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Adelaide to host Australia's best this weekend

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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