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Cross Country & Relay Enduro & Downhill

Presented by

2021 EVENT MANUAL

20th- 23rd March

Version 1.0 – Published January 2021

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EVENT PARTNERS

We would like to thank the following sponsors and supporters for their contribution to this event, without them this event would not be able to take place.

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Contents

Pages

General Information 5 – 12

Volunteers 5

Accommodation 6

Entry Information 6

Tent Sites 8

Cancellation 10

Parking 12

Racing Timetable 14

XCO 16

XCR 19

END 21

DHI 25

Protest Form 27

Getting to the Venues 28

Photos of the XCO & XCR venue 29

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WELCOME Auckland MTB Club and FourForty Mountain Bike Park welcomes all North Island School students and supporters to the 2021 SKODA North Island School Mountain Bike Championships. We anticipate a great level of racing as well as an environment that encourages young riders to give it a go and develop their riding skills. Auckland Mountain Bike Club is proud to thank FourForty and the Auckland Schools Mountain Biking Community for offering to host the 2021 event and for co-ordinating four events across two venues. Many thanks also to Auckland Grammar School for co-ordinating all the volunteers at Hunua, an enormous task made easy by their expertise. To Auckland Regional Council, and in particular the Parks Team, thanks for allowing the students the unique opportunity to race in a spectacular venue on a purpose-built course. The venues hosting the racing need your help in keeping them clean, tidy and disease free. In particular, the Hunua Ranges needs your vigilance in keeping out KAURI DIEBACK. Please use all the bike and foot wash facilities provided – IT IS NECESSARY and only takes a few moments. KEY CONTACTS CYCLING NEW ZEALAND SCHOOLS CONTACT: Charlotte Pearson 021 292 0563 EVENT MANAGER (XCO & XCR): Damian Cooper 021 153 5411 EVENT MANAGER (END & DHI): Nicole McAulay 021 0202 7675 CHIEF COMMISSAIRE: Matt Amos 021 484 389 VOLUNTEERS As with all school competitions, organisers need volunteers help to make the events possible. Thank you to the many people who have already agreed to assist, but there is always room for more help. If you want to play a role in helping your son/daughter take part, then you can add you name to the list by emailing damianmcooper@gmail.com . You will not miss any racing and you will be surprised how easy it is to help and you do not need any special skills. EVENT VENUES

The Cross Country (XCO) and Cross Country Relay (XCR) will be held at on the Hunua Trails at

Hunua Ranges Park https://www.trailforks.com/region/hunua-trails/

The Event Village and parking are some way off the main road so please leave enough time

to navigate from the main road along the gravel roads to Upper Mangatawhiri Campsite and

then further to the event venue.

There is limited cell phone coverage so it would be useful to have a screen save or paper

print out of the driving instructions.

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The Enduro (END) and Downhill (DHI) will be held at FourForty MTB Park. Use google maps

to find the two venues and you will also find a quick reference map at the back of this

publication.

ACCOMMODATION

There are various private houses listed on the usual websites in the Hunua and Clevedon

areas.

Camp Adair is well placed for both racing venues and has put together a specific package to

make it easier for you to have a base for your school team and avoid the hassle of heading to

the supermarkets. Cost to stay is $35 per night pp and they can provide three meals each

day. Use the following link to book your stay with Camp Adair directly

https://ymcaauckland.formstack.com/forms/mtb_north_island_champs_accommodation

CAMPING

THERE IS NO CAMPING permitted in the Ranges outside of the designated areas provided

and managed by Auckland Regional Council.

ENTRY INFORMATION

All entries must be through your school (no individual entries accepted) through Enter Now. Schools must be affiliated with Cycling New Zealand Schools prior to entering. Schools Affiliation is now open, click here for more information. All School Affiliation fees and Event Entry fees must be paid before riders are permitted to start the event. Race Packs will not be issued to schools who have outstanding fees. Please ensure you check with your school to ensure affiliation and payment has been made. ENTRY LISTS

A live entry list will be available on the event website once entries open. Start lists will be

published in the week prior to the event.

