A bicycle race this month will involve entrants cycling the circumference of Lake Tekapo.
Organisers of The Mackenzie race, which will take on April 20, hope to replicate an event held regularly in the early 2000s.
Organiser Kerry Uren said the event had previously been named The Run 79, and had been popular, one year drawing more than 1000 entrants.
Mrs Uren said the race had been held in June each year, leaving it at the mercy of winter weather.
She believed it had simply ‘‘run out of puff’’.
While it had been gone, it had not been forgotten by Andy Perry from Cairns Alpine Resort.
Mrs Uren said Mr Perry was an avid mountainbiker, and he had approached her — in her role as organiser of Race Tekapo — to see if she could help him resuscitate the event.
He had been so determined to get the old race up and going again he had invited her and all the farmers around the lake together for a meeting.
She said there were a few wines poured before the topic was broached, which she thought was a fine plan for getting them all on board.
For the one day only, 88km of routes would be made available to entrants, a mixture of sealed and gravel roads, farm tracks, river crossings, and access to private high country stations.
‘‘It was quite an iconic race back in its day, and the mountainbike community are very excited that it is back on the calendar.’’
She said there were entries from all over New Zealand as well as a few from Australian.
‘‘The local community groups are getting involved as a great fundraiser for them, and we are really excited to be bringing a bunch of athletes and their supporters in to the region for the event weekend.’’
There are two distances to choose from: one starts and finishes at Lake Tekapo and is a full loop, while the shorter distance starts part way up the lake.
‘‘We also have relay options available.
‘‘Recently we introduced an out-and-back course up one side of the lake which is ideally suited for gravel bikes and e-bikes.’’
More details about the event can be found at themackenzierace.com
