Covid hit Cyclorama – “Here to stay.”

A major local e-bike festival, the first in NZ, has weathered the Covid storm to emerge stronger and bigger for 2022.

Ten Cyclorama auction winners have funded next year's completion of the new 57 kilometre Coronet Loop trail

Cyclorama was due to take place this weekend, but after a year of marketing and organisation had to be postponed to next year due to Covid restrictions, especially in Auckland where many ticket holders live.

Organiser Dave Gibson was in Arrowtown today to mark the planned opening of the festival.

“Everybody has rebooked for next year” he told Crux. “Hotel rooms have been rebooked, air travel rebooked, sponsors reconfirmed. In fact, in a silver-lining way the event will be stronger in 2022 because of Covid. We're here to stay."

Gibson says the event has captured not just the boom in e-bikes but the way cycling in general has succeeded in becoming a community phenomenon.

“Look at the new Lake Dunstan trail and the network around Queenstown. They are booming and it’s great for the community. In the future we’ll see more people commuting by bike – fewer cars on the road. E-bikes have opened up the world for many people who just needed that extra bit of a push.”

Gibson’s Cyclorama team agrees. Foundation sponsor Mitre 10 is backing the event in 2022 and reckons it will be stronger for the wait.

The Cyclorama team in Arrowtown today: Emilie Bean (event trade & partnerships), Dave Gibson (organiser), Gemma Beckman-Cross (QMTBC) and Toni Boatwright (Mitre 10)

“Covid has been frustrating for us all” Mitre 10 sponsorship rep Toni Boatwright told Crux this morning. “Cyclorama though has punched through, and we reckon 2022 will be huge.”

Officially there was not supposed to be anything happening today, but a group of enthusiasts wanted to do something to mark the day. Megan Page from Wānaka, better known as Electric Meg, ran a short e-bikes skills course in Arrowtown for local ticket holders

E-bike skills were part of today's pop-up event in Arrowtown with trainer and e-bike advocate Electric Meg (Megan Page in yellow)

In another development, ten local Cyclorama auction winners raised $2,500 towards the completion of Queenstown newest trail, the 57-kilometre Coronet Loop.

The new trail will open in 2022 with the Cyclorama auction money bridging the final financial gap in the ambitious project.

Main Image: Electric Meg (Megan Page - left in yellow) with today's Cyclorama skills group in Arrowtown.