SAFETY COMMITMENT Auckland MTB Club and 440 MTB Park are committed to providing and maintaining utmost health and safety standards, by ensuring that all risks and hazards associated with the event are adequately identified and managed to prevent harm from occurring to the event staff, participants and all other personnel involved in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015. Please report any hazards or accidents/incidents to the Race Office & or race officials.

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RULES The event is endorsed by School Sport New Zealand and is run under Cycling New Zealand Schools Rules and MTBNZ Technical Regulations.

MEDICAL

At Hunua, medical support will be provided by Chris Griggs during official practice times and race times only. If you ride the trails outside of these times (see Event Schedule) this is at your own risk.

At Fourforty MTB Park Medical Support is provided during opening hours, including unofficial practice and on event days by PHEC-trained staff members. Please see a Fourforty staff member or Marshall if at any point you need medical assistance.

In an Emergency call 111

If you require medical attention at any other times, see below for local Medical Centres

Kawakawa Bay Orere Health Clinic, 22 Kawakawa-Orere Road, 09 292 2812 Clevedon Village Medical Centre, 27 Papakura-Clevedon Road, 09 292 8189 Beachlands Medical Centre, 129 Beachlands Road, 09 536 6006 8am-8pm medical centre details (address and phone number) 106 Great South Road, Takanini, 09 299 7670 24 hour medical centre details East Care Urgent Medica; Centre, 260 Botany Rd, Golflands, Auckland, 2013 (09 277 1516) Hospital Middlemore Hospital, 100 Hospital Road, 09 276 0044

PROTECTION POLICY

For the full MTB Protection Policy, please refer to Section 6 in the MTBNZ Technical Regulations.

RIDER UNIFORM All riders must wear school kit, if you do not have school kit, plain kit is acceptable. Please refer to Point 5 and Appendix 2 of the Schools Cycling Rules for more information on Uniform Guidelines. Ensure you are compliant before you arrive at the event to avoid any unnecessary stress. For any queries on this, contact schools@cyclingnewzealand.nz

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SCHOOL TENTS

At the Hunua Ranges there will be sites available for schools to set up tents. To better

manage the space allocation, schools can book one of 10 premium tent sites in advance

($150 each) and so prevent any need to rush. Simply email damianmcooper@gmail.com

with your request BEFORE MARCH 1st, when applications close. These sites will be allocated

on a first in first served basis in a dedicated area in the Event Village and schools will be

invoiced directly. Please ensure that you bring appropriate weights or pegs to keep your

tent down. Schools are also responsible for removing any waste at the end of each day.

Please help us in supporting our host venues and respect their property.

All schools will be able to set up sites from 10am on Saturday March 20th at Hunua for XCO &

XCR. Access to the Hunua Ranges is via a locked gate that will be guarded overnight on

Saturday 20th March. The organisers take no responsibility for any equipment left overnight.

If dropping off equipment in the morning, it will need to be an early start as there will be NO

ACCESS TO PARKING AREAS P1, P2, P3 or P4 after 8am on race day. Cars will not be

permitted to move around the race village area after 8am until notice is given by the Event

Organiser.

At Fourforty there will be sites available for schools to set up tents on a first in first served

basis in a dedicated area in the 440 MTB Park event base adjacent to the carpark. Tents can

be set up from Friday 1 - 8pm, Saturday 9 - 5pm or from 7am on race days on a first come,

first served basis. Please ensure that you bring appropriate weights or pegs to keep your tent

down, and that no tents are erected in gravel carpark areas. Schools are also responsible for

removing any waste at the end of each day. Please help us in supporting our host venues

and respect their property.

PARKING

The Hunua Ranges (XCO & XCR) will be providing off road parking very close to the race

course. Please make sure your vehicle is suitable. This also means that you will need to be

vigilant in following the instructions you are given by the volunteers as to how and where to

position your vehicle. Allow extra time for your journey to avoid rushing. A parking map is

included on page 12 or use GPS to navigate to 37°06'28"S 175°09'49"E

Parking at Fourforty is provided as two large gravel carparks and a nearby paddock if

needed. Please arrive early and follow all parking signs and staff instructions. Carpooling is

recommended, and no tents/pits may be set up in gravel carpark areas. There is space for

tents alongside the carparks on flat grassy areas.

