MONDAY:

For Breakfast the NZ team was treated to waffles, fruit, toast, cereal, and a whole lot of other healthy stuff. Throughout the day we really didn’t do all that much, the day was reserved for official track walking, so that took care of two or so hours but after that we just spent the day exploring *cough* beautiful Rotovegas and making trouble. Most of the day was spent at the bmx track taking the piss out of pro xc riders. Everyone then headed back to Hotel ibis for another team meeting and tea. This consisted of sausages, steak, pasta, and veges. We then got out our bikes, all set for practise day one. Then off to bed in our rooms, that had windows that didn't open and air con that sucked all moisture, and life out of your body, perfect.

TUESDAY:

Tuesday we were up bright and early as Magnum had informed us that the track opened at 8 at the top, so up at 6.30 for breaky, eggs, sausages, bacon, hashies and all the shizz. 7.00 we were ready to go and then we were told that the track actually opened at 9.00... so me and Mavis fired the sierra up and went for a bit of an early morning skid.9.00 we finally got on the track. It was a bit greasy but all good, throughout the day it rained on and off,  and the course roughened up. Slowly the NZ team dwindled with big JD (Joel) taking a digger in the rock garden and ending up in surgery, Holly also wasted herself bad and Scolzy cut his hip. The top pond jump claimed few pros as the run in go a bit drifty, so it was a bit of a huck .We all headed off to watch 4x training but not much was going down so, me and Scolzy went and played putt-putt, ha-ha as you can see we use our time constructively. Then at 7.00 we stood in the freezing cold, and watched the opening ceremony which dragged on and had far too much untranslated maori

WEDNESDAY:

Wednesday was a late start for us as the juniors had late practice at 1-3 but most of us headed up to watch pro practice. So we had our bacon and eggs for breaky and headed up the hill.(Magnum got the ford transit sideways on the way there). Pro practice was all good with the track dry and getting a bit blown out but all good. Our practice was as good as it could be, but it kind of sucks that you can get max 4 runs. After practice I took the sierra over to watch 4x and as we were driving out our muffler ripped of so we held up the hundreds of waiting cars for a bit...sorry. Later that night we had lamb shanks for tea and watched some footage from the day before.

THURSDAY:

Thursday, today was seeding, so we were all up bright and early to ensure that we got as much practice in before our runs. The track was pretty much bone dry and we were all begin to throw down semi race pace runs. Come seeding run half of us had decided that we weren't going to seed seriously, so many of us were down the order. My run was an easy
one but I crashed in the larches trying to pin my lines. After seeding we all went and watched 4x qualifying which was a bit dull. After our pasta tea we watched our runs on video and saw some different lines. Justin havakainen and Sam hill had some sick lines through the steep stuff but everything else was pretty standard. All us juniours tried to have an early night and all got to sleep at around 10.30

FRIDAY:

Well this morning I awoke at about 2 to the sound of rain and it was pissing down. Got up at 7 looked outside and it was s***t.had our bacon, waffles, eggs and hash browns for breaky again and me and the V10 headed up the hill. Me and scolzy got on the first truck and were first of the start and what can I say... it was sick. The grass section was so drifty you could just hold feet up drifts forever. In the steep stuff it was a different story, the mud was cloggy ,your bike was under steering every corner, but the rest of the track was all good, nice and drift just the way I like it Most of us headed back to the hotel straight after practice to get ready for the 4x and to clean our very dirty and heavy bikes. At about 3.30 I headed up for the 4x and made it just in time. The track was a lot better than at Oceania's there was loads of passing and it was awesome. Unluckily all the kiwis went out in the first round but it was still awesome to see prokop dominate. I had an early tea and hoped to get an early night until at about 11pm some dickheads let off the fire alarm and we all had to evacuate the building.

SATURDAY:

Me and Sam both slept through our  alarms so breakfast was cut short a bit( only time for 5 waffles).Got in the van at 7.15 and made it up the hill for and 8am practice. First run down and I got it a bit too sideways and high sided. The next 2 runs were mint and I was feeling good for race run. Sat at the bottom until 10.20 just laxing out listening to some sounds and trying to not think about the race. Me and mavis headed up fairly early and checked out the top section. Hopped on a wind trainer for a bit and just started to get in the zone and warm up etc.Mavis went of early as he was at the head of the list, then zac went down, Langford, miller and then finally I got the call. Got in the gate feeling good and not the nervous, jacket off with thirty seconds to go and I was ready to blast on to the international scene. Out of the gate I was sweet not pushing it to hard and just trying to find a rhythm(Dogboys advice) dropped into the rutted top grass bit and as I was turning into the pond gap, my bike just gave way, i recover pretty well but still had to get out and go around the gap and so loosing important time.I knew I had lost a bit of time and still pushed it all the way to the bottom.

EDDIE ON RACE RUN THROUGH THE ROCK GARDEN

At the bottom my time was way off but as a soon realised all other kiwis crashed like me so I was third nzer.It was awesome when Cam won, but I knew Sam was hurting because of his crash but then again that racing.NZ 1 AND 2 SICK!!!.The nz pros didn't fair to well and sam hill took her out as I had expected, that guy is just too fast. Later that night everyone went out but as we soon realised there was no real after party so , we just went to the echo and grumpy mole.

SUNDAY AKA SATURDAY MORNING :

This morning I spent with mavis and mitch delfs, first we went to the echo bar then the grumpy mole. We then headed to the Rotorua Boys high ball at which I got my break dance moves down with the locals. Heading back to grumpys we had to carry Joel Bain back to hotel ibis as he'd had a few too many. Soon after we headed back to hotel for bed.

// CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW
Full length head cam run of the Rotorua '06 Worlds Course
(try right click and save target as)

THE NZ RIDE "WORLD OF NZ DH" TEE
//LOOK COOL:
BE LIKE JAMES
[BARON]
GET YOURS NOW

If you're part of the NZ bike scene, chances are you're on there somewhere, if you're not, sorry, but buy one anyway!

Only $45, be quick act now first 50 callers get a free set of ginzu steak knives, but really, you will get an NZ RIDE sticker kit with your shirt. If you're too cheap to buy a shirt, hit up one of the crew for some free stickers anyway.

TO BUY, EMAIL: aaronf@xtra.co.nz

// Rotorua DH Course Headcam
See the roto '06 page for a Full length head cam run of the Rotorua '06 Worlds Course

// COMPETITIONS

Check out the competions page for regular give aways and stuff. At the moment we're running two seperate competitions to guess the fastest Kiwis and the fastest overall rider in the upcoming World Champs in Rotorua.

[ENTER HERE]

Watch out for our special feature on the Atherton family - coming up soon.

//NZ RIDERS

Wonder what our top riders are up to in the off season? Each month we do a round up of who’s where, doing what and bring you reports from Kiwis in every corner of the globe and back here at home..
[+]CLICK HERE

//INTERVIEWS:COMING UP

We’ve got some wicked interviews lined up in the next couple of months, so be sure to check back regularly for profiles on Steve Pete, Chris Kovarik, The Athertons, Sam Hill and many more…