KORITO TECHNICAL MATRIX BRINGS BIKE CODES TOGETHER
Words & photos : Andy McGechan , bikesportnz . com
T he fourth annual Korito Technical Matrix ( KTM ) event in Taranaki drew a diverse and talented field of off-road bike riders to farmland near Egmont Village on Waitangi Day Monday . They had arrived to contest this unique cross-over Trials / enduro / cross-country competition , a motorcycling package dreamed up by Kiwi enduro legend Dougy Herbert and hosted on his family ’ s farm property , just 15 kilometres southwest of New Plymouth . Tough , moderate or just a little bit easier , the course options were entirely up to the individuals and , although riders were classified as Gold , Silver or Bronze grade , it really only mattered what lap time could be achieved by each individual competitor . The tricky part was deciding on the risk-versus-reward factor , whether to take the easier-but-longer route or to take the much shorter but incredibly more difficult pathway and riders , regardless of their actual ability , could decide the best pathway for themselves . The four-lap race surely sorted the boys from the men , the chequered flag going out when the first Gold grade rider had completed his four laps . Each lap was divided into two timed sections – the cross-country loop and The Matrix , a short arenacross-style extreme enduro prologue course that