SMOKE, DRUG, VAPE AND ALCOHOL FREE

The entire event is smoke, drug, vape and alcohol free. Please ensure all your supporters are

aware of this. Expect to be asked to leave the venue if you ignore this rule.

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The Hunua Ranges are a high fire risk area and so it is not just for your health

that we expect this compliance, but for the safety of everyone.

SPORTSMANSHIP

Sportsmanship is important at any level of mountain biking. We highly encourage you to

watch out for your fellow riders, whether they be your team-mates or not. Remember, if a

faster rider, approaching from behind, calls out ‘rider on your right’ or simply ‘rider’ please

allow them to pass on your right at the next possible spot that you deem is safe for yourself,

and the fellow rider to pass.

Riders overtaking must do so safely and not put other riders in danger.

Please pass this onto your students, and if we hear of any foul play the competitor could

face being disqualified.

FOOD AND WATER

Limited water is available on-site. Please ensure students have sufficient fluid and nutrition

for the duration of the event. There will be limited food outlets on the race sites so please

bring enough for the day. Auckland Grammar School will be running a cash BBQ if park fire

rules allow.

R-Line, one of our event sponsors will be providing electrolyte drinks at Hunua.

WITHDRAWING FROM THE EVENT

Please reiterate to your students that if for some reason they cannot finish the event they

must tell a race official and return their race timing tag (if applicable).

CONTINGENCY PLAN

The event recognises that there is the potential for circumstances outside of their control occurring that could result in the published event format and/or distance being adjusted in the interest of participant and/or officials’ safety. If inclement conditions exist, all decisions regarding the implementation of the contingency plan will be made by the Race Organisers at the earliest possible time.

RESULTS

Official results will be posted to www.schoolscycling.nz as soon as possible after the event.

Provisional results will be available on www.facebook.com/CyclingNZLSchools/

Please note these are provisional and any queries are to be made by the Team Manager

only directly to the Chief Commissaire. Any Protests are to be submitted in writing (see form

at back of programme) and will be reviewed by the Disputes Panel.

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SOCIAL MEDIA

We encourage you to get involved in the event through social media. The key links are

provided below:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CyclingNZLSchools/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cyclingnzschools/

Website https://schools.cyclingnewzealand.nz/events/north-island-mtb-

championships

Event Hashtag #NISMTBChamps

CANCELLATION OF THE EVENT

The organisers reserve the right to cancel one or more of the events in the case of adverse

weather conditions or other reasons including Covid-19 Alert Level Status. Any contingency

plans will be announced via Facebook and the website. Please note that the decision to

issue refunds is solely that of the Organising Committee (AMBC for XCO and XCR and

FourForty for END and DHI).

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COVID-19

At the time of publication, host region, Auckland and the rest of New Zealand are currently in Alert Level 1. We are monitoring this daily and will provide further updates if there are any changes that may impact the event including but not limited to a change in Alert Level status.

If you test positive for Covid-19 after the Event please contact the Event Manager immediately.

Golden Rules for Covid Alert Level 1

Please ensure that you and your supporters use the contact tracing available at the event and scan the event QR code.

If you’re sick, stay home. Please do not turn up at the event.

If you have cold or flu symptoms call your doctor or Healthline and make sure you get tested.

Wash your hands. Wash your hands. Wash your hands.

Sneeze and cough into your elbow, and regularly disinfect shared surfaces.

If you are told by health authorities to self-isolate you must do so immediately.

If you’re concerned about your wellbeing or have underlying health conditions, work with your GP to understand how best to stay healthy.

Keep track of where you’ve been and who you’ve seen to help contact tracing if needed. Use the NZ COVID Tracer app as a handy way of doing this.

It is still worthwhile to keep a safe distance from people you don’t know while out and about. This will help to minimize the spread of Covid-19 if community transmission returns.

