Our first ever Mt Hutt College x Mt Hutt Bike Park Gritt Camp went down on February 15th and 16th, although muddy at times that didn’t stop us from having a great time!
With everyone stoked to get out to Mt Hutt we loaded up Rongo the bus and departed Ōtautahi the afternoon before the camp. We were greeted with mist and drizzle as we rolled into Mt Hutt Bike Park, Rongo leading the charge through the mud as we got ready for the action ahead.
Overnight it continued to drizzle, heavy at times. Waking to a damp morning the vibes were quickly lifted as 28 excited young riders from Mt Hutt College arrived, buzzing to ride with the Gritt team and wasting no time getting ready. Following a quick welcome we got stuck right into the morning session of riding and what was to be a very wet, fun day ahead. Lap one set the tone with us already saturated head to toe and the poor vans with a fresh coat of mud!
Trying to stay warm, we lapped out through the morning, sliding our way through mud and rock, while the rain eased, and the mist lifted above us. Before we knew it, the trails had dried, and vibes were high - it was time for the big jump line.
While fun is always number one, our key focus areas were on line choice, setting ourselves up for corners, and making sure our bikes were dialed in to do the job. The afternoon was epic, sliding around in the mud and the tracks were only getting better. This left everyone exhausted and excited for another day ahead. The kids had learnt loads and the Gritt crew enjoyed getting to know everyone.
The weather held off for an evening BBQ of sausages, wild venison and a lovely salad prepared by Lili. After a hot meal and a cup of tea and a few biscuits we were content and ready for bed.
Day two brought more promising weather and despite day one’s rather muddy conditions, Mt Hutt College were eager for more. We began our day with a workshop and question session, which also gave the trails a good opportunity to dry out, each group going into depth with the coaches about how to progress their riding and stay healthy, and a run down from Barney Edwards on how to get our bikes ready for action, following yesterday's mud.
Before we knew it we were on the trails. Surprisingly, the trails had dried a lot more than anticipated, with some spots nearing hero dirt. The morning was spent lapping some of the bike park's finest trails, furthering our focus on adapting our riding to muddy conditions so that we don't get caught out. Groups made the most of extensive trails on offer, riding a mix of flow and tech with the goal of lining up another session on the big jumps in the afternoon.
Kicking off our afternoon, the grass dual slalom track was set and everyone came out firing, testing cornering skills with no shortage of carnage in between. But after some useful tips, like leaning the bike over and looking ahead, there was some obvious improvement all round.
It was the jumps that everyone had been itching to get to, and they were dry and ready for an afternoon throwdown. 10 rider trains was the trend for the afternoon. The older group found their favorite lap, Main DH Line into Nationals, via the jumps. On the final lap we stopped for a session at a steep chute just before the last jump on Nationals. Matt Walker helped some of the kids through it, giving them useful tips on the right body position and where to pop off the drop.
To finish off the couple of days we played a classic game of footdown. Everyone had their track-standing skills polished. It came down to a hard-fought battle between Flynn and Izzy, with Flynn finally taking the crown, but will be sure to have a target on his back for camps to follow.
Prizegiving tied up the camp, with riders leaving with big grins, prize and signatures, kindly provided by our sponsors and coaches. It’s not everyday some of the world's best riders are at your local bike park chatting and riding with you!
The Gritt coaches thoroughly enjoyed the great couple of days. It was great to see the progression of everyone and their positive attitudes throughout the camp, even when conditions might have been tough.
We would like to thank Mt Hutt College for reaching out and having us along and to Mt Hutt Bike Park for catering us over the two days. Extended thank you to the parents for doing endless shuttles for us!
We would also like to thank Best Build Construction for supporting the camp. A special mention to Glen Currie, Jack Saxon and the Bike Methven community for providing trails, a toilet, water and a place for us to park up. Also thank you to the parents driving shuttles for us!
And a huge thanks to our coaches:
Charlie Murray
Bernard Kerr
Jenna Hastings
Matt Walker
Sam Blenkinsop
Winni Goldsbury
Xanthe Robb
And our media crew:
Photo - Mikhail Huggins
Video - James Saunders
