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    • Metlink’s Airport Express set to break 2023 patronage record
      • Eight months since Metlink’s Airport Express exceeded forecast demand, latest patronage figures indicate a new record is poised to be set. 364,191 trips were recorded on the fully electric buses’ first year of operation to 20 July 2023 – 128% of the number expected. With over 320,000 trips already taken in the service’s second year of operation and figures for April and May forecast to be around 36,000 in each month, patronage is set to surpass the 2023 total in just ten months. Greater Wellington chair Daran Ponter say he’s delighted by the patronage growth which underscores Metlink’s commitment to providing efficient and reliable transport options for our residents and visitors alike.
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        • Wellington International Airport, Coutts Street, Rongotai, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6023, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)


    • Sore Losers: Nick Smith and the Government Water Down the Environmental Legal Assistance Fund
      • The rules of the Ministry for the Environment’s Environmental Legal Assistance Fund, which groups including Save the Basin have used to help fund legal challenges to infrastructure projects, have now been changed so that such applications can be arbitrarily declined, by: The inclusion of a new criterion to consider whether providing ELA funding to the applicant for its involvement in the legal proceedings, will contribute to impeding or delaying the ability of people and communities to provide for their social, economic and cultural well-being in relation to important needs, including employment, housing and infrastructure.   I was rung by a Stuff journalist about this and responded on behalf of Save the Basin: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/94323541/quiet-change-to-public-fund-for-environmental-legal-challenges A subsequent exchange in Question Time (see below) makes it very clear that Nick Smith had the Government’s Basin Reserve flyover defeat in mind when he made this move. Nick Smith and the Government appear to think that fits of pique make good public policy. We beg to differ. Question Time 9. EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister for the Environment: By how much has annual funding for the Environmental Legal Assistance Fund been cut since 2013/14? Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for the Environment): The budget this year is $600,000 per year, as it was last year and the year before. For the 4 years prior to that the budget was $800,000 per year but was repeatedly underspent. The spend in 2013-14 was $555,000, and the average actual spend was $520,000. As much as I like the Minister of Finance, I do not like under-spending my vote so I reduced the budget in 2015-16 and transferred it to increased support for collaborative processes. This is also consistent with our blue-green philosophy of supporting people to find solutions rather than spending it on legal aid to fight disputes. Eugenie Sage: Can he confirm that he created a new criterion for the fund recently so that community groups wanting to challenge council decisions in the courts are likely to be denied funding if their case might “impede or delay” a development project? Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Yes, I have changed the criteria. A new consideration is the issue of housing and infrastructure. The Government makes no apologies for making it harder for groups to get Government money to stop houses and infrastructure from being built. It does not prevent funding being provided in those sorts of cases, but it requires the panel to give consideration to the broader public interest. It simply does not make sense for the Government to be using public money to stop transport projects being built and stop houses being built with legal aid funding. Eugenie Sage: Does he believe that Forest & Bird would have received funding to mount a legal challenge to Bathurst Resources’ proposed coalmine on the Denniston plateau if this new criterion had been in place? Hon Dr NICK SMITH: There is an independent panel that makes the decisions on the issue of the legal aid. What I have added to the criteria is that, alongside the environmental things, issues like infrastructure, jobs, and housing have to be a consideration. But it still will be an independent consideration for the panel. Eugenie Sage: Can he confirm that last year he gave himself the power to decide which cases and which community groups would get environmental legal aid, stripping this power away from the Ministry for the Environment’s chief executive? Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Each year Ministers make a decision about the level of delegations. In this particular case, I decided not to delegate to the Ministry for the Environment, albeit I note that I followed the panel’s advice in every case. In the event that I do not follow the panel’s advice it will be a matter of open public record. Eugenie Sage: Why will he not just own the fact that his Government is trying to stop legal challenges that might impede environmentally destructive development, like the coalmine on the Denniston plateau, the Ruataniwha Dam, and the Basin Reserve flyover? Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I know of many Wellingtonians who would be concerned that the Government was spending money on stopping roading through to the airport being constructed with legal aid funds. So the Government has deliberately put into the environmental legal aid criteria that the panel needs to consider issues like infrastructure and housing. To quote the Minister for Infrastructure: “We are the infrastructure Government.”, and we want to see New Zealanders being able to get around and have a roof over their heads.9. EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister for the Environment: By how much has annual funding for the Environmental Legal Assistance Fund been cut since 2013/14? Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister for the Environment): The budget this year is $600,000 per year, as it was last year and the year before. For the 4 years prior to that the budget was $800,000 per year but was repeatedly underspent. The spend in 2013-14 was $555,000, and the average actual spend was $520,000. As much as I like the Minister of Finance, I do not like under-spending my vote so I reduced the budget in 2015-16 and transferred it to increased support for collaborative processes. This is also consistent with our blue-green philosophy of supporting people to find solutions rather than spending it on legal aid to fight disputes. Eugenie Sage: Can he confirm that he created a new criterion for the fund recently so that community groups wanting to challenge council decisions in the courts are likely to be denied funding if their case might “impede or delay” a development project? Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Yes, I have changed the criteria. A new consideration is the issue of housing and infrastructure. The Government makes no apologies for making it harder for groups to get Government money to stop houses and infrastructure from being built. It does not prevent funding being provided in those sorts of cases, but it requires the panel to give consideration to the broader public interest. It simply does not make sense for the Government to be using public money to stop transport projects being built and stop houses being built with legal aid funding. Eugenie Sage: Does he believe that Forest & Bird would have received funding to mount a legal challenge to Bathurst Resources’ proposed coalmine on the Denniston plateau if this new criterion had been in place? Hon Dr NICK SMITH: There is an independent panel that makes the decisions on the issue of the legal aid. What I have added to the criteria is that, alongside the environmental things, issues like infrastructure, jobs, and housing have to be a consideration. But it still will be an independent consideration for the panel. Eugenie Sage: Can he confirm that last year he gave himself the power to decide which cases and which community groups would get environmental legal aid, stripping this power away from the Ministry for the Environment’s chief executive? Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Each year Ministers make a decision about the level of delegations. In this particular case, I decided not to delegate to the Ministry for the Environment, albeit I note that I followed the panel’s advice in every case. In the event that I do not follow the panel’s advice it will be a matter of open public record. Eugenie Sage: Why will he not just own the fact that his Government is trying to stop legal challenges that might impede environmentally destructive development, like the coalmine on the Denniston plateau, the Ruataniwha Dam, and the Basin Reserve flyover? Hon Dr NICK SMITH: I know of many Wellingtonians who would be concerned that the Government was spending money on stopping roading through to the airport being constructed with legal aid funds. So the Government has deliberately put into the environmental legal aid criteria that the panel needs to consider issues like infrastructure and housing. To quote the Minister for Infrastructure: “We are the infrastructure Government.”, and we want to see New Zealanders being able to get around and have a roof over their heads.
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        • Wellington International Airport, Coutts Street, Rongotai, Wellington, Wellington City, Wellington, 6023, New Zealand (OpenStreetMap)


    • WMTBC December Newsletter