Continuing good habits with face coverings will keep you and others safe, even at Alert Level 1 when it’s no longer compulsory.

People will have had different experiences over the last couple of months. Whatever you’re feeling — it’s okay. Be kind to others. Be kind to yourself.

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PARKING AT XCO & XCR

Red lines – race course

Blue Line – tent site areas, either side of main straight

Parking Areas:

Please follow the directions of the Parking Marshalls when you arrive on site – they are there to help you and keep everyone safe.

P1, P2, P3, P4 – enter via Mangatangi Hill Road

P1 & P2 = parking for those with gazebos

P5 Lower car park – access via Manning Road, can walk up the horse trail to event village. This is the designated area for those not staying to do XCR (Relay), or who want to leave straight after the XCO race.

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Venue/Site Map:

XCO & XCR Race Village layout To be confirmed

FourForty MTB Park (END & DHI)

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RACE PACK COLLECTION

Saturday 20 March 12:00pm – 5:00pm XCO & XCR Hunua Ranges

Sunday 21 March 7:00am – 8:00am XCO & XCR Hunua Ranges

Monday 22 March 7:00am – 8:00am END Fourforty MTB Park

Tuesday 23 March 7:00am – 8:00am DHI Fourforty MTB Park

EVENT SCHEDULE (subject to change)

Saturday 20 March Practice XCO/XCR/END/DHI

1:00pm – 5:00pm XCO/XCR Practice

9:00am – 5:00pm Fourforty MTB Park is open to the public for unofficial END and

DHI practice (purchase shuttle passes on-line or at the park)

Sunday 21 March XCO/XCR

7:00 am – 8:00 am Race Pack collection (XCO & XCR)

8:15 am Compulsory XC Race 1 Briefing (U13/14 Male & Female)

8:30 am XCO Race 1 Start (U13/14 Male & Female)

9:45 am Compulsory XC Race 2 Briefing (U15/16 Male & Female)

10:00 am XCO Race 2 Start (U15/16 Male & Female)

11:15 am Compulsory XC Race 3 Briefing (U17/20 Male & Female)

11:30 am XCO Race 3 Start (U17/U20 Male & Female)

1:30 pm Cross Country Prize giving

2:00 pm Compulsory XCR Race Briefing (All riders/All age groups)

2:15 pm XCR Race Start (U16 &U20)

3:45 pm XCR Race Finish

4:30 pm XCR Prize-giving

9:00am – 5:00pm Fourforty MTB Park is open to the public for unofficial END and

DHI practice (purchase shuttle passes on-line or at the park)

Monday 22 March END

7:00 am – 8:00 am Race Pack collection (END)

8:15 am Compulsory END Race Briefing - U13, U14, U15s

8:30 am U13, U14, U15 riders begin - stages can be ridden in any order

12:00 pm Compulsory END Race Briefing - U16, U17, U20s

12:15 pm U16, U17, U20s riders begin - stages can be ridden in any order

12:30 pm All U13, U14, U15s due back at 440 base.

1:00 pm (approx.) U13, U14, U15s END Prize-giving

3:00 pm All U16, U17, U20 riders due back at 440 base

3:30 pm (approx.) U16, U17, U20s END Prize-giving

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Tuesday 23 March DHI

7:00am – 8:00am Race Pack collection (DHI)

8:00am Compulsory DHI Practice Briefing - ALL riders

8:15am Shuttles begin for practice runs

11:30am Compulsory DHI Race Briefing - ALL riders

12:00pm Timed seeding run

2:15pm Timed race run

4:30pm DHI Prize-giving

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CROSS COUNTRY INFORMATION

Event: Cross Country (XCO)

Date: Sunday 21 March

Location: Hunua Ranges Regional Park

Registration times: 12:00pm-5:00pm 20th March or 7am-8am 21st March

Practice times: 1:00pm-5:00pm 20th March

Briefing/Racing times: From 8:15am

Prize giving: Approx 1:30pm

Race numbers: All riders are to wear the issued race number (1 per rider) placed in front of handlebars and must be clearly visible to the front (do not cut or reconfigure)

Seeding: Please refer to 10.3.2 in the MTBNZ Technical Regulations for seeding order.

