2010 Nemisis MTBA Australian MTB Marathon Championships

Spink ready to defend his title

The 2010 Nemisis MTBA Australian MTB Marathon Championships will be held in conjunction with the Nemisis Marathon Challenge on 18 April 2010 in the Pyrenees Mountain Range, Avoca, and are expected to attract 750 competitors to the central Victorian town. 

A major battle for the Australian title looms as defending champion, Murray Spink is ready to take whatever his competitors throw at him and hundreds more will be out to test their own limits of endurance.

“I already have the jersey and if they want to take it from me they will have ride hard to beat me” said a quietly confident Spink. “It would be great to win two in a row.  The last marathon title was only six months ago but if I win this time I can wear the jersey for a full year.”

Spink took out the hotly contested 2009 mountain bike marathon championships in Bendigo with only a few seconds between the top three finishers after more than four hours of racing. He let out a proud roar as he crossed the line to claim the MTBA Australian Marathon Champion, a result he had been chasing for many years.
 
But it is a different challenge for Spink this year, returning as the defending champion.

“I am nervous as with any race I do but I don’t have any additional nerves because I’m the defending champion. It doesn’t change the race at all — the strongest rider will still win on the day.”
 
This year the competition looks to be the hottest ever with a host of Australia’s fastest mountain bikers keen to try their best to oust Spink.

“There will be a few guys capable of winning” according to Spink.

“If [Beijing Olympian] Dan McConnell is racing he’ll be hard to beat and I think [former World Solo 24hr Champ] Craig Gordon will also be one of the stronger riders.”
 
Regardless of the victor, with a mountainous course and a red-hot field, it will no doubt be a dramatic race for those racing at the elite end.
 
For the hundreds of non-elite riders who will participate in the Nemisis Marathon Challenge, there are four course distance options to choose from - 90km, 45km, 33km and 15km.  This ensures that the race appeals to elite and intermediate riders, as well as those who are new to marathon mountain biking. 

Riders are encouraged to enter early as the event will be limited to a field of 750 riders.   For further information and online entry visit www.bighillevents.com.au.