Trailnotes

Trail Notes is a collection of stories capturing the lifestyles of passionate mountainbikers from the Southern Hemisphere Mecca of Rotorua New Zealand and the infamous trails of the Whakarewarewa forest. The film follows four unique individuals and showcases their stories of how mountainbiking captivated their lives and what has drawn them to the sport and intoxicating location of the forest. Gaz Sulivan an ex advertising executive and designer who ditched the 9-5 falling in love with Rotorua on regular trips to the trails. Establishing NZO Active mountainbike clothing from his barn at home, exporting innovative products to riders all over the world. A keen lobbyist of forestry companies and the local council he is a passionate critic of forestry access for mountainbikers and his attempts to guarantee that the Whakarewarewa trails are protected for future generations.Born and raised in Rotorua, Craig Pattle became addicted to the local trails from a young age. One of the established old-guard of the New Zealand downhill scene, a highly successful national downhill and four cross champion Craig went on to follow the European pro tour placing within the top 20 in the world. After returning home from Europe he continues to give back to the sport he loves, fostering the next generation of mountainbikers through the Rotorua in Gear program teaching children basic cycling and mountainbiking techniques. Ditching her ballet shoes for a BMX as a child, Vanessa Quinn was born to have a career as a mountainbike racer. Training in the Whakarewarewa trails, she got a taste for the fast-paced nature of downhill racing going on to gain national success winning numerous national downhill and BMX racing series. Racing for Dirt magazine’s professional team in 2003 she went on to win the 2004 World championships in France solidifying her position at the pinnacle of international downhill racing. After an injury plagued 2006 season Vanessa suffered a horrific accident breaking her neck in 2007 at the New Zealand nationals. Six weeks after the neck brace was removed her perseverance and strength showed through, back racing in the second round of the world cup series. A prominent figure in the international downhill scene since the mid 1990’s, Vanessa continues to promote the sport she loves regularly riding at her home trails as well as being an ambassador for Wings Of Life Foundation to fundraise for spinal cord research. Genesis is the name of the first mountain bike track built by Rotorua’s Community Work Supervisor Malcolm McHale, known as Red or Whero in Maori by all who know him. Red’s involvement in track building and maintenance has spanned 20 years taking work parties into the forest 4 days a week; he has played an integral part in the development of the trail network. Red’s unorthodox approach of convincing local courts to allow him to take hard PD boys into the forest gave instilled Mana and pride for offenders to use their aggression in a new, more positive outlet. Red and his boys have been the unsung heroes of the mountainbike community, keeping the trails in order. Each of these interconnected stories creates a tapestry of the local scene that mimics the winding trails of the forest. These stories of personal battles, commitment and passion to the sport of mountainbiking, illustrate both the individual and collective culture that these trails breed.