Feed Zone: Riders may receive food, drink and clean eyewear from assistants within the designated feed zone at an event. Food, drink and glasses must be passed hand to hand. Only one feeder per rider is permitted in the feed zone.

Tech Zone: External technical assistance can only be given in the feed/technical assistance zones. Spare equipment and tools for repairs must be kept in these zones. Repairs and equipment changes can be carried out by the rider themselves or with the help of a teammate, team mechanic or neutral technical assistance. In addition to technical assistance in feed zones, technical assistance is permitted outside these zones only between riders who are members of the same school.

Lap Guidelines: Provisional laps and waves are on the next page. Final wave groups and lap numbers will be determined by the Chief Commissaire after entries close. Once the winning rider for an Age Group has finished, riders in that Age Group will not be able to commence any new laps of the course.

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This is subject to change so please keep referring to it for any changes.

XCO Course:

Approx 7 km and is a mixture of single track through native bush, including one stream crossing. There are also grass and gravel roads linking the single track.

RACE Wave Age Group Laps Total Distance

1 A U 14 Boys 2 14 km

1 B U 13 Boys 2 14 km

1 C U 14 Girls 2 14 km

1 C U 13 Girls 2 14 km

2 A U 16 Boys 2 + 1 XCR loop 16.5km

2 B U 15 Boys 2 + 1 XCR loop 16.5km

2 C U 16 Girls 2 + 1 XCR loop 16.5km

2 C U 15 Girls 2 + 1 XCR loop 16.5km

3 A U 20 Boys 3 21 km

3 B U 17 Boys 3 21 km

3 C U 20 Girls 2 + 1 XCR loop 16.5 km

3 C U 17 Girls 2 + 1 XCR loop 16.5 km

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CROSS COUNTRY RELAY INFORMATION

Event: Cross Country Relay (XCR)

Date: Sunday 21 March

Registration times: 12:00pm-5:00pm 20th March or 7:00am-8:00am 21st March

Practice times: 1:00pm-5:00pm 20th March

Briefing/Racing times: From 2:00pm

Prize giving: Approx 5:00pm

Race plate: Each rider will be issued a clear plastic number plate holder. Rider 1 will start with the team’s race number inside their holder. The race number will be swapped with the next rider in the team in the Transition Area between laps.

Age Groups: U16, U20.

Categories: Girls, Boys

Description: Teams Relay will consist of teams of three riders who will rotate riders every lap in strict rider order for 90 minutes.

Composite Teams: Composite Teams with riders from multiple schools may be entered but must state the names of all schools and cannot be eligible for titles or medals.

Key Information: Each rider secures a clear plastic race plate holder to the front of their bike so that the race number is clearly visible.

Rider 1 starts the race with their team race number inside their holder. This must stay in the plastic holder until the rider returns to the Transition Area (DO NOT ride carrying the race number)

Riders must dismount before entering the Transition Area, then push their bike (running or walking) to their awaiting team mate.

Once inside the Transition Area, at the conclusion of each lap, riders must hand (NOT THROW) their race number to the next rider in their team who must then put it inside their plastic number plate holder (number facing forward and the right way up) BEFORE leaving the Transition Area.

Riders must ride single laps in their designated order (Rider 1 hands to Rider 2 who hands to Rider 3, who hands to Rider 1, etc) and may not miss a rider from their turn. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.

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Course Approx 2 km loop through native bush (using ‘Kauri’ & ‘Barnyard Boogie’ from XCO course). Some grass and gravel road to link single track.

