Ride length: 1,000.50kms

Vertical Metres: 5,220

Time Limit: 75 hrs

Start time: 5am at the Matamata Information centre.

Ride with GPS route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/38698576

Ride Organiser: Kelvin Spicer 027-368-7266

The Kingmaker

This event centres on the Waikato town of Matamata. A sleepy little shire where the filming of hobbits began, and ended, where kingdom's rose and fell, and battles were won and lots.

But this ride is not about a fictional kingdom. This ride covers the land once ruled by a real kingmaker: Wiremu Tamihana Tarapipipi  Te Waharoa. A Waikato chief who was instrumental in the setting up of the Waikato Kingitana movement, and the ordination of the Maori King, the first being Potatau Te Wherowhero. And even today, his descendants still ordain the next heir to the Maori throne. Wiremu Tamehana is memorialised in the Matamata All Saints church on Hohaia Street, in a Stained glass window.

This is an unsupported ride.  All legs start and finish in Matamatama, allowing riders to use it as a central base.

Day 1:

Distance: 361kms

Climbing: 2,832m

Starting outside the Waikato Information centre the first day of the ride covers the South Waikato region of Cambridge, Te Awamutu and Otorohonga, before finishing back in Matamata. The first day has the most hills.

Day 2:

Distance: 375.4kms

Climbing: 1,591m

Day two travels North beside the Kaimai ranges through Te Aroha, and heads up to the Waharau Regional Park. On the return leg, the course travel across to Ngaruawahi, and past the original Maori Parliament House. before returning to Te Aroha and then back down to Matamata to finish leg 2.

Day 3:

Distance: 264.2kms

Climbing: 843m

The final leg of the challenge again travels North, besides SH2, to Waharoa and heads up through what once was thick Kahikatea swamp, but is now rich dairy farmland. The course heads up through the Western edge of Tearoha before crossing over to Morrinsville, before moving on to Gordonton. From Gordonton the course returns through Morrinsville, and back down through the Western edge of Te Aroha back to Matamata to finish.

A summary of major townships is below, along with facilities:

Matamata: Z 24 hrs, McDonalds 24 hrs, Bob's Bikes

Cambridge: Z 10pm, McDonalds 10pm, Evo Cycles

Te Awamutu: Z 24 hrs, McDonalds 24 hrs, Evo Cycles

Otorohonga: Caltex 10pm, McDonalds, 10pm, Thirsty Weta 10pm.

Kihikihi: Willys Takeaway 8pm, Star Tavern 11.30pm

Pirongia: (Nothing)

Ngatea: Z 24 hrs, Bar&Grill 11pm, cafe 4pm

Kaiaua: GAS Station 6pm, Fish shop 7.30pm

Waharau Regional park (turnaround): Toilets.

Tahuna: Tahuna tavern 11.30pm

Morrinsville: Takeaways 8pm, cafes 4pm, Bar&Grill 11pm, Kaimai Bikes

Gordonton: cafe 4pm, usherette 7pm, toilets.

Checkpoints:

Matamata: 0kms

Cambridge:   79.7kms

Otorohonga: 157kms

Te Awamutu: 233kms

Cambridge: 281kms

Matamata: 361kms

Ngatea: 443.6kms

Ngatea: 526.3kms

Ngaruawahia: 616.4kms

Tahuna: 662.2kms

Matamata: 736.40kms

Te Aroha: 813.5kms

Gordonton: 70.30kms

Te Aroha: 961.30kms

Matamata: 1,000.50kms