Rotorua to Host Global Mountain Biking Events

Rotorua to Host Global Mountain Biking Events

Rotorua, 13th April 2012 - New Zealand’s top mountain biking destination will be inundated with riders and biking enthusiasts this month as Rotorua launches the global premiere of a mountain biking film and hosts one of the world’s biggest multi-sport events.

The first of the two events, the 10th annual Paymark XTERRA Rotorua Festival, will take place this Saturday 14th April around the city’s stunning Blue Lake and is expected to attract over 2500 entrants from around the globe.

The following week, Trail Notes - the first niche documentary film ever made about Rotorua’s enviable mountain bike culture and lifestyle premieres in the city.

Destination Rotorua Marketing general manager, Oscar Nathan, says Rotorua is home to some of the best mountain bike trails in the world, and these two exciting events are a big coup for the city and its local community.

“XTERRA has exploded since it first began in 2002 and is the fastest-growing multi-sport event in the world,” Nathan says. “Over 18,000 people have taken part in the festival’s walk, run, mountain bike or off-road triathlon events during the last 10 years.”

Every year, XTERRA hosts 16 national championship races (including Rotorua) which culminate in the XTERRA World Championship in Maui, Hawaii, each October.

“Representatives from seven different countries are expected at this year’s event in Rotorua, including some of the world’s best XTERRA athletes who will compete for the New Zealand title and their share in the $10,000 prize,” Nathan says.

Three days later, mountain biking and documentary film enthusiasts alike get the opportunity to indulge their passions with the global premiere of highly-anticipated film, Trail Notes, which screens at Rydges Hotel in Rotorua on April 17th.

Trail Notes producer and local filmmaker, Nick Stevenson’s debut, is set in and around the renowned trails of Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa forest. The film captures the story of how mountain biking has captivated the lives of Rotorua’s most seasoned and well-known riders including Vanessa Quin, Gaz Sullivan, Craig Pattle and Red McHale.

“Each of these interconnected stories creates a tapestry of the local scene that mimics the winding trails of the forest,” Stevenson explains. “The passion and community spirit in Rotorua is overwhelming and these stories of personal battles, commitment and passion to the sport of mountain biking, illustrate both the individual and collective culture that these trails breed.”

Destination Rotorua Marketing has partnered with Cadre Productions to support the release of Trail Notes and the Rotorua premiere will be followed by screenings in 12 other locations around the country. In a reported New Zealand first, the film will also be distributed live to a global audience when it is released to 33 countries via iTunes on April 25th. Tickets to the New Zealand screenings are now available at www.trailnotesfilm.com.

ENDS

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