NZ Hill Climb Series 2026
Series Rules
How it works: each stage is a single Strava segment open for one week — ride it, set your fastest time, and submit it here. Results appear on a real-time points leaderboard you can sort by gender, age group, club, or handicap (age/weight-adjusted). Alongside the main classification, go for Mad Dawg by completing all 5 stages in a single ride.
Scoring
Each stage is scored using two parallel systems — Standy (time-based) and Handy (age and weight-adjusted).
Standy points are calculated relative to the fastest and slowest rider of your gender in that stage. The fastest rider scores 100; the slowest scores 1. All other riders are scaled linearly between those two points.
Handy points apply a bonus for riders who are older or heavier than the average for their gender in that stage, and a corresponding penalty for younger or lighter riders. The rider with the highest adjusted score receives 100 Handy points; all others are scaled relative to them.
Season Total
Your season total is the sum of your best 4 of 5 stage scores. Missing one stage does not ruin your series — your worst stage (or a missed stage) is automatically dropped. Standy and Handy season totals are computed independently.
Submitting a Time
Times are self-reported via this website. A Strava activity link is required with each submission as supporting evidence. The Race Committee has final say in any disputes.
Entry fee must be paid before stage submissions are accepted.
There is no drafting of any kind allowed.
How to Submit Your Results
- 1Complete your ride on Strava during the stage window.
- 2Log in to this website and go to Submit / My Results (top right of the header).
- 3You will see a black banner showing the current open stage. Tap "Submit now".
- 4Enter your time in MM:SS format (e.g. 4:32).
- 5Paste your Strava activity link as supporting evidence.
- 6Add a public comment if you like — conditions, excuses, trash talk.
- 7Hit Submit. Your points will appear on the leaderboard immediately.
- 8You can edit your submission at any time while the stage is open.
- 9Missed a stage? Use the "Submit a missed stage" option on your dashboard — late entries are accepted.
General
- Riders must register separately for each city/event they wish to enter.
- Age groups are self-selected at registration and cannot be changed mid-series.
- Age and weight information is kept strictly private and is used only for Handy scoring.
- Leaderboards update in real time as times are submitted.
Sub-Competitions
Alongside the main points classification, a few side competitions run in parallel — each with its own prize.
Billy Goat
The Billy Goat rewards whoever climbs the most (not who's fastest).
Every time you ride the week's segment, its vertical metres get added to your cumulative season Billy Goat total. Every repeat counts. Whoever has the highest overall metres gained (in each city) by the end of the series, wins. Strategy is important: a rep on a steep week is worth more than a rep on a flatter one, but only the current week's segment is eligible towards your total metres climbed.
The current leading total is shown on each city page. Your own total, rank, and how far you are from the lead is on your dashboard.
Tracking is fully automatic once you've connected Strava — no manual entry required. Results update in real time with every Strava activity lodged.
Top Clubs
A separate team competition, ranked on Handy Points only — this is different from your own individual score, which counts both Standy and Handy.
Each stage, a club's riders are ranked by Handy Points and weighted by depth, so one fast rider isn't enough to win — a club needs strength in numbers:
| Rank in club | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1st | 100% |
| 2nd | 80% |
| 3rd | 60% |
| 4th | 45% |
| 5th | 30% |
| 6th | 15% |
| 7th+ | 0% |
A club's stage score is the sum of each ranked rider's Handy Points × their weight. Season score is the sum of all 5 stages — there is no dropped stage for club scoring, unlike individual scoring. Consistency across the whole season matters more here than one standout week.
Mad Dawg
The Mad Dawg challenge is simple: complete all 5 stages in a single ride.
Earn your place on the Mad Dawg Wall of Fame by submitting your ride with your story — the conditions, the suffering, the glory. Points are fleeting. The Wall is forever.
Mad Dawg submissions can be made at any time during the series. Your ride must be verifiable on Strava.
Entry Pricing
| Pricing | Standard | Supporter | Hardship |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (Cambridge, Hawkes Bay, Manawatu, Queenstown, Wellington) | $10 | $20 | $5 |
| AHCS (Auckland) | $35 | $50 | $5 |
| THCS (Taupō) | Free — complimentary | ||
Auckland (AHCS) pricing includes the Finale Party on Sun 6 Dec — live music, coffee, and free donuts. Taupo (THCS) entry is complimentary — the entry fee is covered by the Taupo Cycling Club.