The Classic - Cowboy Paradise to Greymouth

The Ride: In Brief

• Saturday 17th November
• Cowboy Paradise to Greymouth
• 64km

Starting in the true wilderness of the West Coast, Cowboy Paradise will take all riders back in time. You ride through stunning forests, reservoirs and waterways of yesteryear built by our ancestors. Racing through Kumara and finishing at Greymouth. This ride will leave picturesque memories for every rider. This ride is ideal for the Weekend Warrior. The start last year was amazing and only fitting at Cowboy Paradise "a real shotgun start".

The Start

10:00am
Main Street of Cowboy Paradise 

Please note that at Cowboy Paradise, there is NO phone access, NO Eftpos, cash only!

With the start at 10:00am, there will be no access out of Cowboy paradise back to Hokitika between 9:15 and 11:00am. This is due to the riders from Ross and Hokitika riding the shingle road into Cowboy Paradise. We do not want cars driving into riders around blind corners. This rule will be enforced. If you're dropping your rider off, please do so and make sure you've left by 9:15am.

Travel time from Hokitika to Cowboy Paradise is approximately 40 minutes.

The Finish

Greymouth

Race Packs

Your Race Pack will contain your Race Number, Race Information and Sponsors Product.

• Your Race Number must be secured to the front of your handle bars

Note: Every entrant has a Race Pack and NEEDS to be picked up in order to compete. 

Race Pack Pick Up

Friday 16th November - between 3:00pm and 8:00pm – Monteith's Brewery, Herbert St Greymouth

Your Race Pack needs to be picked up prior the event.  You cannot pick up your race pack on race day.  If this does not suit you can contact us to make special arrangement - cjmsevents@xtra.co.nz.

You are more than welcome to pick up 'multiple packs'.  Please email us with a list of all the names so we can have these all ready for you so speed things up - cjmsevents@xtra.co.nz.

Course Map

Refer West Coast Wilderness Trail link, route being the reverse of this to Kumara

West Coast Wilderness Trail

Categories

Cancer survivors:

Male and Female
When entering enter the Cancer Survivor section. (No age group sections)

Clydesdale and Clydesdalesses:

One for the big guys and girls in the mountain bike section, males over 100kg and females over 75kg (without the bike) and you will be weighed after the race if required, so you have to be a solid 100kg or 75kgs. If we need to weigh you we will.
When entering just enter the Clydesdale section. (No age group sections)

E-Bikes:

E-Bikes pedal assist can be ridden in the event. This will be a non competitive category and have to be pedal assisted only. This is a rule that has to be respected, no E-Bikes with throttle assistance will be allowed to be ridden on the Trail and all E-Bikes to be under 300 watts. If this works well we may introduce this as a competitive event next year.  

When entering, enter the E-Bike section. (Non competitive)

Pricing

There will be no refunds if you cannot participate in the event, but for a $20 fee you can transfer your entry to someone else or to another event.    Transfers cannot be made after the Wednesday prior to the event. To transfer race categories there is a $10 fee.

Enter Now 

Click here to Enter Now!

Prize Giving

5:00pm
Regent Theatre Greymouth

The Ride: In Detail

Cowboy Paradise to Kumara is an amazing track to race over.  You will start on the main street of Cowboy Paradise and then you'll find your way to some of the most amazing mountain biking in New Zealand. This section has a few short steep sections although it feels like it is downhill most of the way. You'll pass over suspension bridges (10 riders only on these at a time) you won't have time to look down but if you do it is just amazing what's below you.

You'll ride through the ancient Podocarp forest until you reach the Waitaiki Reserve. Then you race along the man made dams which were built over 130 years ago, fresh water mountain weirs and old logging trams as you head toward Kawaka Valley. You'll race the Old Christchurch Road (2-300 metres of it), the Loopline Road and then on to the sweeping boardwalk.  This looks incredible, there is a spot or two to take a break and enjoy the scenery and  comfort stop if you need it.

Following from here you see the Loopline Reservoir and spillway. This was hand laid back in 1883 by miners in the gold rush (you may not have time to take all this in as you race past) but if you do, just think how hard these ancestors worked to make this trail for you as you bike on by. Then the Kapitea Reservoir as you ride closer to Kumara. The last few kilometres to Kumara are just awesome as the track continues on and on, then all of a sudden you're in Kumara and looking for the last stage to Greymouth.

When you reach Kumara, you will ride straight to State Highway 73, turn left on to the highway and ride past the Theatre Royal Hotel.  If you're feeling thirsty, "they may have a Monteiths for you if you drop in", but serious riders that we all are, will probably give that a miss, you'll continue down to Greenstone Road, take a right here and head toward the trail and then it's on to Greymouth and the Finish.

Finish Cut Off

Cut off for all rides to be finished is 4:00pm.

Terms and Conditions

Click here for Terms and Conditions