Tošovice's Heibikepark is not slacking off! They've teamed up with dirt mastermind and style guru Hugo Robenek, and with support from Horsefeathers, they've created a unique dirt line in the Czech Republic named Horsefeathers Huge Hugo. The most challenging dirt track to date, it promises to be a thrill even for the most experienced riders. Whether you're ready to push your skills to the next level or just want to enjoy some daring tricks, Saturday, 28th September 2024, is a date you won't want to miss!
Ivo Martinique handles marketing and the bike park at Heipark, which was developed under his watchful eye. They started building the bike park in 2020, and its maintenance is managed by a local shapers crew. If time allows, Ivo likes to escape to the woods and help the crew with shaping and designing the trails. He also oversees the logistics and development of the trails, ensuring they connect seamlessly and make sense, including easy access to the lift. We had a chat with Ivo about what's currently available at Heibikepark, how the new Horsefeathers Huge Hugo line will look, and what they plan to add to Heipark in the future.
Hi Ivo, tell us what the bike park at Heipark currently offers?
Our philosophy was to create a place for everyone – from experienced riders to beginners and families with children. That's why we started with building the green and blue lines. We did it with the help of Gravity Logics from Whistler, Canada, who have extensive experience building the Whistler park. Currently, we have the following tracks in the bike park:
- Green Line: A trail for complete beginners, you just need to know how to brake and control the bike.
- Blue Fun Line: More dynamic with smaller jumps that can be safely ridden over.
- Marosana: Created with Czech MTB legend Michal Maroš, it's more downhill/enduro.
- Blue Jump Line: One of our most popular tracks, where bikers learn to jump on long table-tops.
- Hubleska: More challenging, with gap obstacles and big drops.
- Matafaka: A jumping track with long and steep jumps, perfect for tricks.
- Kids' Line: A small track for kids on a meadow with winding turns and obstacles. It includes a ground belt - a type of lift that pulls kids up easily and safely. Children under 6 years have free entry.
- Skill Center: It leads around the pump track and has a drop zone and bigger jumps.
- Horsefeathers Huge Hugo: The most challenging jumping line built with well-known local rider Hugo Robenek.
Will there be an event to open the new Horsefeathers Huge Hugo line?
Yes, we're planning an event where the best Czech riders will meet and open the line with a proper show. The opening jam with a prize of 25,000 CZK starts on Saturday, 28th September 2024 at 2 pm. According to the forecast, the weather should be great, so I believe we'll all have a great time together. The current list of confirmed riders is:
- Dawid Czekaj
- Vilibald Vítek
- Jakub Hejl
- Jakub Vencl
- David Knespl
- Dominik Vašut
- Láďa Pes
- Mates Machalla
- Martin Janík
- Honza Faistaver
- Ondra Šléz
- Tomáš Zejda
- Hugo Robenek
Who is the Horsefeathers Huge Hugo line intended for?
Our goal was to build the toughest jumping line. It's intended for experienced riders who have already mastered all our tracks and want to push further. The jumps are quite dirt-like but manageable for enduro riders as well. In the future, we plan to add an airbag at the end of this line for safe trick learning.
How big are the jumps on the "Huge Hugo" line?
The jumps are 3-4 meters high, and the gaps between them are 2-4 meters, scaling up with speed. They're big, but for riders who master jumping and control their bikes, they're safe. When building this line, we were inspired by the Spanish bike park La Poma, a popular spot for dirt bikers. We wanted to make the most of the available space to make the line as fun as possible, utilizing every centimeter. On the track, the rider has the option to choose between an easier and a more challenging variant. The track intersects in places and then reconnects; you'll find turns, a shark fin, and two large jumps side by side. If someone doesn't have enough speed or doesn't feel ready for the biggest jump, they can opt for the smaller one. It can be combined in various ways, so we believe riders will enjoy it.
What are the future plans for the bike park?
We plan to build a 3-seater lift, which we already have purchased, but we're waiting for construction permits. I see it happening around next year.
We wish you luck. We're looking forward to the opening as well as the lift. Thanks for the interview.
Thanks, see you on Saturday, 28th September at Heipark!
HORSEFEATHERS BIKE TEAM AT HEIBIKEPARK
