About

TORQ Events

TORQ Events is the passion project of Carl Wells, built around the idea that cycling competitions can be creative, competitive, and open to everyone. It started in 2017 with a series of Strava-art charity group-rides: most notably the Laser Kiwi and the Big Cock Ride.

Then in 2019 the Auckland Hill Climb Series launched, and continues to expand to new cities annually. The first few years of AHCS involved an evening group-ride, a stopwatch, and paper & pencil. Then the Covid pandemic forced a rethink, and the Strava-based concept was born. Opening the competition up from a single evening, to a whole week allowed far more participation. And a clumsy shared googlesheet eventually became the fancy-pants website before you. Other events followed too: the 2021 lockdown VAM Challenge drew 222 riders across New Zealand, and The Wildcat / Bunny Hop - a wacky team checkpoint race - debuted in 2023.

Carl Wells

Carl relocated from Boston to Auckland in 2007 to join the Auckland Philharmonia as their 2nd Horn. He discovered cycling through exploring Auckland's wild and scenic roads, and gradually became consumed by the community (and suffering!) of the sport.

Contact Carl at TORQeventsNZ@gmail.com

What Riders Say

"Carl brought his quirky brand of seat-of-the-pants, grassroots spontaneity to things. And the little touches really made it cool — the race cards, drawing competition, long skid competition, trumpeted mass start. 10/10 would do again!"
— Matt L

"Last year's Wildcat was superb, a real grassroots, fun event. I did it with my wife Scoobie and we have talked about it often. So good to see someone doing something a bit different. Chapeau!"
— Pete H