Moonshine riders handed steep challenge

MOUNTAINBIKE

Kath Kelly has laid down a challenge before tomorrow’s Moonshine Trail mountainbike race.

‘‘Anyone who can ride the whole way up Ships Cone, I’ll give them a chocolate fish,’’ she said.

Kelly knows just how tough Ships Cone, the highest point of the 40km ride, is.

She’s completed the MLT Moonshine Trail four times (winning it each time) and will get her fiveyear medal when she competes again tomorrow. So what brings her back? ‘‘The good people, the great organisers, and it’s a good, hard, fast race,’’ she said.

‘‘It’s a really good hit-out and you get such a good variety of people. It’s fantastic to see so many people just out there and doing it.’’

Kelly, who hails from Roxburgh, is well known in multi-sport circles and has won many events including the two-day individual and team Coast to Coast, the Epic mountainbike race in Hawea and the Goldrush in Central Otago.

She admits she has been light on training since she ended up in hospital with a blood clot on her lung just days after winning last year’s race around Lake Hawea.

Kelly has taken on a role as a guide with Hiking New Zealand and, although it is a great job, which involves travel throughout the North Island, it has limited her training.

The Moonshine Trail will be her first race since April, and she’s looking forward to simply enjoying it.

‘‘I’m looking

forward

to

just smelling the roses for a change,’’ she said. ‘‘I will bust my ass, because it’s in my nature, but to win races you’ve got to be training.’’

The Moonshine Trail is in its sixth year and this year includes 40km and 35km mountainbike options, a 15km run and, new this year, a 5km run-walk.

Sport Southland event coordinator Sally Hayes said the Moonshine Trail was a great hitout for people preparing for longer events such as the Motatapu, or just wanting a good ride or offroad run.

‘‘It’s a challenging event, but anyone can do it, which is the great thing about it,’’ she said.

‘‘It’s fantastic that people like Kath keep coming back and enjoying it year after year. There is some great scenery, it’s a good course and we’re really encouraging as many people as possible to get signed up for what is always a really good day out.

‘‘The addition of the 5km runwalk really opens it up to anyone. It’s an undulating course, so still presents a challenge, but it’s an achievable one.’’