      • In this newsletter:     Race report: WDHS Rd 2 - Karori     Juvie & Duel Slalom Track Opening     South Coast Kids Track Update     Draft Suburban Reserves Management Plan     WDHS Round 3 - Maidstone     WORD Bike-a-Polooza     Escape from Mt Crawford Mini Enduro     Klunkers, Chainless & Kids Bike Dual Slalom     Trail Building Updates Wellington Downhill Series Round 2 - Karori The second race in the Wellington Downhill Series went down last month on the revitalised 98DH aka K-Hole. Historically, racing at this venue has been in the wet, and under these conditions simply getting a bike down the track becomes a game of survival. But on this occasion, Karori turned it on for riders. At the end of racing - Daniel Meilink took out the Open Men category ahead of Michael Mells and Bryn Dickerson. In Masters 1 & 2 - Nathan Timoko and Ali Quinn claimed the top spots respectively. And the juniors were dominated by the Macdonalds - with Finlay taking out under 17 and brother Lachie, under 15. Current National Champ Sarah Atkin recorded a very respectable time that would have put her just outside top 10 in Open Men, and Finn van Leuven also put down a solid time in Hardtail. We’ll catch everyone at the final WDHS round this Saturday, 6th December at Maidstone. Race Results & Series Points Juvie & Duel Slalom Grand Opening Crews and contractors have been hard at work at Miramar of the past months and we’ve recently seen the completion of two new tracks - Juvenile Delinquent, and the Kids Duel Slalom. The sum of these, combined with the pump track and dirt jumps is a great zone for kids and beginners to hone their skills, only minutes from the City. The grand opening of Juvie and the Kids Duel Slalom last weekend was a huge success. About 150 people turned up to mark the occasion on Sunday, including City Councillors and Mayor, Celia Wade Brown. Once the tape was cut, Mayor Celia spoke positively of the Club’s recent work at Miramar and Island Bay. South Coast Kids Track Wins Another Award You may recall that earlier this year, the Club received a Wellington Airport Community Award for its work on the South Coast Kids Track. Well last week the Kids Track did it again - this time at the 2014 NZ Recreation Association Awards. The annual awards recognise excellence in the recreation and leisure industry, and the South Coast Kids Track was named Most Outstanding Project. Thanks once again to Wellington City Council, Trail Fund NZ, Bike Wellington, Revolve Cycling and Southstar Trails.  Draft Suburban Reserves Management Plan Submissions close this Friday 5th on the WCC Draft Suburban Reserves Management Plan. This is the last opportunity members of the public will have to share their views on the future management of Wellington’s suburban reserves - between Khandallah and Miramar (including Makara). This plan will have a significant impact on the future of mountain biking in our city, and the planning process only comes around once every 10 years. So, if you have a few spare minutes and a desire to see the WCC supporting mountain biking in our suburban reserves, get in there.   Upcoming Events WDHS Round 3 - Maidstone - THIS SATURDAY The final round of the 2014 Wellington Downhill Series will take place THIS SATURDAY, 6th December at Maidstone, Upper Hutt. Check the WMTBC website for details and online registration. Online registration closes Friday, 5pm. Enter online >> The Club would also like to welcome Adrenaline MTB as the event’s major sponsor. **VOLUNTEERS** Race marshals and drivers are urgently needed for this event. We greatly appreciate any help offered. If interested - please contact events@wmtbc.org.nz. WORD Bike-a-Polooza - Sunday Dec 7th This Sunday at the Wainuiomata Trails - WORD invites you to join them for the first Bike-a-Polooza - New Zealand's best, super fun, and raddest kids mountain bike event ever! There will be four great courses to choose from on the day - so something for all the 3-17 year olds. Cost: $15 individual, $40 family of 3 kids. For more info and online registration check out WORD Bike-a-Polooza Escape from Mt Crawford Mini Enduro - Jan 19th, 2015 The third annual Escape from Mt Crawford Mini Enduro is upcoming - Wellington Anniversary weekend, January 19th. We’ve run the annual fundraiser for the Miramar Track Project for the past couple of years, and 2015 will undoubtedly be the biggest yet. As per last year, we’ll be running two classes - Misdemeanor and Felony, plus the Sufferfest hill climb, and we’re throwing in a Kids Mini D for the little rippers. Also, in breaking news - Yeastie Boys have just come on board as a sponsor. This is great news if you like beer.   