A subcommittee of the Queenstown Mountain Bike Club has organised the DH Series, which will include six competition days between December 16 and March 10 across three venues.
DH Series committee member member Jimmy Carling mooted the idea when the Queenstown Bike Park began its gondola accessway for mountain bikes and has finally got the wheels in motion for the downhill series.
This comes after Queenstown bike enthusiasts missed out on hosting any of the 2013 Mountain Bike Cup.
''It was about time we held our own local downhill series."
Mr Carling said there had been a noticeable pick-up from Queenstown riders for downhill and the DH Series was almost a guaranteed success among locals.
Queenstown has hosted parts of national series, but this will be the first to be held entirely locally.
While the DH Series will not contribute to riders' rankings and points on a national scale, there will still be prizes up for grabs. Mr Carling said the series would be open to any able rider, although the numbers would be capped at 100.
The Queenstown Bike Park will host three events, two will be held at the Remarkables grass and gravel tracks and one will be at Wynyard Fernhill. He said this year the DH series would be kept small and simple. No huge costs would be incurred as it would be funded through volunteer work and the club's kitty.
If the series is successful, Mr Carling is keen to make it an annual event.
• Riders can sign up for the entire series for $25 or QMTB members at $5 a race. Non members can enter per race for $20 each, but are unable to enter for the full series.
DH Series
December 16: Queenstown Bike Park.
January 13: Remarkables (old).
January 27: Queenstown Bike Park.
February 10: Wynyard.
February 24: Remarkables (grass).
March 10: Queenstown Bike Park.
