Dream comes true in the high country

Photo / Thinkstock

It's been more than 20 years in the making, so when the "James" Mountainsport Series starts its inaugural event next Saturday, it is expected to be an emotional moment with a family connection.

The series, which covers five extreme options at the St James Station conservation area in Hanmer Springs, is the brainchild of race director Heath Lunn, 43.

Lunn's father, Earl, was the stockman for Jim Stevenson on St James for more than 40 years and Heath spent a lot of time there growing up and also working as a stockman.

"I think the idea of a mountain-biking race has been percolating in the back of my head since the late 90s," he said.

"Around 2003, when I began to get into the sport myself, I really began to consider the vast potential for mountain-biking on St James and for an epic mountain-biking race."

In 2006, he approached the then-owners about running a race, but by then Jim Lunn had retired and the station was in the hands of his daughter who, Lunn says, gave him a "no, not interested" answer.

Not long after, the St James Station was sold back to the Government, and Lunn's imagination was reignited.

He put in an application to the Department of Conservation and, in between times, moved to Rotorua.

But almost 20 years later, Lunn is excited to see the event finally taking shape.

That proposal consisted of the two MTB races - the 103km Yeti Cycles "James" Epic and the 65km Ground Effect "James" Stampede - the "James" Macpac Mountainman and EM's Power Cookies mountain marathon.

The "James" alpine adventure race has been added to the list, with the tagline: "Only if you're tough enough".

"The tagline is, in the first instance, a salute to all those high-country stockman and to the long and often hard days that they put in day in and day out - if they're not tough enough, they don't tend to last too long in the high country," said Lunn.

He said three factors will make the James Mountain Series special: the history of St James - particularly its horses - the environment and the challenge.

All competitors will cross at least one mountain pass higher than 1300m and courses have an average altitude of between 800m and 900m.

"As much as possible, the course routes follow old stock tracks and heritage-listed stock routes and 4x4 tracks - there is probably less than 2km of metal road in the whole event."

Because this is the first running of the event, Lunn will be surprised and happy if the entries reach triple figures.

"But even the Coast to Coast started with less than 100 individuals plus a few teams," he said.

"It is a challenge like no other in New Zealand. There is no 'easy out' ... there's no support crew - you're on your own.

"But a big part of the concept for me is the challenge of completing your race on your own."

The events
The "James" Mountainsports Series
When: Saturday, January 28
Where: St James Station Conservation Area, Hanmer Springs

Five Event Options:
Mountainbike
* 103km Yeti Cycles "James" Epic - 1926m climb, 2198m drop
* 65km Ground Effect "James" Stampede - 1296m climb, 1574m dropRunning and biking
"James" Macpac Mountainman - 115km mountain bike, 46km run

Running
* EM's Power Cookies Mountain Marathon - 42km, 1322m climb, 1435m drop

Multisport
* "James" Alpine Adventure race - 1.5km swim, 63km mountain bike, 15km run