ABOUT THE RACE

2021 POWERADE PEAK TO PUB SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 18

Mt Hutt’s Peak to Pub is not just for the hard core, this race is achievable for anyone who is interested in challenging themselves physically and mentally. From New Zealand’s top multi sporters to enthusiastic amateurs seeking fun and personal triumph everyone is sure to have a blast. With a great atmosphere at the Blue Pub the finish is a great opportunity to catch up with friends and family and share your experience on the day, from the Summit of Mt Hutt at 2086m to the comfort of the Blue Pub in Methven at 300m.

SKI SECTION – 2KM

Start high on the slopes of the Mt Hutt Ski Area with a mass start at the peak. You will run approximately 100m to your skis | board followed by a Giant Slalom style race to the base area through race gates ending at the Ski to Ride Transition Area for the transfer to the Bike Section. Note you must be a minimum of intermediate level skier/boarder as this is a red run (ie – NOT beginners)

MT BIKE SECTION – 18KM

From the Mt Hutt Base Area you switch to your mountain bike for a heart stopping bike ride down the access road (dirt). It may seem all downhill when you drive it but be prepared to do a bit of peddling. Individuals will require at least one support person at the Big Al’s Transition Area at the Crossroads.

RUN SECTION – 12KM

At the bottom of the access road at the corner of Highway 72 the run section begins. Expect some road, some trail, some water, and maybe even a bit of mud! Cross the Giro Finish Line at the world famous Blue Pub in Methven (for a well deserved drink!) before the prize giving gets underway.

ENTRY INFORMATION & REGISTRATION

COURSE INFORMATION

Stage 1: SKI / BOARD

Mass start from high on Mt Hutt.
Run to skis/boards.
Distance – 2km | Vertical Drop – 460m

Stage 2: MT BIKE

From the top of the Mt Hutt access road to the ‘Crossroads’.
Distance – 18km | Vertical Drop – 1200m

Stage 3: RUN

From the ‘Crossroads’ to the Blue Pub Methven
Distance – 12km

CATEGORIES

INDIVIDUALS:
Open Women
Open Men
Vet Women (40+)
Vet Men (40+)

TEAMS:
Mens
Womens
Mixed
Vet Team (45+)
Corporate (all members must work for the same company – proof may be required)

(NB: at least 3 entries are required to form a category)

Age Limit
The minimum age of competitors for the event is 14 years of age at 18th September 2020. Competitors aged less than 18 years must have parents’ consent to participate in The Peak to Pub event.

RACE RULES

SKI SECTION

The Ski/Board course will be set on the morning of the event, the location will depend on snow and weather conditions.
Helmets are mandatory.
Minimum intermediate skiing/riding level required
Assemble skis/board at start of course then proceed to the marshals ready for the start of the run section to your gear.
You must ski/board the course i.e.: red then blue then red then blue gates etc. to the ski/bike transition.
If you miss a gate, you will be disqualified.
Take off your skis/board and run through the chute carrying your skis/board.

Individuals will change into their bike gear and move their transponders to their ANKLE only.
Then run over the timing mat where you will get your time. Bikes will be located after the timing mat.

Teams – your mt biker must have the transponder on their ANKLE only.
The skier/boarder will pass the bib and transponder (in the transition area) to their team mate who will run over the timing mat and mount their bikes to begin the mt biking section.

MT BIKE SECTION

The Mt Hutt road will be closed (1:00pm for Uphill traffic from the Information Booth & 1:15pm for Downhill traffic from the Carpark) and cleared by Road Patrol for the bike section.
Helmets are mandatory.
There will be several stationary safety vehicles on the road.
In the event of an accident – a Medical Vehicle with flashing lights will travel down hill to the accident. Please respect this and give way at all times.
Finish for the Big Al’s bike/run transition is just before The Crossroads – dismount and run through the chute where you will get your 2nd elapsed time.

Teams – again must remove bib or transponder to hand to team mate before the timing mat.

RUN SECTION

At the transition you must follow race marshal’s direction to enter farm land where marked. The Dry Creek bed will be marked with fluoro paint at intervals to direct you.
Do not leave the riverbed until directed by the marshal – there is only one exit
There will be race signs and marker cones out to notify road traffic however please give way to all traffic once back on the road.
Please travel on the right hand side of the road and stay to the right of any marker cones. Race marshals will be directing you.
Marshals will also be present at any point where a road is crossed. They will direct you to stop if there is any traffic coming, direct you to turn as you cross the RDR and direct you to turn onto the Methven walkway following the fluoro paint until you emerge onto the main road. Please respect their instructions as they are looking out for your safety.
This year there will be 2 options before you enter the trees track:
a) 8 meter swim across the RDR
b) Road bridge crossing for a slower (but dry) crossing
As you enter Methven, continue down Main Street and turn left at the Mobil Station.
The Finish line is before the Blue Pub where you will receive your final time and placing.
Please note that any finish line challenges will be AFTER you have crossed over the timing mat so we can record your final time.

GENERAL RULES

Failure to follow the Race Rules will result in disqualification
All transponders must be worn on the ankle only – if you do not your finish time may not be recorded.
All bibs and transponders to be returned to the marshals at the Finish line please
A team member may withdraw but he/she must notify a marshal at the next transition area. Any remaining team members may continue the race and receive times but the team will not place.