Online entries opening later this month Event Details >> Klunkers, Chainless & Kids Bike Dual Slalom - Jan 24th, 2015 After a successful event earlier this year, Klunkers is back! The aim of the race is simple: dig out your old kit and 90s race weapon, do as many timed runs of Jailbrake as your body (or bike) will permit within 2 ½ hours, and heckle like you’ve never heckled. There will be four categories: Klunkers, Chainless, proKlunkers and Klunkers (under 12), and an additional Kids Bike Dual Slalom race. Entry is by donation of old (useful) bike parts, cash, or your bike. All proceeds go to Biketech and the Mechanical Tempest. Event Details >> Trail Building Updates Clinical (Polhill Reserve) As you may recall from the last Polhill update, The Brooklyn Trail Builders reported significant progress on Clinical. When it’s complete, the track will round off a grand loop of the Reserve. Most of the track is now rideable, and it’s set for completion sometime during early 2015. Currently, contractors are finishing construction of bridges on the trail, and volunteers are working on approximately 200m at the bottom. Although this section is incomplete, there’s a steep track that can be used to bypass it. The next dig is this coming Sunday, 7th December at 3pm. Details over at Brooklyn Trail Builders. There will be an event to commemorate the official opening of Clinical, tentatively around April 2015. We’ll keep you posted. We would also like to congratulate BTB whose work was this week recognised at the Roll on Wellington Cycle Awards. Mt Victoria Thanks to all those who contributed recently to the Mt Victoria trail user survey. We’re currently compiling the results, but feedback was largely positive. In case you missed it - here’s the full rundown. But in short, the WCC has requested that changes be made to the lower part of the Super D line. The Club, in consultation with trail leaders and the Council, has come up with a plan that involves essentially realigning the trail, from the SPCA south. In addition, the plan includes work around busy junctions to reduce the risk of conflict with other trail users. No major work will take place on Mt Victoria until the new year. We’ll keep you updated.  Want to keep in touch? For up-to-date Club news, updates and media - follow WMTBC on Facebook or check the Club page at WMTBC.org.nz
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        • Makara, Wellington


    • WMTBC December Newsletter
      • In this newsletter:     Race report: WDHS Rd 2 - Karori     Juvie & Duel Slalom Track Opening     South Coast Kids Track Update     Draft Suburban Reserves Management Plan     WDHS Round 3 - Maidstone     WORD Bike-a-Polooza     Escape from Mt Crawford Mini Enduro     Klunkers, Chainless & Kids Bike Dual Slalom     Trail Building Updates Wellington Downhill Series Round 2 - Karori The second race in the Wellington Downhill Series went down last month on the revitalised 98DH aka K-Hole. Historically, racing at this venue has been in the wet, and under these conditions simply getting a bike down the track becomes a game of survival. But on this occasion, Karori turned it on for riders. At the end of racing - Daniel Meilink took out the Open Men category ahead of Michael Mells and Bryn Dickerson. In Masters 1 & 2 - Nathan Timoko and Ali Quinn claimed the top spots respectively. And the juniors were dominated by the Macdonalds - with Finlay taking out under 17 and brother Lachie, under 15. Current National Champ Sarah Atkin recorded a very respectable time that would have put her just outside top 10 in Open Men, and Finn van Leuven also put down a solid time in Hardtail. We’ll catch everyone at the final WDHS round this Saturday, 6th December at Maidstone. Race Results & Series Points Juvie & Duel Slalom Grand Opening Crews and contractors have been hard at work at Miramar of the past months and we’ve recently seen the completion of two new tracks - Juvenile Delinquent, and the Kids Duel Slalom. The sum of these, combined with the pump track and dirt jumps is a great zone for kids and beginners to hone their skills, only minutes from the City. The grand opening of Juvie and the Kids Duel Slalom last weekend was a huge success. About 150 people turned up to mark the occasion on Sunday, including City Councillors and Mayor, Celia Wade Brown. Once the tape was cut, Mayor Celia spoke positively of the Club’s recent work at Miramar and Island Bay. South Coast Kids Track Wins Another Award You may recall that earlier this year, the Club received a Wellington Airport Community Award for its work on the South Coast Kids Track. Well last week the Kids Track did it again - this time at the 2014 NZ Recreation Association Awards. The annual awards recognise excellence in the recreation and leisure industry, and the South Coast Kids Track was named Most Outstanding Project. Thanks once again to Wellington City Council, Trail Fund NZ, Bike Wellington, Revolve Cycling and Southstar Trails.  Draft Suburban Reserves Management Plan Submissions close this Friday 5th on the WCC Draft Suburban Reserves Management Plan. This is the last opportunity members of the public will have to share their views on the future management of Wellington’s suburban reserves - between Khandallah and Miramar (including Makara). This plan will have a significant impact on the future of mountain biking in our city, and the planning process only comes around once every 10 years. So, if you have a few spare minutes and a desire to see the WCC supporting mountain biking in our suburban reserves, get in there.   