Rotorua here we come!

Just one week until we take to the skies to bring you coverage of the 2006 World Championships, live from Rotorua New Zealand! There will be loads of photos, reports and interviews to come so stay tuned.

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Rotorua - one of the main mountain biking centres of New Zealand - a country of contrasts - beautiful, dramatic, spectacular, tranquil.

Rotorua is a major tourist destination - a place of exotic, cultural diversity, a thermal wonderland and an adventure and multisport mecca.

Our world-class championship courses are on the slopes of an ancient Rotorua landmark - Mount Ngongotaha - just north of the city centre.

• The magnificent mountain bike trail network in the Whakarewarewa Forest is just 15 minutes south of the city. It is home to The HIGHLANDER, the annual 70 kilometre MTB Marathon. This year the race is on Saturday, August 19 and is part of the Bay Trust Rotorua Bike Festival.

The forest features fast flowing single track - through Pine, soaring Californian Redwoods, giant Australian Eucalyptus and native New Zealand ferns - and lung busting climbs up forest roads. There are sensational views over the Rotorua Lakes - Okareka, Tarawera, Blue Lake (Tikitapu) and Green Lake (Rotokakahi) - and across to the venue for the World Championships, Mount Ngongotaha.
Once you've had your fill of the great mountain biking check out everything else our unique city (and country) has to offer.