It’s in memory of local mountain bike legend Kelly ‘McGazza’ McGarry who died 10 years ago, on February 1, aged only 33, after suffering a cardiac arrest while riding the Fernhill Loop.
"There’s a big push behind remembering who he was and what he did for putting New Zealand mountain biking on the map," festival co-organiser Emmerson Wilken says.
"Before he went on the world stage, there were a few downhill guys doing it, but not that many.
"He sort of paved the way for quite a few of the athletes that now go to the rampages or go to all these slopestyles all over the world."
McGazza Fest begins tomorrow with McGazza Mega Train, from Skyline at 6pm and finishing at Atlas bar.
"It’s just like 300 riders bombing down the Ben Lomond Trails, you’re trying to overtake each other, it’s just quite a social event."
Saturday’s a huge day, including a chainless race at 9.30am down the jump trail at Fernhill’s Wynyard Jump Park, airbag coaching for kids from 1pm, which McGarry used to do a lot of, and the McGazza Dream Jam, also at Wynyard Jump Park — juniors from 3pm and adults from 5pm.
"The youth are amazing," Wilken says, "like the entire youth field last year was probably better than 50% of the adult field."
McGazza Fest concludes Sunday with the McGazza Memorial Ride at 11am up to Kelly McGarry table at the top of the Fernhill loop track where he died — "the idea is to finish the ride he started" — and the popular Gorge Road Jam from 3pm for kids and 5pm for adults.
● For more info, visit queenstownbikefestival.co.nz
