Downtown Auckland was the setting for the start of the Red Bull Eye in the Sky. A fixed gear alleycat race with a difference. The fixed gear and track bike riding scene is quite developed in New Zealand and the riders were eagerly awaiting this race. Some driving for over a day to come to Auckland to take part. The concept is simple; 40 riders race their bikes in a 13km circuit around the city. They have to visit 5 designated checkpoints to receive a wristband. The checkpoints are released on the event website 24 hours before the race so that the riders can work out their personal routes that best suit them. Only the last checkpoint is mandatory to be hit last. This means riders can spilt and go to checkpoints (2 as energy stations) in any order. The first over the line wins. Riders using brakes must visit a 6th checkpoint and run on foot for 120m to get their extra wristband as a handicap. Road rules apply. A true test of body and mind.
The difference with this race was that we were tracking each rider with a transponder to measure timings and also following the race from the air in a heli filming with a cineflex camera and shooting stills. Filming on the ground from a scooter was Mike Martin from MASH in San Fransisco. MASH is known as a key player and instigator in this scene globally. Joining Mike was Rainier Schaefer from SF who won the event with almost a minute lead with a time of 19min 22 secs. Rainier recently rode the tour of California with the MASH riders on brakeless fixed gear bikes.The energy and enhusiasm from the riders and their friends leading up to and after this event was amazing. The after party and prizegiving was held in a nearby gallery space where we were displaying some photo prints from the local Auckland scene and also some prints from MASH. Rainier received his first prize of a custom built black Campagnolo Super Record hub wheelset- a unique prize built for a renowned Cinelli vs MASH bike.
This race really brought together the NZ scene and has put NZ on the map of the fixed gear scene. The considerable attention on the top blogs and websites over the last few days has been really positive.
We promoted the event indirectly by creating 4 days of riding events before the race called ALLTRACK. Ghettodrome sprints, a trick contest and a slide show party, all with RB and infrastructure and the Hummer. All ending in the grand finale which was the race.
1st place - Rainier Schaefer (MASH SF)
2nd place - Chris Macic
3rd place - Ken White (b3ans)
4th place - Max (Mazza)
5th place -Jess Battaerd
6th place - Mike Lawrence (MikeL)
7th place - Daniel Gerous (DanGerous)
8th place - Joseph Nerney
9th place- Ezra
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