Upcoming Events WDHS Round 3 - Maidstone - THIS SATURDAY The final round of the 2014 Wellington Downhill Series will take place THIS SATURDAY, 6th December at Maidstone, Upper Hutt. Check the WMTBC website for details and online registration. Online registration closes Friday, 5pm. Enter online >> The Club would also like to welcome Adrenaline MTB as the event’s major sponsor. **VOLUNTEERS** Race marshals and drivers are urgently needed for this event. We greatly appreciate any help offered. If interested - please contact events@wmtbc.org.nz. WORD Bike-a-Polooza - Sunday Dec 7th This Sunday at the Wainuiomata Trails - WORD invites you to join them for the first Bike-a-Polooza - New Zealand's best, super fun, and raddest kids mountain bike event ever! There will be four great courses to choose from on the day - so something for all the 3-17 year olds. Cost: $15 individual, $40 family of 3 kids. For more info and online registration check out WORD Bike-a-Polooza Escape from Mt Crawford Mini Enduro - Jan 19th, 2015 The third annual Escape from Mt Crawford Mini Enduro is upcoming - Wellington Anniversary weekend, January 19th. We’ve run the annual fundraiser for the Miramar Track Project for the past couple of years, and 2015 will undoubtedly be the biggest yet. As per last year, we’ll be running two classes - Misdemeanor and Felony, plus the Sufferfest hill climb, and we’re throwing in a Kids Mini D for the little rippers. Also, in breaking news - Yeastie Boys have just come on board as a sponsor. This is great news if you like beer.   Online entries opening later this month Event Details >> Klunkers, Chainless & Kids Bike Dual Slalom - Jan 24th, 2015 After a successful event earlier this year, Klunkers is back! The aim of the race is simple: dig out your old kit and 90s race weapon, do as many timed runs of Jailbrake as your body (or bike) will permit within 2 ½ hours, and heckle like you’ve never heckled. There will be four categories: Klunkers, Chainless, proKlunkers and Klunkers (under 12), and an additional Kids Bike Dual Slalom race. Entry is by donation of old (useful) bike parts, cash, or your bike. All proceeds go to Biketech and the Mechanical Tempest. Event Details >> Trail Building Updates Clinical (Polhill Reserve) As you may recall from the last Polhill update, The Brooklyn Trail Builders reported significant progress on Clinical. When it’s complete, the track will round off a grand loop of the Reserve. Most of the track is now rideable, and it’s set for completion sometime during early 2015. Currently, contractors are finishing construction of bridges on the trail, and volunteers are working on approximately 200m at the bottom. Although this section is incomplete, there’s a steep track that can be used to bypass it. The next dig is this coming Sunday, 7th December at 3pm. Details over at Brooklyn Trail Builders. There will be an event to commemorate the official opening of Clinical, tentatively around April 2015. We’ll keep you posted. We would also like to congratulate BTB whose work was this week recognised at the Roll on Wellington Cycle Awards. Mt Victoria Thanks to all those who contributed recently to the Mt Victoria trail user survey. We’re currently compiling the results, but feedback was largely positive. In case you missed it - here’s the full rundown. But in short, the WCC has requested that changes be made to the lower part of the Super D line. The Club, in consultation with trail leaders and the Council, has come up with a plan that involves essentially realigning the trail, from the SPCA south. In addition, the plan includes work around busy junctions to reduce the risk of conflict with other trail users. No major work will take place on Mt Victoria until the new year. We’ll keep you updated.  Want to keep in touch? For up-to-date Club news, updates and media - follow WMTBC on Facebook or check the Club page at WMTBC.org.nz
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        • Makara, Wellington


    • October Newsletter
      • In this month’s newsletter:     Wellington DH Series Rd 1 Report - Long Gully Upcoming WDHS Races - Karori & Maidstone Long Gully Start Ramp Retired South Coast Kids Track receives Regional Community Award   8Wired, Bruhaus & WMTBC present Ales for Trails Trail Building Updates Chance to see “Rad Company” on the Big Screen T-Shirt Orders Wellington Downhill Series Round 1 – Long Gully Matt Walker styles is up on the way to taking out the Pro Elite win. Photo: Dave Preece/Big Design. The first race in the Wellington Downhill Series went down Saturday 11th October at Long Gully – and what a day. The race doubled as the second round of the NZ Downhill Series, so the field was stacked. All up about 140 riders took to the hill including a strong contingent from out of town and uncharacteristically for Wellington – the weather was hospitable, creating impeccable conditions for racing at the infamous Gully.   