was alot easier to organise but the Maori trust that owns that land had decided no more riding there so I think that made it hard find a new start area to get to the forestry. Maybe the T 100 is going to get too hard to hold.

Fucking typical

[B0000M]

here's what leaving the T100 looked like this year

the commodore is aarons, the guy trying to break off the spoiler is cheese, im the hiace pilot, damo was the camera man and my fiancee amanda was the assistant pusher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Yxdd3UmY5o

[Brainflex]

Well it could of been worse for you guys. I managed 7.5 kms before washing out the front end and breaking my scapula [shoulder]. Now thats gotta be a record. I know there were other injuries, one guy knocked out and I saw a guy at ED who had lost his finger. Anyone know the story behind that?

[Ktmboy]

here's what leaving the T100 looked like this year

the commodore is aarons, the guy trying to break off the spoiler is cheese, im the hiace pilot, damo was the camera man and my fiancee amanda was the assistant pusher

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Yxdd3UmY5o

Its not only Holdens that don't have a tow hook but Fords as well.
I parked at the far end over the railway line with all the 4x4's. About the only car to make it in. Getting out. Well what a mission. Had to lie in the mud and connect a strop to the steering arm.

Did a few donuts to get the moneys worth. Priceless.

[Ktmboy]

Well it could of been worse for you guys. I managed 7.5 kms before washing out the front end and breaking my scapula [shoulder]. Now thats gotta be a record. I know there were other injuries, one guy knocked out and I saw a guy at ED who had lost his finger. Anyone know the story behind that?

Yeah I came round the corner on the first lap and he was holding up his hand minus a digit. Had a blood fountain going so told him to wait and informed the next check. Looked freaking sore.

[camchain]

Nasty that losing a finger. Wonder if he got it caught between chain and sprocket? (A mate lost one like this)

Club website has poll on aspects of event and a link to a photo gallery (no pics yet): http://www.ttbrc.co.nz/index.php?page/t100

Short report and a photo of one of the hills: http://www.bikesportnz.com/articles/?p=3095#more-3095
(Hopefully Andy M might put some photos up here later?)