Sharratt Returns for Festival

 
Sharratt Returns for Festival

Brendon Sharratt is renowned as one of New Zealand’s best all round cyclists. In December he returns home to Christchurch to defend his mountain bike title in the Armstrong Motor Group Festival of Cycling.

Scheduled this year for December 4th and 5th, the sixth annual  Armstrong Motor Group Festival of Cycling promises to be bigger and better than ever. Established in 2005, the two-day event brings together road cyclists, mountain bikers, BMX riders, Olympians, Tour de France stars, club riders, recreational enthusiasts and kids for a true celebration of cycling. The mountain bike option was introduced in 2009, with local Christchurch rider Brendon Sharratt taking line honours.

Sharratt, who now resides in Wellington, will return to defend his Armstrong Motor Group mountain bike title. The 29 year old used last year’s win to launch his best year yet on the mountain bike, eventually claiming the National Series as well as second places in the national cross country and national marathon championships.

Sharratt, however, is more than just a mountain biker. Renowned as one of New Zealand’s best all round riders he has represented New Zealand in mountain biking, road racing and track racing, even winning a national title on the track. In 2009 he placed third in the national criterium championships at the Armstrong Motor Group Festival of Cycling.

In the 2010 Armstrong Motor Group Festival of Cycling, Sharratt has entered both the criterium and the mountain bike event. But the latter is where his focus lays. Sharratt is keen to rekindle competition with Rotorua rider Mark Leishman, who has already entered the Christchurch event and who finished just a few seconds behind Sharratt in the national mountain bike marathon championships earlier this year.

Scheduled for Saturday December 4th the 30k mountain bike course will start at McCormack’s Bay Reserve in Redcliffs and heads onto the historic and scenic trails of the Ports Hills using iconic trials such as the Rapaki Track, Bridal Track, Witch Hill, Castle Rock, Britten and Greenwood Reserves and Captain Thomas Track. There are also sections across the private Smith family farm that riders don’t have access to at any other time except the Festival.

Experienced riders will take on the toughest, trickiest tracks, while a more sedate but no less spectacular course caters for off road rookies and even cyclo-cross riders. And in keeping with the Festival appeal, five dollars from every mountainbike entry goes back to trail maintenance on the very tracks participants will ride.

The 30k mountain bike event is just one of several options at the Armstrong Motor Group Festival of Cycling. Other events on day one include the 80k Harbour Ride and Long Bays Classic around the iconic Lyttelton Harbour bays. The day then closes with the Kids’ Mini-Bays for kids aged five to 15.

Day two moves into the central city for the Armstrong Motor Group City Criterium around the Oxford Terrace café strip. The exciting closed circuit course is New Zealand’s number one criterium event and racing will feature Kiwi Olympic stars such as Tour de France rider Hayden Roulston, but will also include public events such as the newcomers crits, kids’ races, BMX displays and the Celebrity Tandem Charity ride.

Entries for the Armstrong Motor Group Festival of Cycling are now open. For more details: www.festivalofcycling.co.nz

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