Graeme Simpson: Big month for biking

The Big Bike Film Night and Cycle Chic, Tauranga, March 16 and 17. Photo/Supplied

How big is the next month? This big.

Rotorua Walking Festival is next weekend, March 18-19. The festival is 24 years old and brings people from all over the world to the Bay of Plenty to walk in the city and Whakarewarewa Forest. Find out more: www.rotoruawalkingfestival.org.nz.

Crankworx starts the following weekend and runs through till Sunday, April 2 with spectacular action from all the international and locals taking part: www.crankworx.com/festival/rotorua/.

Last week I mentioned that the start day was Sunday, March 19. There was a good reason for that slip of the keyboard. This year, Crankworx includes the Giant Toa, round one of the Enduro World Series, and that's the day the course will be released at Volcanic Winery up at Skyline and on social media between 6pm and 7pm. Even in my wildest dreams, I can't imagine having the skills to ride the Whip-off or the Slopestyle at Crankworx. The multi-stage Enduro is a different story. On my best days, I can ride the trails in the forest the Giant Toa will be raced on.

The Toa Enduro Challenger has been introduced this year. Anyone can enter and get a taste of some of the stages the pros will race on. The Challenger is on the official opening day of Crankworx, which is Sunday, March 25. Entry is open till March 22: www.enduroworldseries.com.

Another very important part of the week is the Mountain Bikers Ball at the Blue Baths on the evening of Saturday, April 1, for some great causes: suicide prevention, mental health, concussion awareness and the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club's 1st Response Unit. Tickets are available from the What's On page at www.bluebaths.co.nz

A week later, on Saturday, April 8, the 15th annual Radix Nutrition XTERRA Festival will be based at the Blue Lake/Tikitapu. There are eight different events - from elite, world-class athletes competing in the off-road Triathlon to people having a walk.
Enter online: www.xterra.co.nz.

I've marshalled the mountain bike course on all but one XTERRA and I'm looking forward to another excellent day out in the forest.

Nzo Moonride: Weather postponements are the toughest call for event organisers and never made with a light heart. Well done to the team from Event Promotions deciding early to pull the pin on this weekend's Moonride after heavy rain all week. The new date is April 22 with six and 12-hour options only. The good news? More time to enter one of the longest running MTB events in the country: www.eventpromotions.co.nz.

The Big Bike Film Night was a major success at the Rotorua Bike Festival a month ago. Curator/director Brett Cotter also introduced Cycle Chic, with more women-oriented bike films everyone should see. Brett is taking both programmes on a Tiki Tour of New Zealand. On March 16 and 17, they land in the Bay of Plenty at Bethlehem College Performing Arts Centre, Tauranga, with a 7.30pm start both nights.
More information about this, other screenings on the tour and online ticket sales: www.bigbikefilmnight.nz/screenings/.

Be in to win two free passes to each of the Tauranga shows. Email info@bigbikefilmnight.nz with the subject line 'Cycle Chic' or 'Big Bike Film Night Tauranga' by March 14.