October Newsletter - member benefits, programmes, events...

22/10/2021

Kia ora clubbies,

Hope you are all loving spring riding, including club members in Level 3 who can't get to Rotorua but are spinning their wheels closer to home.

Lots of awesome things going on for the club and club members which you will read about. But firstly a couple of administrative things from me:

Proposed changes to the club constitution.We recently issued a notice of motion reproposed constitution and rule changes we hope to ratify at the club AGM Friday 29 October.Click here to download the club constitution with the changes marked up.

We need to talk about illegal trails. The land we ride on in Whakarewarewa Forest is privately owned and there is process that must be followed to have new trails approved and built to uphold the access we are privileged to have. More info on our Facebook page and we'll also email the details soon.

Seeking new committee members for the coolest club in town. Please consider and send in expressions of interest for Rider Development Coordinator, Club Activations Coordinator and 2W BBQ Master before the AGM being held Friday 29 October.

The AGM itself!

Numbers capped to 100 so PLEASE click here to RSVP . Your RSVP includes pre-AGM Beer Tasting thanks to the good sorts at the Pig & Whistle Historic Pub. All proceeds from drink sales are being donated back to the club and we will put on some food. The tasting kicks off at 5pm and the AGM starts at 6pm.

That's enough admin! Read on for more developments from all areas of our club and thanks for your support,

Clair Scott
Club President

UPCOMING EVENTS
Come one, come all - let's shred together

Wednesday 27 October - ROUND 1
This year the club is bringing the whole Low Key Summer series to club members for FREE! Non Members $10 per adult per race and $5 per junior per race.

Click to here to enter and dibs a race plate. We've printed 100 so don't miss out! We will NOT be taking entries on the evening so pre registering is a must.

NB There is a $10 bond that covers your timing band. You are responsible for this for the whole summer and when you give it back at the conclusion of race 6 you will get your money back. If you intend on racing in the Low Key XC or DH (new this year) then the timing bands can be used across all disciplines!

Every Thursday
This is a pedal. There will be hills and grade 3-4 trails. Course will be posted a few days before and updates in our Facebook event. Thank you to Tracey and Tracy for leading these rides. If this sounds a bit above your pay grade but you want to get out on your bike with likeminded ladies check out the Revolve Mountain Bike Group including their Sunday Social Rides.

RMTBC Ladies Summer Shuttles presented by Cyclezone
Wednesday 24 November - Round 2
Join us for good times, great trails, awesome company, on the monthly! Meet at Mountain Bike Shuttles pick up at Waipa MTB carpark from 4pm for a 4.30 departure. Subsequent forest pickup after that corner Hill and Pipeline Roads. Club members receive a FREE Uplift each night of the Ladies Summer Shuttles! For information on other Women's Ride Month events see the Cyclezone Facebook page.

GIANT 2W Gravity Enduro
Saturday 27 November
Race 1 was postponed until Sunday 10 April, so let's hope Race 2 goes ahead Saturday 27 November. If you haven't entered, Race 2 is sold out but there's still spots for Race 3 in February. Click here for more information.

Whaka Watt E Bike Enduro Sponsored by Electric Bike Rotorua
Saturday 4 December
This event run by the club is back for its second year. Last year was a sell out and an all round cracker event. Some stages go up and some go down - all grade 3 or 4. For more details see our Facebook event.

RIDER PROGRAMMES
Sharing the stoke

^ race squad alumni. Term 4 2021 squad had their first session last night.

ENDURO RACE DEVELOPMENT SQUAD UPDATE
We are really excited to have our next group of the Race Squad ready to go for Term 4. Congratulations to Poppy Lane, Bill Axon, Toby Huston, Theo Bennett, Lewis Lei, David Parnell and Emma Hickson who have been selected to take part. Have fun out there! Special mention to Max Mills who was selected but is now out due to injury. We hope you're feeling better soon Max.

We will be opening up applications for the Term 1 Race Squad later on in the year so keep an eye out on Facebook for more information.

SHARE THE RIDE PROGRAMME UPDATE
In 2020 RMTBC, with funding from Sport BOP Charitable Trust organised a Share the Ride programme for Rotorua tamariki and rangatahi and their whanau. The aim of the programme is to encourage children from diverse backgrounds to become physically active through mountain biking by giving them the chance to learn to ride a bike on the trail network.

