In the seven years the Motatapu mountain bike race has been held, a local has never won, but race director Gemma Boyle thinks 2012 could be the year to change that.
Queenstown man Mark Williams has finished in the top 10 for the last five years. Due to his training for the Cape Eric race in South Africa, he was peaking nicely for the March 10 Motutapu event, Miss Boyle said.
"With his experience on the course we are picking him for a win, especially with the Oceania mountain bike championships clashing with the Motatapu this year. It would be awesome to have one of the local boys win it."
The Motutapu race is a 47km bike ride starting at Glendhu Bay, near Wanaka. It runs off-road through the Motutapu, Soho and Glencoe Stations, to finish in Arrowtown.
Williams said while he would like to contest the Oceania championships in Rotorua, he considered the Motutapu to be on par in terms of competition.
With some of the usual Motutapu competitors targeting the championship he had better chance than any other year of a top placing, he said.
"With some of the boys being away at the Oceania, it leaves a few podium spots.
"I should have a good shot at one of those podium positions."
He said the dry weather could mean a record time. The record is 1hr 48min 43sec, set by Anton Cooper.
Organisers have added the incentive of a "special prize" if anyone betters the fastest time.
The time for the women to beat is 2hr 20min 05sec, set by Kath Kelly.
"With the track hard and fast this year with the dry weather we have been having, we should have a crack at the record time."
Williams said Christchurch rider Brent Miller would be his main competition. Miller beat him by a minute in last year's race and has stated he wants a crack at the record this year.
Boyle said only three men and four women have won the titles in the past seven years.
She said the women's category was wide open and picked Otago's Kate Fluker as the top contender for the title.
Coast to Coast champion Emily Miazga would also be a challenger as she lines up for her second Motatapu.
Other events held in conjunction with the mountain bike race include the Adventure Run, the Off-Road Marathon, the 15km Miners Trail and the Triathlon.
Entries for the bike event have closed, and a capacity 2000 people are entered across the categories.
Boyle said this year's event would be exciting with the return of many Christchurch competitors who had withdrawn last year, because of the February 22 earthquake.
"It's going to be awesome seeing all the Christchurch people turn up again."
Entries for all other races close on February 15.
