Hey all,
We have just come through the honeymoon post race period which included excessive caffeine intake (that’s actually just standard), left over chicken and squinting in the glow of the outrageous compliments. Mother nature has just given a good ‘back to it’ back hander to the back of the head and the boys at the gorge now have a big clean up job after the weeks intense rainfall and I’m sitting in a campground in Waitangi waiting for the rain to stop so I can go back to work. I figure it’s a good time to have another look back at what was the 4th annual DME.
It’s probably a huge no no to make the best yet claim, but this was the best yet. Our volunteer team were sharp as, our buses kept going all day, the food was outstanding, the weather was mint and the only drops of moisture on the trails came from your sweaty helmet pads as you picked your way down 3 challenging but rewarding race lines. The exciting news is that the DME will be back in 2017 and, yes, it will be the best yet. Its definitely a huge no no to make the claim a year in advance, but we are quietly confident.
Another big shout out to the team below who contribute to making the event happen. (As you read each name can you just do a small fist pump or yell yeah boi, you can alternate hands if fist pumping.
RHL NZ – The owners of the park who generously open the gates every year and make this event happen.
Sponsors
- Hyperformace Hardware (Santa Cruz NZ) – Stylie
- Blueshark – Al
- Cactus – Daryl
- Ground Effect – Cherie and team
- Mons Royale – Richard
- Urge Helmets- Kashi
- Revolution Bikes – Chris
- Bowater Toyota – Azza and David
- Mountain Bike Skills Clinics - Mildy the Legends men champ
- Fresh Choice – Gary
- Torpedo 7 – James and Alan
- Worralls – Pete
- Spoke Magazine – Neil, Brett, Hayward, Rod, Aaron
- Parrot DOG - Ol Wattie Watson - how good were they?!!
Helpers
- Donaldson Civil – Luke
- Spinifex- Sam Worsp
- B’Rad Cycles - Llama
- Upshift - Tama and Paul
- Niness timing – Andrew
- Stash Media Worx – Rossco (DME hall of famer)
- Deville Café – Cam (you guys need to pipe down) and Evan
- Pomeroys – Tracy and Hayden
- Helibike Nelson – Steve
- Browser Sound Systems
- Graham (portside auto)
- Nelson Mountain Bike Club
- Golden Bay Mountain Bike Club
- Hirepool, better late than never.
- Nelson portaloos
- Triple One Care and Tom Jerram
- Mike (curly haired man) Armstrong and Simon (oily rag) Finucane
Volunteers – what a team!
Mickey Fan
Kelly Leonard
Cordelia Sharpe
Nigel Schroder
Stevie Bill
Bronwyn Tuck
Blake Mc Dowell
Keith Rayner
Brenda Clapp
Daniela Soto Paredes
Glenn Taplin
John Butler
Reuben Miller
Glen Buckley
Reuben Miller
Olivia Johnston
Cassie Marwick
Brian Alder
Tristan Rawlence
Rosie Horn
Rob Waters
Simon Bannister
Lewis
Anne-Marie Friis
Rene Cocker
Patrick Murray
Hamish Best
David Ayre
Grace McGowan
Phil Etheridge
Dinah Jerram
Jeremy Binns
Graham King
Mike Greisen
Susanne Bennell
Steve Fox
Murray Findlay
Tim Lloyd
Matt Price
Mel Schroder
Mike Brien
Ian Chadwick
Alex Oconnor
Tony Wall
Jessica Enlund
Murray Drake
Tom Jerram
Caelab Drummond
The Wairoa crew
Brendan (Morts) Morton – The ideas man behind the race lines and a lynch pin in getting the trails and signage ready and managing it all on the day. Countless other tasks along the way
Dave (T) Taikato – A huge amount of preparation work and trail grooming, and all sorts of mongrel jobs like weedeating in 30 degrees, he gets it done. Also made the Beech wood trophies.
Dave (Scottish) Scotland – The man with the key to your hearts, providing all of the food everyday. A massive job into the wee small hours.
Pete Fyfe – Heaps of behind the scenes trail work and preparation and overseeing the safety team on the day.
Simon Lloyd – He’s a part time on the crew but needs a shout. He does all of the excavator work, believe it our not that road used to be 100 times worse. He also drove at the event.
LINKS
SPOKE Videos and Storys
Dodzy Tribute Video (NZ Trail Solutions Story)
PHOTOS
RESULTS
FINAL WORD
So that about wraps things up. Was awesome to see you all at the Gorge, hope to see you next year. If you have any questions etc just get in touch. Cheers. Nick C
…hopefully you can take a bit of that infectiousness that Dodzy exuded away with you and live your life with a purpose that is meaningful to you. That would make him so proud, and I think that he would feel like his time on this earth with us had been worthwhile if his passing inspired other people to live their life well lived…
Gabby Molloy