When riders line up on the start line for the final round of the 2018 Winter MTB Series on Sunday, they will be marking the end of an era.
The series is in the 17th and final year of its current format, with organiser Nduro Events shaking things up next year by introducing the Rotorua Winter Forest Festival in its place, a celebration of the forest featuring running and mountain biking events.
Nduro Events director Tim Farmer said about 500 people had signed up for this weekend's event.
"It's not over, we're just reformatting what we do and we're looking forward to it. We can put a lot more into one event than we can into a series. We can consolidate what we do, give a better experience and there's not so much wear and tear on the trails either."
Whanganui's Glen Haden sits in first place in the Long Course overall standings with 340 points, after winning round two. He is closely followed by defending champion Cosmo Bloor (320) and Max Taylor (300).