7-8 October 2023
A self-supported bikepacking challenge. Connect the six rideable corners of Golden Bay in 36 hours, Tākaka to Tākaka.
The Six Corners are: Cape Farewell Lookout, Brown Hut (start of Heaphy), Anatori River, Tōtaranui Beach, Rameka Track top (Pages Saddle) & Trilobite Hut ). Each of these are awesome places and iconic NZ landscapes, all worthy of a visit in their own right.
No entry fees, no prizes, no tracking. You can do the "corners" in any order, but you must finish in the time limit. A star for every corner, lose a star for every hour you are late back! Some corners are harder than others.
Route info, Start and map etc
There's facebook page with all the history from previous versions plus a bunch of photos, worth a look if you haven't been to Golden Bay before. The route is about 445km total, the western section is pretty flat (2000m+), the eastern section is not! (~4500m).
Start: The Village Green, Tākaka 6am, 7 October, 2023
Finish: in the Roots Bar, Commercial St, by 6pm, 8 October, 2023
Here's a map & gpx file which you might find useful. No guarantees this is the most effcient route though ......East Takaka Rd is mandatory for travel in lower Tākaka Valley, keep off the highway where possible. Look at the weather forecast when making a plan - it can get awful windy out on the West Coast, so usually it's best done early, or late.
The Agreements
By taking part in the Six Corners Challenge you agree to:
- ride the challenge yourself without assistance from anyone else.
So this means no support crews, no pre drops*, no help from other riders*, only using services that are available to all and the general public (accommodation*, food etc), no DRAFTING*.
- take full responsibility for your own safety and well-being. If you need assistance you need to organise it yourself. If you need rescue/ emergency assistance you need to sort it. There's good cell coverage and lots of houses on nearly all the route. There's enough traffic that you can wave someone down. You might decide to take a PLB if you are concerned.
- obey the road rules and remember that all roads are open to the public. Don't ride State Highway 60 between Central Tākaka and Uruwhenua bridge, use East Takaka Rd instead.
- make a record of your achievement of reaching each corner. A selfie at the photo sites or a strava log will do, or a mate who saw you there!
* Pre drops: you can leave gear anywhere along the route and pick it up when you pass back by that point, but you can't place it before the start at 6am.
* If you get help from other riders it better be for something catastrophic. The onus is on you to come prepared. There's a bike shop in Tākaka, but it will be closed by noon Saturday.
* Locals will likely want to stay in their own beds Saturday night if they are in town. If you're visiting and have friends to stay with, that’s ok too.
* DRAFTING, riding someone else's wheel is a no-no. You can ride with others, but ride beside them, or out of earshot. It means you'll ride at the pace of the slowest in the group, not the fastest. It's way more fun than riding in a pace line and after all it's not a race eh, it's a personal challenge.
Services
So some information on resupply and accommodation:
Western section:
(the flats!) There are plenty of food options with cafes in Collingwood, Bainham and a store at Pākawau which is open 8am-8pm both days. There's cafe at Wharariki Beach carpark which might be open. Water is really only available from the above places, a few streams along Whanganui Inlet, and Brown Hut where there's heaps. Plenty of camping and accommodation options though. Cabins and backpackers at Wharariki Holiday Park (just off course) might be tempting, and Brown Hut is a great option.
Eastern Section (the hills):
Not many resupply options once you leave Tākaka. There's a store in Pōhara for when you head out to Tōtaranui and the Woolshed Cafe at the Canaan Rd/SH60 corner will be open from 10am, but that's about it. On the water front there's heaps with water at Tōtaranui, through the Rameka Track and at Canaan carpark and plenty of good streams etc once you head up the Cobb. Again plenty of accommodation options with the hut at Trilobite and camping at Tōtaranui and Canaan.
Hall of Fame
Completions of the full course:
2017 - Brian Alder
2018 - *Greg Galway
*Pete MainDonald
(shortened course due to road closure)
2020 - Tony LeSueur
- *Martin Genet; (honourable mention for missing cut off by 30 mins)
2021 - Martin Strelka
- Emma Bateup
- Sam Snowden
- Debbie Chambers
- Emma McCosh
- Karen Le Sueur
- Georgia Whitla
- Patrick Higgins
- Debbie Ardern
- Scott Ardern
2022 - Craig Harper
- Ruth Cornelius
- Craig Phillips
- Andrew Laurie
- Micheal Jacques
- Brett Humphrey
2023 - Craig Harper 22h10m, new FKT
- Karen LeSueur 27h39m, new women's FKT
- Stephen Petty
- Rikimata Massey
- Pete Swanson
- Huw Ludemann
- Steven Fish
- Karl Arndt
- Micheal Jacques
- Douglas Hilson
- Scott Ardern
- Hayden Richards
- Paul Churton
- Marcus Baguley (with 7mins to spare!)