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Adelaide to host Australia's best this weekend

Category: News

Monday, 20th February 2012

Written by Amy McCann

Adelaide to host Australia's best this weekend

Subaru 2012 Australian Mountain Bike Championships
February 22 to 26, 2012
Eagle Mountain Bike Park, Adelaide | Website

Adelaide will once again be the cycling capital of Australia when it hosts the Subaru 2012 Australian Mountain Bike Championships from February 22 to 26.

This weekend, all eyes will be on the Eagle Mountain Bike Park for five exciting days of Cross Country, Downhill, Four Cross and Observed Trials action, with a host of Australia’s mountain bike elite set to contest the championships.

With the London 2012 Olympic Games now less than 200 days away, the Olympic format cross country races will attract much of the attention with many mouth watering contests in both the men’s and women’s fields.

2011/12 Real Insurance All Mountain Cup standings leader Andrew Blair (NSW) has been the most consistent throughout the season to date, taking the win in the opening round in Perth and finishing third in Mt Buller.

Blair will face tough opposition from former National Champion and 2008 Olympian Dan McConnell (VIC) who claimed the honours at both Mt Buller and Stromlo last weekend.

Four-time national Cross-Country Champion Chris Jongewaard (SA) will be eager to defend his title as he aims for London, with 2011 under 23 champion Paul Van Der Ploeg (VIC) showing recent strong form in the elite fields. Sid Taberlay (TAS) and are also be expected to perform strongly.

In the women’s event, series leader Jenni King (VIC) has been in scintillating form taking the win in all three rounds, however a fierce battle looms with defending champion Katherine O’Shea (VIC) and rising young star Rebecca Henderson (SA), the 2011 Cycling Australia Elite Female Mountain Biker of the year and under 23 national champion, both of whom are showing solid form of late.

In the downhill competition, Troy Brosnan (SA) and Tracey Hannah (QLD), currently undefeated in the 2011/12 Real Insurance Gravity Cup, are unbackable favourites in their respective competitions.

A first year Elite competitor, the two-time reigning junior world champion Brosnan has been simply superb throughout the entire Gravity Cup Series, with triple Downhill World Sam Hill (WA) showing his class his comeback season following injury.

In the women’s field, former junior world champion Hannah will be up against a 2004 Olympian in the cross country event in Lisa Mathison (QLD), who despite only having been riding downhill for a matter of weeks after a four year lay off, has been turning heads around the country in her new discipline.

It won’t just be the action on course that gets people’s heart racing, with the Event Village promising to provide a sensational atmosphere in and around the Eagle Mountain Bike Park.

Opening at 7am daily, the village will feature a monster screen, music and commentary of all the races, plus a range of food and drink stalls, kids' entertainment including a jumping castle, loads of exhibitor stands and new bikes to check out.

Specialized Test the Best will also be there to give riders and spectators and opportunity to try out their new range of bikes, with Neutral race support to be offered by SRAM and Shimano and a host of others.

The Championships will also see an increase in broadcast coverage through SBS as a result of the partnership announced last December between Subaru and Cycling Australia. Cycling Central will air a two hour packaged highlights program on Sunday 4 March from 3pm.

Action gets underway on Wednesday and Thursday with practice - Team Relay on Thursday.
 

Subaru 2012 Australian Mountain Bike Championships

Event Schedule

Wednesday 22 February 2012
DH Practice - All groups; XCO course available for reconnaissance; 4X Practice Non-Gated

Thursday 23 February 2012
Entry and Registration for Team Relay, XCO, DH, OT, 4X; XCO Practice; DH Practice - All groups; Team Relay.

Friday 24 February 2012
9:30 XCO (VW, SW, U17W, MW, SMW, U15W)
12:00 XCO (U17M, MM, U15M, SMM, GMM)
14:30 XCO (Sport Men)
18:00 4X - Finals

Saturday 25 February 2012
9:30 XCO (EW, U23W, U19W)
10:00 OT Finals
12:30 XCO (EM, U23M)
16:00 XCO (U19M, Vet Men, Expert Men)
16:30 DH Seeding - Group A

Sunday 26 February 2012
10:00 XCC (Sport Men)
10:30 XCC (U19 Men)
11:00 XCC (Open Women)
11:00 DH Racing - Group B
11:30 XCC (Elite Men)
16:00 DH Racing - Group A

Event schedule and online registration for riders and volunteers can be accessed on www.eaglechamps.com.au

2011 AGM - Nominations to the MTBA Committee - UPDATE

Category: News

Thursday, 16th February 2012

Written by Tony Scott

The list of nominees for the MTBA Committee at the 2011 MTBA AGM. Note the position for Vice President is now vacant.

