Sponsors saddle up for festival

Local organisations and businesses big and small have got behind the city's first bike festival with More FM and the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust signing on as major sponsors.

Rotorua Bike Festival organisers yesterday announced the signing on of the two high profile organisations saying it was a massive boost for the event's profile.

The first Rotorua Bike Festival _ supported by the Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust _ will be held for 10 days in February next year and is a celebration of cycling with a mix of events and entertainment.

The festival includes fun rides, bike polo, the national BMX qualifiers, bike speedway, mountain bike orienteering and the 2013 Mountain Bike National Championships.

Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust chairman Grahame Hall said the trust saw the festival as a quality community event where local athletes could compete with top national and international competitors on the world stage.

"Rotorua has some of the best mountainbiking trails in the Southern Hemisphere and a reputation and proven history of organising and staging cycling events on an international scale,'' Mr Hall said.

The trust was also a major backer of the 2006 UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships and the 2010 Singlespeed World Championships held in Rotorua.

"The Rotorua Trust and other sponsors strongly supported these world champs and we were very proud to be associated with such professionally run events.

"The 2013 Bike Festival will further enhance our reputation as part of the New Zealand Centre of Excellence for Cycling and encour age the growth of the sport in our region.''

Mr Hall said he would be taking part in a few of the events himself and would be encouraging the trust's staff and fellow trustees to get involved as well.

MoreFM has signed up as official radio partner and sponsor of the Bike Expo.

Rotorua Events and Venues manager Martin Croft said MoreFM were an important part of the local scene and were keen to make a big impression. "The Bike Expo will provide the cycling industry and local bike shops with an opportunity to exhibit the latest in bike technology and acces sories.''

The MoreFM Bike Expo will also feature a display of historic and locally produced bikes and a selection of cycling films. However, sponsorship of bike festival events  was not limited to large organisations.

Kiwibikes owner Jeff Anderson said he had decided to sponsor the Redwoods Coast _ an event where cyclists see how far they can go without pedaling _ because he thought local businesses should get behind local events.

"It's cool to let your hair down and have some fun and this is what the Coast is all about. Everyone can take part, the best part is the bigger you are the faster you go.''

Mr Anderson said with his impending move to the new Redwood Centre on the corner of Tarawera and Te Ngae roads he was keen to raise his profile in the area.

"The Coast is on Long Mile Rd, on my back door step. But, I think every business should look at ways of supporting events in the local community,'' he said.

Local sponsorship means a lot to festival organisers, according to Mr Croft.

"Locals backing locals really is the Rotorua way, especially with an event like  [this] festival that has the potential to grow and grow over the next few years.

"We're very grateful to Grahame, all the trustees and the Rotorua Trust team who enthusiastically gave the festival a big thumbs up.''