Our Rally of the Rock is a 'mountain' bike rally on Niue's hard and fast bush tracks and roads - the highest point on Niue is something less than 100M so a 'mountain' bike is a bit of a misnomer!
So are you up to it? - Can you conquer the Rock or will you be left behind ...? All you have to do is beat the heat, the elements, the terrain and the clock over the stages of the Rally.
Regardless, coming up to Niue for a week or more in the middle of a cold and miserable NZ winter is a very wise decision and a rewarding experience.
DON'T THINK ABOUT IT - JUST DO IT!
Entry Rules:
There are three categories:
1) Senior Men - 40+ years
2) Men - 15 - 40 years
3) Open Ladies
4) Overall Men
5) Overall Ladies
Each age category has 1st, 2nd and 3rd placings and there is a prize for Overall Men and Overall Ladies.
Prizes: $200, $100, $50. For each of the Overall categories two travel vouchures of $200 each.
The actual route is kept secret until the day of the Rally - no time to practice or work out the best methods.
There are several timed stages and several 'cruising' stages, over the total 40+KM of tracks and roads.
At each timed stage there is a short wait while the laggards arrive from the previous stage, then each rider is flagged away at one minute intervals.
The track is marked with graded arrows at each corner.
Each rider rides against the clock.
Our ROTR is held on the first Monday in June (Queens Birthday) - for 2011 this will be Monday June 6th - connecting flight will be Saturday June 4th from Auckland departing about 9AM NZST.
Registration; must be completed and paid for by 4pm on the Friday before race day – late registrations will incur a $5 surcharge. NO registration after race briefing on the day.
Early registration or notification is appreciated as it helps us plan for the catering.
Forms are available - pop into the Niue Tourism Office in downtown Alofi and register there.
Payment can be made on the day.
Entry Fee; $25/contestant
Please bring your night lighting with you - the week's activities will include some dusk or night rides. Nightime occurs very quickly in the tropics and we are in darkness from about 6:00pm.
History:
Rally of the Rock is the brainchild of Joe & Robyn Wright, former owners of Namukulu Motels, both of whom are avid mountain bike and fitness nutters.
The first ROTR was set up and run in 1999 and continued each year, up until 2003, then stopped after cyclone Heta until 2008 when it was restarted (Joe and Robyn lost much of their motel complex to Heta and were busy rebuilding on a new site).
Other local support is from Niue Police, DAFF, Health, and local volunteers.
Being a voluntary event, the Rally gets great local support with full national TV and Radio coverage - a great day out for all. No one becomes too serious except the front riders!
The Rally ends with a sausage sizzle and presentation and of course "a few beers"!
As the airflights to and from Niue are on a weekly basis, the Rally organises plenty of activities to occupy our overseas riders (who are growing in number). Snorkelling, diving, fishing, additional bike rides and barbeques are held during the week.
Niue is the international home for sea-snakes who come here to breed. It is a fascinating and scary experience to snorkel over their home! We also have whale watching, caving and some of the most rugged scenery in the world.
In short a great adverture country and entirely complimentary to mountain biking and the folks that do it.
