Record may fall at Motatapu Icebreaker

Olympian Kashi Leuchs will join a cast of over 3,000 other competitors at the fifth Motatapu Icebreaker on March 14 in New Zealand. The 50 kilometre mountain bike race will cover trails between Wanaka and Arrowtown, through the iconic landscapes of three of Central Otago's high country properties.

The course record may well be broken this year as Leuchs challenges four-time winner and course record-holder Marcus Roy for the first time.

New Zealand's Minister of Finance, Bill English, will also be on hand, but he is looking for a less spectacular, but none-the-less solid performance in this his first time in the Motatapu Icebreaker."It's a real bonus for me to take part in this successful event," English said. "I've been training hard in the hills around Wellington, but we'll have to wait and see whether that translates into a credible performance on the day. I'm not too competitive - but I don't want to come last."

"The Motatapu Icebreaker is set in one of the most scenic corners of New Zealand and - at least for a few hours - I won't be thinking about the Budget!" he said.

A running marathon will also be held in conjunction with the mountain bike event. The combined event attracts cyclists from throughout the country, along with a growing number of international competitors, from Australia to Ethiopia. The mountain bike race sold out in record time last November.