Top spots in the Pro Elite category went to Matt Walker, Louis Hamilton and Wyn Masters respectively, demonstrating the calibre of competition on the day. In other categories – Wellington’s Oceania Champ Sarah Atkin took out Open Women, and in Open Men – Lloyd Jenks snuck into 5th narrowly ahead of Jourdan Lethbridge in 6th. In Under 15 – the Hutt Valley’s Lachie McDonald took 8 seconds out of the competition, and Wellington dominated Masters 30+ and 40+ with Derek Winwood and Ali Quinn in top spots respectively.   A huge thanks to all our volunteers, and to everyone that came out to support. We’ll catch you at WDHS Round 2 in Karori, Saturday 8th November.   Full race results – WDHS points –Photoset from the event –Wyn Master’s race run WDHS Rounds 2 & 3 - Karori & Maidstone Rounds two and three of the Wellington Downhill Series are forthcoming. Round 2 next month - Saturday 8th November at Karori Park on the revitalised 98DH. And for the final round we visit Maidstone - Saturday 6th December.    Information and registration online at WMTBC.org.nz. Karori 8th Nov - Enter Online >> Maidstone 6th Dec - Enter Online >>   **VOLUNTEERS** Race marshals and drivers are urgently needed for these events. We greatly appreciate any help offered. If interested - please contact events@wmtbc.org.nz. Long Gully Start Ramp Retired  As some of you may be aware, changes are afoot at Long Gully. In short, the landowners are building a house at the top of the Race Track, and earthworks are starting this week. So - the time has come for the original Long Gully start ramp to be put into retirement.   We’ll bring you updates regarding further developments as soon as they come to hand. But in the meantime, as construction on the house begins - access to Long Gully will occasionally be limited. Status updates will be sent out as required via Facebook, WMTBC.org.nz, and email. We would appreciate your cooperation during this time.   We would like to extend our thanks to the Watsons for their hospitality over the past 14 years during which Long Gully has has become synonymous with Wellington Downhill. Regional Community Award for the South Coast Kids Track The award takes pride of place in Floyd's Cafe, right underneath one of the club's new posters that you will see up and around town. Photo Mat Wright / Floyd's Cafe Last month the South Coast Kids Track was formally acknowledged at the 2014 Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards – receiving the top accolade in the Sports and Leisure category. The awards pay tribute to volunteer groups from the Wellington Region whose work has had a positive impact on their local community.   In June, the track was officially opened in Island Bay, and the past months have seen significant uptake by local families and children, and Island Bay School who are running cycling classes on the track. Future plans are in place to encourage more local schools to utilise the track, and Wellington City Council has indicated that the successful model could also be viable in other suburbs.   Thanks to Wellington Airport, Wellington Community Trust, Wellington City Council, Trail Fund NZ, Bike Wellington, Revolve Cycling and Southstar Trails, and importantly - all those in the community that have supported the project.    8Wired, Bruhaus & WMTBC present Ales for Trails A few weeks ago we received a call from Brian at 8Wired asking if there is anything they could do to help us out. A few days later, we had a tap takeover at the Bruhaus organised. There was an excellent turnout on the night, and some very tasty beers from their very special barrel aged series. All in all the event raised $600 for trail building, probably the easiest fundraising we will ever do, just turn up and drink beer. A huge thanks to all those that turned up and imbibed, and to 8 Wired and the Bruhaus for organising the event and their donations. Trail Building Updates Clinical (Polhill Reserve)  The Brooklyn Trail Builders are nearing completion of the latest addition to the Polhill Reserve trail network - Clinical. The new track was made possible through funding received last year from Transpower, Wellington Marathon Clinic and private contributors. Brooklyn Trail Builders volunteers hard at it on Clinical. Photo lifted from BTB Facebook page.    Ultimately it will be an uphill only trail completing an approximately 7km ‘Grand Loop’ of the Reserve. But for the short term Clinical will be open to two-way traffic, contingent on the development of the proposed downhill only trail - Ladylumps. Advice from the Brooklyn Trail Builders is that downhill traffic on Clinical should ride with caution, and give way to uphill traffic.   The majority of the trail has now been built including surfacing and the planting of approximately 500 natives by the trailside. All that remains is 200m of track to be built by volunteers over the next few months, and the installation of structures to cross a number of streams on the track.     Clinical will remain closed until opening in early-2015, and plans are in place to host an event marking the occasion. Watch this space.  