New Zealand has never been short on places for challenging events, and the South Island has often delivered the combination of epic scenery with terrain and conditions to test athletes. Earlier in 2021, the Central Otago region played host to the first edition of The Prospector MTB Stage Race – and it’s on again for 2022.
With 3 days of racing on 3 distinct routes, the race takes you on the pioneering routes from New Zealand’s early colonial era. With a rich history in gold mining in the Central Otago area, the event isn’t short on trails. Based out of Alexandra, the event has a central hub that is the doorstep for many of the trails in the area, along with a town that provides just about everything you’ll need. Plus, the drive is barely an hour from Queenstown airport.
Expect 4000m of climbing in total across the three days of racing, on moderately technical singletrack. Of course, 4000m of climbing also means 4000m of descending, so there’s reward for the work.
The 2022 Prospector event runs from 11-13 March, with race rego on March 10. You can find more specific details on the event website. Early bird entry pricing is now available, so if we had you in the first paragraph, you can enter here and figure the rest out later.
