Chunder Champs

Rotorua was the host of this year’s Singlespeed World Championships (SSWC) held over Labour Weekend with some 9 competitors clad in fancy dress riding mountain bikes over the 4km course with the added bonus of two beer shortcuts and a tattoo for the winner. The SSWC is more a celebration than a competition and both the pros and weekend warriors were out to have as much fun as possible on two wheels and with one gear. The race is just an excuse for a bunch of like-minded people to meet up once a year to drink beer, tell tall tales and play dress up. There were guys in diapers and disco pants, g-strings and gorilla suits and girls sporting mutton chop sideburns and moustaches. The winning riders who went under the (tattoo) gun were local Rotorua rider Garth Weinberg, 38, and Heather Logie from Australia.