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Video & Race Report: Emerson's 3 Peaks Enduro

Dec 4, 2019
by Matt Wood  
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Text: Kane Fleury
Images: Digby Shaw, Jemma Wells and Kane Fleury
Video: Matt Wood and Jason Beacham


Spring in Dunedin this year has been moister than an oyster but the week leading up the 8th annual Emerson’s 3 Peaks Enduro was filled with warm, dry wind. A fine start to the first weekend of summer in the south. Dunedin, usually world-renowned for wet slippery clay, sniper roots and steep hills put on a race with dry hard trails and dust. The race took place over two days with the first-day racing through loamy pine forest and then down from the ridges of the city through dense native forest. The second day was held in hero dirt conditions at Signal Hill, the easily accessible bike park in the center of city.

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3 Peaks Enduro

3 Peaks Enduro


Day 1

The day started at the Woohaugh gardens in the city at the event village for the first day. Riders had a casual start to the weekend with coffee and a shuttle to the start of Stage 1 on the other side of the local hills to begin what would be a long day of 6 stages and total race times of between 22 and 40 minutes.

After a massive day of racing and tracks that were much dustier than locals were used to, the riders all made their way down to the BBQ in the gardens and for a few tasty crafty boiz thanks to the legends at the local Emersons Brewery. Concluding the first day of race Charlie Murray was leading the pack with a race time of 21.52 followed by his brother and freeride ski world tour athlete Craig Muray (+1.15) and last years winner, the local lad Josh McCombie (+1.32). For the ladies, Rae Morrison took out the day with a blistering time of 26.44 minutes across the six stages. Louise Kelly was behind by 2.59 and in third overall was Cati Pearson (+2.89).

3 Peaks Enduro
The hecklers were out in force

3 Peaks Enduro
Brianna Roth looking focused on stage 5

Louise Kelly negotiates the main rock garden on the Nicols Enduro line part of day one of the Emerson s 3 Peaks Enduro.
Louise Kelly negotiates the main rock garden on the Nicols Enduro line, part of day one.

Local Harley Davidson sales rep Nic Borland loosens his grip on his brakes down Conrod straight on the Pineapple Track.
Local Harley Davidson sales rep Nic Borland loosens his grip on his brakes down Conrod straight on the Pineapple Track.

Bradley Harris looking composed through the boulder garden on the Pepper Tree Track.
Bradley Harris looking composed through the boulder garden on the Pepper Tree Track.

3 Peaks Enduro
Rae Morrison in the Dunedin Hills

3 Peaks Enduro
Classic trail side repairs

Media squid Matt Wood gets wild round a loose corner on his whisper e-bike with a pack filled with camera gear.
Media squid Matt Wood gets wild round a loose corner on his whisper e-bike with a pack filled with camera gear.

A rider gladly accepts some much needed hydration from the team at Emerson s Brewery after day one of the Emerson s 3 Peaks Enduro.
A rider gladly accepts some much-needed hydration from the team at Emerson's Brewery after day one of the Emerson's 3 Peaks Enduro.



Day 2

The second day of racing was held at the local bike park of Signal Hill and with a forecast of light cloud and mid-20-degree temperatures riders awoke to mist and a light drizzle that looked like it might unleash and give the locals what they wanted. A wet race. To the local’s disappointment, the mist lifted to a thin high cloud and things got hot and the tracks stayed dusty and dry. The riders had 3 laps of the 320m high hill to complete in reverse seeded order. The tracks were running fast and rough, the perfect challenge for riders to pump in some hot times.

The courses set for the second day of racing were rooty, rocky and rough. The course selection included the nuggety best bits of the hill with some solid pinch climbs to link them all together as set by ex xc olympian turned race director Kashi Leuchs. There was a mix of native bush, pine trees and volcanic rocks. With the riders dropping in reverse seeded order it meant that for final techy chute of the final stage had a solid crowd built up with riders and hecklers fueled by fresh tins to cheer the fastest crew down the hill. The fastest riders certainly put on a show with sketchy hucks off of rooty corners into a rocky landing proving all the excitement needed down the steepest track of the day.

Charlie Murray kept up his consistency of the first day and put down a solid effort to finish as the overall fastest man down the hill with a time of 33.21 followed by the local lad and last years champ Josh McCombie (+1.31) who made up a significant amount of time on his local hill and beating Craig Murray (+1.83) to wind up a big weekend of racing.

Rae Morrison took out the win for the women with a time of 40.25. She comfortably caught Louise Kelly (+3.27) in the final parts of the final stage. Local lass Sam Hope slide into 3rd place 4.16 minutes behind Rae.

A rider looks to enjoy dropping into the final decent of Magnatron on the final stage of the Emerson s 3 Peaks Enduro.
A rider looks to enjoy dropping into the final descent of Magnatron, on the final stage of the Emerson's 3 Peaks Enduro.

3 peak enduro
Connor Mcfarlane is not just a slopestyle rider, he can put down a hot time if he needs to.

Local lad Josh McCombie launching into an off chamber section of the OC Track
Local lad Josh McCombie and last years winner, launching into an off chamber section of the OC Track.

The off camber chute near the bottom of the OC keeps riders on their toes during day two of the Emerson s 3 Peaks Enduro.
The off-camber chute near the bottom of the 'OC' keeps riders on their toes during day two of the Emerson's 3 Peaks Enduro.

A flat tyre proves to be no problem for Charlie Murray as he celebrates the final few metres of the Emerson s 3 Peaks Enduro.
A flat tyre proves to be no problem for Charlie Murray as he celebrates the final few metres of the Emerson's 3 Peaks Enduro.

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Rae Morrison attacks the rock garden on Signal Hill

A rider enters the final tight berms before heading to the finish of the Emerson s 3 Peaks Enduro.
A rider enters the final tight berms before heading to the finish of the Emerson's 3 Peaks Enduro.


Final overall fastest were:
40.25 Rae Morrison
43.52 Louise Kelly
44.41 Sam Hope
44.47 Cati Pearson
45.26 Emma Bateup

33.21 Charlie Murray
34.52 Josh McCombie
35.04 Craig Murray
35.11 Shannon Hewetson
35.22 Bradley Harris

Full Results on the 3 Peaks Enduro facebook page.

Author Info:
woody-nz avatar

Member since Nov 23, 2002
12 articles

3 Comments
  • 2 0
 thanks for great coverage team. And killer snap of Te Anau localista josh pearson hucking for the glory on Magnatron.
  • 2 0
 Love seeing the local hills on Pinkbike!
  • 2 0
 That's a great write-up!







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