Riders get on their bikes for 'Dodzy'

Top Rotorua mountain biker Sam Shaw got into the spirit of things during the Yeah Boi Sick Race on Tuesday. Photo/Mead Norton

Good times and good memories was what it was all about for competitors in one of the Rotorua Bike Festival's more fun events.

More than 90 riders took part in the second running of the Yeah Boi Sick Race in the Whakarewarewa Forest on Tuesday. The race was set up to remember local mountain biker and all round good guy James "Dodzy" Dodds and to raise funds for the James Dodds Memorial Fund after Mr Dodds was accidentally shot by a friend while hunting in the Paeroa Ranges in September 2012.

Event organiser Jo Price said the essence of the race was all about fun. "With so many events on we were really stoked to get just over 90 riders and the people that came got into the spirit of the event."

Miss Price said top riders such as Sam Shaw, Sam Blenkinsop, Justin Leov, Jamie Nicol, Mark "Cabin" Leishman and newly crowned national masters downhill champion Adam King all took part.

"It was great to see the smiles on people's faces and all the fun they were having."

She said 100 per cent of the proceeds from race entries, donations and an after-race auction would go into a memorial fund set up to help establish a bike skills park in the forest. "We got a lot of help for the auction . . . we were very lucky to be supported by [Rotorua] businesses. The race isn't serious but we do have winners for the fastest up, fastest down and combined times.

"The winners were given a Woodstock, one of Dodzy's favourite drinks," Miss Price said.

Mr Dodds' partner Gabby Molloy said the light-hearted race was a great way to remember him.