ABOUT THE COURSE
The Old Tai Tapu Road Course
A Canterbury time trial tradition since 1981.
The Tuesday TT runs on a legendary course: 16 km out-and-back on Old Tai Tapu Road.
- Fast Out: Often boosted by a northeast wind.
- Tough Back: Dead road surface + northerly breeze = true test of pacing.
- Options: Standard 16 km, plus an 8 km short course if demand is there.
Since the 1980s, this strip of road has seen everyone from elite time trial champions to triathletes sharpening up for their next big race. It’s safe, simple, and brutally honest.
The Worsleys Road Hill Climb is short, steep, and unapologetically honest.
Relentless Rise: 2.43 km of climbing with no flat sections to hide on.
Consistent Gradient: Averaging 7.1%, it rewards pacing and punishes over-enthusiasm.
Pure Effort: No drafting, no tactics — just you, gravity, and your choices.
With 185 metres of elevation packed into a compact climb, Worsleys has become a benchmark test for Canterbury riders. It attracts everyone from explosive climbers to steady diesel engines looking to measure progress. Simple setup, safe road, and a stopwatch that tells the truth every time.
The Summit Hillclimb TT is long, savage, and strangely addictive.
- False-Flat Trap: The opening rolls upward and often into a headwind — just enough to make you overcook it early.
- Gebbies Bite: A tough little climb that feels “manageable”… right up until it isn’t.
- The Cattle Stop Turn: The moment the course stops negotiating and starts making demands
- The Bastard: 4.2 km at an average 7.1%, with around 300 m of climbing — the kind of gradient that exposes pacing mistakes like a spotlight.
- No Easy Finish: Even after the summit, you’ve still got undulating kilometres to the line. The road keeps asking questions.
At 16 km, this isn’t a quick punch-up — it’s a full-body audit. It suits everyone from pure climbers to diesel engines who can hold a steady burn when the legs start bargaining. No drafting, no tactics, no hiding… just you, the hill, and a finish line that arrives exactly when you’ve run out of excuses.