2021 PEAK TO PUB REGISTRATION

2021 Prices as follows:
Individuals – $80 (early bird) and $95 (late bird)
Teams – $155 (early bird) and $195 (late bird)

Earlybird Rate is until September 1 @ midnight.
Late Bird is from September 2 – September 16 @ midnight (last opportunity to register)

2 lift rides are included in your race entry, one to inspect the course and another to race.
There is also an optional half day pass available to competitors only, which will allow you to ski/ride in the morning before the race for $69.50

ENTER 2021 PEAK TO PUB HERE

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EVENT RESULTS

2020 EVENT RESULTS

Individual Mens winner
Ben Olliver

1h:13:36

Individual Ladies Winner
Julia Grant

1h:28.48

Vet Mens winner
Warwick Tuffnell

1:23.28

Mens Team winner
The Further Faster Fledglings

1h:13.45

Womens Team winner
Thai Green Curry

1h:37:03

Mixed Team winner
Mitton Wha

1h:27.27

Vet Womens Winner
Lisa McGoldrick

1h:57.09

Corporate Team winner
Mitton Wha

1.27.27

Vet Team winner
Extreme Chicken Stuntmen

1.42.15

2020 EVENT PHOTOS & VIDEO

Photo Credit – Richie Owen
For all the event images please visit here

FACEBOOK & EVENT UPDATES

Training Tips. These are gold…

Training Tips #1

1. A long steady slow paced run once a week: teach your body to endure a long run.

2. Once a week do 3x 4min runs at race pace in intervals: teach your body to sustain speed.

3. Run 50m in ski/snowboard boots to practice the first leg (run to skis/boards).

4. Love your knees! Knees are important in all ‘legs’ of the event. Here are some good knee exercises to repeat while you are watching TV at night:
a) Sit upright on the couch and lift your feet up and down from the knee
b) Do the above with a weight on your foot such as ski/board boots or shoes
c) With a straight back and steady legs at shoulder length apart do a series of squats
d) Lie on your side like a swimsuit model and lift your top leg up and down
e) Do the same as above but with a bent knee and heels together.

5. In order to practice skiing gates for the first part of the race: the race on snow, practice skiing around things when you are skiing so you can keep your speed while turning.

6. Go for a bike ride on a gravel access road-ish track, for example the Port Hills walking track from Heathcoate Valley by the Lyttleton Tunnel in Christchurch, or head to Potts Cutting up the Rangitata Valley (on the way to Mt Sunday the Lord of the Rings filmsite location). Don’t forget to wear protective safety equipment, especially your helmet!

Training Tips #2

1. Transition – This is going to be a key in this sprint race. Minimise the time stopped. Consider wearing the same gear through the whole race to same time changing. For gear that has to be changed, choose gear that is easy to change such as Velcro shoes instead of laces, or elastic laces. Then practice with this gear before the race,.. lots to make it slick.

2. Also consider Mtb in running shoes to save the change later. Remember that you’ll be wearing a stretchy race number bib over the outside of your clothing. I advise wearing the same gear for the snow and mountain bike, right down to the helmet, goggles, jacket, gloves etc. At the end of the mountain bike you can strip off a layer or 2 and head into the run.

3. There’s a reasonable chance on the mountain bike that you’ll get totally mud spattered. To avoid scratching my precious goggles, I don’t wipe them, I turn my head sideways to clear the mud and snow that accumulates on the lens. The wind speed blows it off. Alternatively, you can get tear-off plastic for the lens, or yet another option is to lift them off your eyes after the muddy sections and go bare-eyes for the last part of the ride. Another option is to wear sunglasses instead of goggles.

4. Practice transition in the back yard a few times in the week leading up to the race.

Training Tips #3

Ideas for the really serious folks from legend Steve Gurney:

1. Label your stuff – The transitions can be bedlam for your support crew, especially off the snow. I recommend labeling your gear with your name with marker pen.

2. Prevent punctures – Punctures are very common on the mountain bike leg of the Peak to Pub. As you’d expect and hope for in the mountains, the road is rough and challenging. Snake bite punctures are common. That’s where a rock squashes the tube onto the rim and makes 2 “bite” punctures. The advent of tubeless tyres has solved this, but for those with tubes, you can reduce the likelihood by increasing the tyre pressure to something like 50 or 60 PSI. However, beware that this makes for less grip on corners and a bumpier ride. So you can counter this grip reduction by using tyres with an aggressive tread pattern.

3. Prevent breakages – Time and time again in the race I see frantic figures bent over their bike trying to fix a broken chain, a jammed derailleur, brakes that have worn out the pads, a pedal that has come off, or a seat that has broken. This stuff is all preventable by thoroughly checking your bike before the race or sending it to Big Al’s (or your local bike shop) for a service before the race.

4. Nutrition – Peak to Pub is a short race, 1 hour for the winners, double for some folks. Even at that shortness, fluid intake is useful and I use Leppin Squeezies too.

So here’s what I do. I make sure Friday I’m drinking enough that my pee is clear. I have a good breakfast of porridge and fruit on race morning. 2 hours before race start I have a bit of a nosh-up with easy to digest food, soup, sandwiches etc, and a good drink of water or juice up to 750 mls.

From then on I wear a camel back before the race so I can sip a bit of water every 15 minutes. Drinking a total of 500 to 750 mls before the race starts.

In the race I don’t bother with a camel back. I just have a drink bottle on the bike with water. You’ll need a firm fitting drink-cage to stop the bottle from jumping out on the rough road (I like the Cateye plastic cage) I shove a Leppin Squeezies in my race shirt pocket, and eat one every 30 minutes. One just before the start followed by a gulp of water, and then one half way down the mountain bike where it has that little uphill (it’s slow enough to drink/eat), followed by several mouthfuls of water, and then another just before the end of the mountain bike on the tarseal followed by a big drink of water, so I’m set up for the run. If you anticipate being on the run for a while (longer than 1 hour) , you might consider taking your drink bottle with you off the bike or get a second one at the transition and one more Squeezie to take with you on the run and have it 30 minutes into it.

6. My best bit of advice – Have heaps of fun. You’ll race faster and have better yarns to tell, after all it’s the stories at the Blue Pub that really matter!

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