98DH (Karori) Over the past few months a crew have been working behind Karori Park rejuvenating the 98DH track which played host to Round 2 of the Wellington DH Series last year.    November 8th this year, 98DH will again host WDHS Round 2 and riders can expect a few welcome changes - most notably more elevation and a longer track. While the lower section into the finish remains relatively unchanged, the top section has been reworked, a number of new lines and jumps have been added, and a start ramp will be in place on race day. On the whole the track retains its characteristic technical personality and will undoubtedly keep riders on their toes.    Cheers to Curtis and crew.    Miramar Track Project The big news is the completion of Juvie and the grade 2 loop, including the kids dual slalom. The new kids dual slalom, part of the new beginners loop at the top of Mt Crawford. Southstar toiled away for a couple of weeks with their diggers opening the line up, for TGL and vollys to come through and tidy up the line and put in several hundred plants. Thomas from TGL has been doing some long hours in the run up to Labour Weekend to get the gravel down and compacted so it was good to ride. Plan is to have an official track opening and open day 30th November. Look out on the club site and Miramar Track Project facebook page for details. Mt Victoria Southstar have also been putting their 2 diggers to good use on Mt Victoria. The lower section of Hippy's has been tidied up from the wooden step down to the exit. New tables and hips have been shaped. Futher down the hill, some of the other tracks have been tidied up, including the Zig Zag and a new climbing track down above the Badminton Hall. WCC has also been running a consultation and coming up with a plan for the northern part of Mt Vic (from the SPCA to the summit). The club is working closely with the planners, ensuring that Rod's plan for those tracks gets incorporated. The club has also been working with WCC on the design for a new descending track from the SPCA roots to the kid's skills area. This proposed new track will eventually form part of the Super D line and will work round some sections of this track that the council is going to close. A high level plan has been mapped out, and can be see on the club site. Reserves Consultation Yup it's WCC Consultation time again. This time it is the "Suburban Reserves Management Plan". This plan hasn't been updated in 10 years, so now is the time for us as Mountain Bikers to get some input. Whilst most of our tracks are either in the Town Belt, Outer Town Belt or special areas that have their own plans, like Mt Vic, this will impact a small number of tracks. Most significantly Miramar and likely, 98DH. The proposed plan also includes some intentions by WCC to investigate options for Watts Peninsula. This is the Defense land north of the prison in Miramar. If you want more cycling facilities like pump tracks and skills areas in local reserves, then head over to the WCC website and make an online submission. We have had some really great turnouts from the community over the past couple of years on these and it has made a big difference to these plans, and the money is starting to come, so please take 5 minutes and fill out the form.  Rad Company Showing - 26th November The Aotearoa Adventure Film Festival is returning to Wellington!   BRANDON SEMENUK'S RAD COMPANY - WELLINGTON - ONE NIGHT ONLY    The Aotearoa Adventure Film Festival (AAFF) is proud to return for its second year. Presented by RotoruaNZ.com and Torpedo7, AAFF is pleased to present some special one-night only screenings of the latest epic Red Bull mountainbike film: Brandon Semenuk's Rad Company.    Film Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr-4LbSSriY   Spectacular riding and filming, so grab some mates and come on down for a night of cinematic mountain bike action on the big screen   Wellington - Rad Company Date: Wednesday, November 26th, 8pm Venue: Lighthouse Cinema Cuba Tickets: $15 available directly at www.lighthousecuba.co.nz and limited door sales on the night.    We hope to see you at the festival! Web: www.aaff.co.nz Facebook: www.facebook.com/aotearoaadventurefilmfestival T-Shirt Orders Are On Again Just in time for a summer of shredding, or for stocking stuffers, we are doing another run of our classic logo T. As per normal, we do preorders only. This means that we can offer more colour combos. The T's are all 100% cotton, AS Color T's and screen printed here by Brazen. $30 to you, all profits go back into the club to help us with events and trail building. Orders will close Sunday 16th November. You will have your Tshirt 7-10 days later. Order yours on the club site now.     Want to keep in touch? Follow WMTBC For up-to-date Club news, updates and media - follow us on Facebook, or check the Club page at WMTBC.org.nz. 1080p WMTBC Desktops Mo’ whips. Rider: Wyn Masters Download Desktop And here’s one commemorating the recently retired Long Gully start ramp. Rider: Steve Wallace. Download Desktop
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