Share the Ride has been running in Rotorua for the last 5 years and this was the first time it was funded and organised by the cub. We ran the programme in partnership with Mountain Bike Rotorua (MBR).

The club is excited to announce we have funding, this time from the Rotorua Lakes Council Te Rakau Tu Pakari Fund, to run Share the Ride again in 2021 and we hope it will run on an annual basis in the future. Children will be nominated by local schools and organisations and those most likely to benefit are chosen by club and MBR representatives.

DESCEND + RMTBC UPDATE
Despite the stern looks in this photo, the outcome of the meeting was a roaring success and we are stoked to confirm that the Rotorua Mountain Bike Club and Descend Rotorua Downhill Club agreed to merge. The benefits being administrative efficiency, stronger funding position, bigger and better opportunities for members and to throw further support behind the RMTBC First Response Unit initiative.

Descend Rotorua will now head the downhill arm of the club along with having a voting position on the RMTBC Committee. We are excited to increase the wealth of knowledge, experience and stoke into our already formidable committee.

All financial members of Descend Rotorua will automatically become Rotorua MTB Club members.

NB a big thank-you to Gaz from Nzo Active for the merged logo.

FIRST RESPONSE UNIT
Powered by Rotorua Mountain Bike Club

Matt from Hamilton said earlier in the year

"Myself and my partner were recently in Rotorua and went mountain biking in the redwoods. Unfortunately my partner fell off her bike and injured her shoulder. We used your first aid service to help us get back to the car park. I would like to thank you for providing an amazing service. The chap that helped us was really nice, easy to deal with and very professional."

Thanks Matt! And thanks also for your generous donation.

If you've got a story to share about the First Response Unit please email us, we love to hear your feedback.

WE HAVE MORE STICKERS!

Thanks to Sign Craft Rotorua, who generously print our stickers for FREE, we have 600 more stickers to get onto bikes, helmets, drink bottles etc to if people get into trouble they or their mates can easily find who to call. If you would like some for yourself or can distribute a bunch please email us and we'll get them to you.

PROUD CORPORATE SPONSORS OF THE FIRST RESPONSE UNIT:

COMMUNITY SHOUT OUT
To all the good buggers in our 'hood

Whakarewarewa Pest Free
This trust has been set up to protect and encourage the native species in the forest. It is entirely volunteer based and provides an opportunity for recreational users to give something back. They have around 1500 traps and 200 volunteers working throughout the forest and constantly expanding.

If you're interested in looking after a trapline, there is no set commitment required of you and you can easily check a set of lines in under an hour. You will receive training beforehand and all baits and equipment are supplied free issue. Whakarewarewa Pest Free have operations in the Waipa Wetlands, The Tokorangi Triangle/Redwoods and Whakarewarewa Forest. They are not only involved in trapping but native habitat restoration including invasive species clearance and native tree planting.

If you're interested please email Anthony.

Keep up the good mahi everyone! Your efforts make our trail network even more awesome to get amongst.

JOIN / REJOIN THE CLUB
Memberships run from 1 January

YEEOOOW! Our memberships have jumped exponentially thanks to you all supporting us and the First Response Unit. There's loads of benefits for you, including free entry into any of the Low Key events, free first uplift on the RMTBC Ladies Shuttle Nights presented by CycleZone, early bird for Giant 2W Gravity Enduro (offer now expired) etc.

Just a reminder that memberships renew on 31^st December 2021. If you have hit the subscribe button on this year’s membership sit back and relax. If not, we will send out a reminder in December letting you know it’s time to renew. To join or renew click here.

THANKS TO ALL OUR AWESOME SPONSORS
In no particular order Rotorua Lakes Council, Mountain Bike Rotorua, Kids Ride Shotgun, NDuro Events, Secret Spot Hot Tubs, Nzo Active, Graeme Murray Photographer, CycleZone, Rothbury Insurance, Salt & Tonic, Rotorua Economic Development, Pig & Whistle Historic Pub, Ride Rotorua, Peak Safety, BDO Rotorua, Stratco, Spark, Sign Craft, Brand Display, Croucher Brewing, Good Eastern, Bike Culture, Carters Tyre Services, Shout Marketing