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ENDURO INFORMATION

Event: Enduro (END)

Date: Monday 22 March

Location: 440 MTB PARK

Registration times: 7:00am - 8:00am Monday 22 March, 440 MTB Park

Practice times: Park is open to the public Wednesdays and Fridays 1 - 8pm,

Saturdays and Sundays 9 - 5pm. Tracks will be taped for

unofficial practice from Saturday 20 March

Briefing/Racing times: 8:15 am - compulsory Race Briefing - U13, U14, U15s

12:00 pm - Compulsory Race Briefing - U16, U17, U20s

Prize giving: 1:00 pm (approx.) - Enduro Prize-giving U13, U14, U15s

3:30 pm (approx.) - Enduro Prize-giving U16, U17, U20s

Race Plates: All riders are to wear the issued race plate (1 per rider) placed on front of handlebars (please do not cut or reconfigure)

Timing: Timing chips are located on the race plate, and are activated when the rider passes the start/end gate. Riders must not cross these gates until they are starting their race stage. Each stage may only be ridden ONCE.

Seeding: Riders will need to self-seed within their age/gender groups.

Rider Intervals: Riders will start at 30 second intervals.

Equipment (Helmets): A full face helmet, meeting specified Safety Certification standards is MANDATORY for Enduro. Please refer to MTBNZ Technical Regulations for the full MTB Protection Policy.

Course: The courses for the 3 timed Enduro stages are described below.

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Stage 1 - Ohakune + G Banger

1.7km, 182m descent. Riders will need to ride from the base area up Anti-Gravity to the start of Ohakune, approx 2.5km and 180m vert (shown in red on the map). Trail ends at the shuttle road 50m from the carpark, all riders must STOP and give way to all shuttle vehicles.

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Stage 2 - Doozas to Chinese Laundry

Grade 4. 2.5km, 374m descent. Riders must ride from the shuttle drop up to the start of the track, approx 900m (shown in red on the map). Trail ends at the base area. NB: Chinese Laundry is an expert grade trail, but all jumps are tables and every feature is rollable.

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Stage 3 - Pink Stoat +Hi Viz + Footrot Flats

Grade 3, 2.7km, 270m descent.

This stage starts from the shuttle drop-off and returns to the base area

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DOWNHILL INFORMATION

Event: Downhill (DH)

Date: Tuesday 23 March

Location: 440 MTB Park

Registration times: 7:00 - 8:00am Tuesday 23 March, 440 MTB Park

Track Walk:

Practice: Official practice - 8:15-11:30am Tuesday 23rd March

Unofficial practice - the park is open Wed and Fri 1 - 8pm, Sat

and Sun 9 - 5pm leading up to this event.

Briefing: Practice briefing - 8:00am

Race briefing - 11:30am

Prize giving: 4:30pm at FourForty Base

Race plates: All riders are to wear the issued race plate (1 per rider) placed on front of handlebars (please do not cut or reconfigure)

Timing Transponder: Timing transponders are located on the race plate, and are activated when the rider passes the start/end gate. Riders must not cross these gates until they are starting their seeding/race run.

Seeding: Seeding will be as per 10.3.10 in the MTBNZ Technical Regulations

Shuttles: Bikes must be loaded onto the trailer and secured by the riders - please ask the drivers for assistance if required.

Rider Intervals: Riders will start at 30 second intervals.

Equipment: Please refer to MTBNZ Technical Regulations for the full MTB Protection Policy.

Course: see below

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Gumdiggers + Gumdiggers 2, 2.5km, 270m descent. Grade 4/Grade 3.

Trail starts from the shuttle drop-off and ends at 440 base area.

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PROTEST FORM

Event:

Race:

Date:

Protesting School:

School Team Manager:

Contact Mobile:

Contact Email:

Name of Rider or Team:

Other Party (Rider, Team or Official):

Date/Time of Incident:

Location of Incident:

Nature of Incident (Brief Description):

Outcome Sought:

Organisers Use Only

Date/Time Protest Received:

Protest Fee Received ($50): Held By (Official Receiving Protest):

Passed to Chief Commissaire (Date/Time):

Outcome Determined:

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Getting to the Hunua Ranges and FourForty

From the North of Auckland

From the South of Auckland

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Main start and finishing area XCO & XCR

Parking Areas 1 (right) and 2 (left)

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Parking Area 3

Parking Area 4