Mountain biking: Trio to display skills in China

Katie O'Neill and Carl Jones

Some of Rotorua's top mountain bikers have been invited to China to show off their cross country skills.

The Rotorua-based New Zealand Cross Country Racing (NZXC) team, which was established early this year, has been invited to the 2013 Guiyang MTB Invitation Contest in China.

NZXC team manager Sam Thompson said the festival's organisers contacted him to ask whether they would attend the September 22 event.

"It will be an interesting event because they have invited so many countries. It is just after the World Championships so a few riders might give it a break but it is still a good opportunity to get over there and compete," he said.

"Everything is being covered - flights, five-star accommodation, everything."

He said three riders from the NZXC team would be attending the event including Rotorua's Katie O'Neill, Whakatane's Carl Jones and Queenstown's Kate Fluker.

Rotorua mountain biker Sam Shaw will also be attending with the NZXC team, after returning from the UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships in South Africa this week.

Thompson said China had never held a world cup event before and wanted to raise their profile in the mountain biking world.

He said about 30 countries would be attending in Guiyang.

The team leave for China on September 18.

Programme

NZXC Racing has launched a programme for up-and-coming mountain bike riders called NZXC Juniors.

NZXC Juniors will run alongside the Rotorua-based NZXC Racing team and Waiariki Bike Squad.

The programme will provide a pathway for juniors who want to excel at the highest level in cross country mountain biking.

The team will provide professional coaching and weekly training opportunities as well as two team training camps each season.

NZXC will also assist with racing logistics and sponsor benefits for athletes.

A selection camp will be held in Rotorua during the weekend of November 23 and November 24 and the team will be made up of a maximum of six riders.

To put forward your interest email Sam Thompson at sam@nzxcracing.com.