More than 200 downhill mountain bike riders are expected to race at this weekend’s RedAss Downhill State Series race at the Pony Club grounds just outside of Lithgow. The brand new race track will be used for the first time and Lithgow is the most highly anticipated downhill race venue is this year’s state series.
The local Central Tablelands Mountain Bike Club (CTMBC) had always been very active in hosting races from club, state, national and even Oceania events. But they have been without a downhill trail for over 5 years, until now. The club found a new home at the Lithgow Pony Club grounds.
Says the Lithgow-local chief trail builder Matt Walker, “We started building the Pony Express track in August 2011 and worked on it four days a week for 16 weeks straight.”
The local club also sought expert advice from the International Mountain Bike Association’s trail building guru Tony Boone, who helped fine-tune crucial sections of the track and to show their appreciation, the local trail builders named the finish section after him. Riding down “Boonies Flavour” they will always remember the know-how passed on by the internationally acclaimed trail builder to the local crew.
Event schedule
Riders will start arriving at the Pony Club event centre on Saturday with compulsory training runs commencing at 9 am and finishing at 4pm.
On Sunday after a training session in the morning qualification runs for Elite and U19 categories will start at 11.30am.
Final race runs on Sunday are expected to start around 12.30pm with the ceremony planned at 4pm.
Round 4 of the RedAss NSW/ACT Downhill State Series will be run at Canberra’s Stromlo Forest Park in September and in Thredbo’s downhill mecca for the final round in November. The State Championship event will be hosted by the Central Coast Ourimbah MTB Club on 6 October 2012 at Ourimbah State Forest near Wyong (NSW).
Competitors can register via www.rockytrailentertainment.com until Thursday evening, entry for spectators is free.
Photo: Deubel Bicycles
