I'm on the planning team for the "National" Winch Challenge in Blenheim over Queens Birthday weekend next year. Any feedback from the organisers of the Taupo event (or others)would be appreciated. We've run a couple of events already, so we're pretty confident of our ability to set some pretty good courses, but specifically looking for advice regarding sponsors contacts, and how much hassle (and cost) you had with the 4WD TV crew. The indication we have at present is that they will come if we stump up for airfares and accommodation. It's probably do-able, but is it worth the effort? We have a couple of cash sponsors on board already, but not sure whether to put the cash into the TV crew, or split it between prizes and some (mostly liquid) goodies for the marshals...

When Rick ran the first Thermal Thunder he had the tv there and that's what it cost, airfares, accomodation and feeding. Not sure if they were there this year as I wasn't involved. Never did get around to watching the actual footage.
Al

Email simon direct to sort out the TV side of it.
simon@4wdtv.com.au
The sooner you can get in the better as i think Simon and Miranda are pretty busy in June and July with their other business so have to arrange staff to cover.
From a personal point of view, they are very good to deal with and they understand what a 4wd event is about rather than just film it for the money. Don't confuse them with the guys that were doing the TV3 programme as they are worlds apart!!!

Yes,make sure you have 4wdtv there.
Myself and a few of the other challenge class trucks get sweet f.a. coverage in the 4wd mags.
Yet we all got good coverage on 4wdtv over the year

Big thumbs up to 4wdtv not only from us, but also our sponsors

Yep, 4wdTV is well worth the money!!!!

It also helps the competitors get sponsers

Hard to get sponsorship if no one ever see's the sponsored team in action.

Is this the correct thread to run through the details of the class's??

Everything is all set to head down, but I have one of those vehicle's that doesn't quite fit anywhere.

From what I can gather, as its not road legal it will be in outlaw class??

Outlaw class caters for the most highly modified trucks correct??

Thanks for the feedback - we'll do what we can with the 4WD TV crew. I must admit we had a disappointing experience with the "Suzuki Extreme" TV3 crew a couple of years ago, but if it's what the competitors want, we'll try for the Ozzie mob....

Regarding Classes - Open Class requires it to be road legal and max tyre size 36.5in
Clubman Class also road legal and max tyre size 33in (note it's different to the Club Class in the North Island rounds!)
Outlaw Class caters for the rest - still with max tyre size 36.5in. This includes trials buggies with a winch strapped on through to anything else not road legal, but scrutineers will be looking at brakes and cages mainly.

Steel cables permitted for Clubman Class, but must use pin & plate ground anchors (although winch points will mostly be provided unless you get stuck where we don't expect - this doesn't apply to other classes)

Courses are set so any roll-overs should be a "flop" with little chance of a multiple roll. This may mean we can allow 4 point roll cages - still to be decided...

i did hear that alot of the stages were going to contain "controlled hazards" and "compulsory winches" to eliminate some attempts at driving some of the hills? Can you give us any other details of the stages, how long stages are approx, winches per stage, an idea of the type of terrain that will be driven on? mite give an idea to some of those people who are thinking of coming down?

Also if there are going to be different line's set for the different class's..........

All classes will follow basically the same tracks, with Clubman Class having some different lines to avoid the worst of the bogs, reduce the length of some winch sections, and in some cases make the banks a bit easier. There is lots of clay (Simex / Silverstone country), but also quite a bit of variety using rocky creek beds, pine plantation, soft shingle, swamp, and overgrown scrub areas. In June, things should be very wet and slippery. Most of the tracks have few straight sections, so will not be suited to high speed runs. We expect most stages (at Blenheim anyway) to require 3 or 4 winch sections, although some of these may turn out to be driveable. There will be at least a couple of compulsory winch sections where we have safety concerns, but we're confident the terrain with ensure winches are needed without us artificially imposing them... Controlled hazards will be used to prevent too mach track damage in the softer parts, but that doesn't prevent having a go at driving them - it just means you only get one attempt and must winch when you lose forward momentum or get excessive wheelspin. We're looking at about 40min DNF times, and I suspect times under 10min will be pretty rare. On Sunday at Kikiwa, the terrain is more open, still mostly a clay surface, but probably less winching required.

We have a few local trucks entering which are not far from standard, and we're using them to "test drive" the tracks, so you don't need a super-modified coil-over V8 monster to successfully get through the stages, although obviously doing them quickly needs a more capable truck...

Minimum standard for roll cages (all classes) is 4 point (single hoop) with a diagonal cross-brace.

And the 4WD TV is now looking unlikely as our key sponsor fell through yesterday....

Latest Update....

4WD TV will be coming - we have a few good sponsors on board covering costs, and looking good for some more providing product prizes.

Stages are being continuously developed, with a working bee just held last weekend at Kikiwa (near Lake Rotoiti), and a full days work with a digger at Mt Riley a week ago. There will be some seriously challenging sections! We are still planning 4 night stages, and 18 day stages over three days.

Entries are being accepted now. The event will be limited to 30 entries.

Entries or questions to:
topofthesouth@clear.net.nz

Got invited out by some of the local Blenhiem boys to have a look at some of the tracks that will be used for the comp, and they are awesome!
Hill climbs, bogs, axle twisters, drop offs, creeks, ect, ect.....
Multipull winches in most stages.
Should be a primo event.
Definently worth the trip down.

A couple of recent changes to published information:

Change to the Club Class rules - steel winch cable will not be permitted!

We have arranged to use the new "Events Centre" in Renwick as the social base for the Winch Challenge. It will now be the venue for the Scrutineering and Prizegiving, and will also have a bar open for our use each evening. There are toilet and shower facilities, and camping available on site at a cost of $20 per person per day. There is also hotel and motel accommodation available in Renwick at reasonable cost, all within easy walking distance from the Events Centre. The Events Centre is located at the Renwick Sports Grounds, with access off Uxbridge Street.

It is strongly recommended that all entrants read the rules on the Mainland Winch Challenges website
http://www.mainlandwinchchallenges.co.nz/

Particularly note the rule interpretation regarding "Cable under Tension".
Also, while only a 4-point roll cage is required, it must meet the required construction specifications, specifically including a diagonal cross-brace.

Any Questions, contact the Secretary:
topofthesouth@clear.net.nz

Suggested Accommodation options:
www.watsonswaybackpackers.co.nz
www.bellamymotel.co.nz
Both are within 5min walk from the Renwick Sports Centre which will be the social base for the weekend.

This event is confirmed and definitely going ahead, although we need another 3 entries to break even on costs... Presently 18 entries.

4WD TV will be there (our biggest cost), although it's a bit disappointing we only have two North Island entries, when it was mainly Northerners making a big noise about the importance of having a TV crew covering it....

Still time for more entries - and at $100 per entry for 3 full days plus night stages it's pretty reasonable! This event will not be run next year, and possibly never again in the current format...

Is this round part of 4x4 Challenges points series?