Read more: 2011 AGM - Nominations to the MTBA Committee - UPDATE

Wrap-Up: Real Insurance All Mountain Cup Round 3 at Stromlo Forest Park, ACT

Category: News

Tuesday, 14th February 2012

Written by Tony Scott

EVENT REPORT: Real Insurance All Mountain Cup Round 3 at Stromlo Forest Park, ACT

Read more: Wrap-Up: Real Insurance All Mountain Cup Round 3 at Stromlo Forest Park, ACT

Real Insurance All Mountain Cup heads to iconic Stromlo this weekend

Category: News

Thursday, 9th February 2012

Written by Stuart Plant

After debuting in Perth and then surviving the heat in Mt Buller, the Real Insurance All Mountain Cup moves to Mt Stromlo this weekend (Feb 10-12) for Round 3. The All Mountain Cup format is new for 2011-2012 with riders competing in three different cross-country formats over three days of racing. Riders collect points from each race contributing to the overall general classification.

Friday afternoon will feature “Super D” racing, a format that challenges the skills of riders with what is essentially a very fast, long DownHill course. With Super D racing booming overseas, riders have been excited that the local season has followed the world trend.

None may be happier about the presence of Super D in the series than Joshua Carlson (NSW), who has won the Elite Men Super D in both rounds so far this season. Super D is racing is a focus for Carlson in 2012, who has plans to spend significant time in the US racing the biggest races.

In the women’s field, overall season General Classification leader Jenni King (VIC) has been in white-hot form, winning both rounds, while 2011 National Cross Country Champion Katherine O’Shea (VIC) was a close second in Mt Buller.

With the London 2012 Olympic Games looming, racing on Saturday is arguably even more important than usual, with riders racing lap-based racing in the traditional Cross Country Olympic format.

While ultimately selection criteria is based on international performances, national-level performances are still important for riders to raise their profile and measure their form and preparation leading up to the international events.

“It’s an Olympic year, and that brings into focus the preparation of our top athletes," said Chris Clarke, Mountain Bike Australia’s National Sporting Director, who due to the vagaries of Olympic methods couldn't confirm the number of positions available on the Australian team.

“In terms of places, we have a guaranteed spot for the men, but for the women, we’re relying on New Zealand.

"They need to stay in the top 18 nations in the world for Australia to pick up the Oceania spot and thus be able to take a female rider to the games,” Clarke added.

In the men’s field, racing has been fairly wide-open in cross-country, with overall season General Classification leader Andrew Blair (NSW) the most consistent across the rounds, winning in Perth and placing third in Mt Buller.

Also racing will be former National Champion and 2008 Olympian Dan McConnell (VIC) who hit form in Mt Buller to take the win, and perennially fast ACT local Dylan Cooper. Missing from action will be another ACT local, Ben Henderson, who has been out of racing since early November due to an illness picked up while racing internationally.

In addition to riders who have been performing well to date, the Stromlo round will mark the return of 4-time National Cross-Country Olympic Champion and regular international Chris Jongewaard (SA) to the series. Jongewaard returns to racing after training over summer, and as always he will be a massive favourite for any local race he enters.

For the women’s cross-country, it’s again Jenni King who has the form in 2011-2012, she’s yet to be defeated in any discipline this season at a national level.

Rebecca Henderson (ACT) will be one to watch with the 2011 Cycling Australia Elite Female Mountain Biker of the year owning a simply outstanding international season last year.

While she hadn’t been back from international commitments long enough to race the Perth round, Henderson had a strong second place in Mt Buller, and will be expected to put in a great performance on her home track.

Point to point racing takes place on Sunday. Riders will complete 25 kilometres of fantastic Stromlo Forest Park trails. With legs still tired from the days before, this race becomes a test of endurance in many ways. Sunday’s winner can come from riders who prefer the longer distances, or sometimes even from a rider who has their Saturday race cut short by mechanical issues and arrives with fresh legs for the point to point.

Canberra Off-Road Cyclists (CORC) will again be the hosts, and CORC are excited that the All-Mountain Cup allows them to show riders the full scope of Stromlo Forest Park’s trail network.

Riders always enjoy heading to the park, it will always bring with it fond memories of the 2008 World Cup and the 2009 World Championships. ACT Territory Venues and Events have been hard at work preparing the trails for racing after rain damage over Christmas.

Super D action takes place from 4pm on Friday. Cross Country Olympic racing is on Saturday, with the Elite Women at 9:30am and the Elite Men at 12 midday. Sunday’s Point to point race is a mass start at 9am.

The rider entry list and full schedule are here.   

Notice of Annual General Meeting for MTBA

Category: News

Thursday, 2nd February 2012

Written by Tony Scott

Read more: Notice of Annual General Meeting for MTBA

Information for athletes in DH at 2012 Oceania MTB Championships, Rotorua, NZ

Category: News

Monday, 30th January 2012

Written by Tony Scott

MTBNZ operate a minimum body armour rule for competitors riding in MTBNZ National and Championship events. This document is to assist riders with the minimum criteria expected; it is not a finite list of acceptable armour as no definitive list is available either from governing bodies or the industry.

Read more: Information for athletes in DH at 2012 Oceania MTB Championships, Rotorua, NZ