RED_RACER
Likes Dirt
Why don't you fly? Its cheap from Sydney, then you can work Friday and Monday!
Kona 24hr?
- Thread starter RED_RACER
- Start date
DaGonz
Eats Squid
chuckrockswell
iRide Bikes
We'll be there signing autographs.
Off topic but - Tetris packing! I'm impressed; cos that's, what, a Lanos or something?
Dreggsy
Likes Bikes and Dirt
The hassle of taking two bikes, camping gear, tools, food,
then getting to the track from the airport.
Less hassle to drive there
normdouglas
Likes Dirt
Good comments here, and it's good to see people taking an interest in this part of the world. Just a couple of comments though.
Firstly, the Otway Odyssey has sold out in both years, indicating that it has become Australia's premier 100k event, let's not forget that it attracted Tinker Juarez.
Secondly, if we were to make the Kona a 12 hour, then were is Victorias 24 hour. Personally I think that 24 hour racing is the MOST accessible form of MTB racing one can do. In a team of 6 you can make a real weekend of it and not stuff yourself. Some people complain that they can't get a team of 6 mates, but there are ALWAYS teams looking for fill in riders.
I think the MONT is the one that is out of place. The Scott is the biggest, and the MONT doesn't even allow solo entries does it?
The Kona has been going for a number of years now, and it's new location in my home of Forrest as secured it's future. Fullgas promotions do a great job of putting it together, and they now have the FULL support of both Vic Roads, DSE, 98% of Forrest locals, and the Victorian MTB community.
It EXTREMELY sad that MTBA couldn't do anything about the date clash with the national round, as the Kona has always used this week to run their race.
Anyway, people are already starting to arrive and setup their camp, and the weather appears that it's going to be kind to us.
Have fun.
DW-1
Dirt Works
now look... I'm truy not trying to start a war with the Victorians here....
and I readily admit that the Ottway sounds like an amazing event. (plenty of the staff here have done it and rate it very highly)but...
The DW100 has sold out for each of the FOUR years that it's been run.
And it attracts the people that Tinker gets beaten by. (James Williamson, Craig Gordon, Jason English and so on...)
In the end... they're all great races. Never in the history of the sport has there been so many options to ride/race/have fun.
Elvis.
normdouglas
Likes Dirt
Yes I hear the Dirtworks 100 is good... however when you look at the average times of the winners of the Otway, it's clear to see that the OO is the toughest 100k in Aus.now look... I'm truy not trying to start a war with the Victorians here....
but...
The DW100 has sold out for each of the FOUR years that it's been run.
And it attracts the people that Tinker gets beaten by. (James Williamson, Craig Gordon, Jason English and so on...)
In the end... they're all great races. Never in the history of the sport has there been so many options to ride/race/have fun.
Elvis.
I'm certainly not trying to start a war, but what I am saying, is that many NSW are a little like many Americans, in that they don't think there is ANY reason to venture out of NSW. I admit, that there are plenty of reasons to race in NSW/ACT, and I love going there... But for someone to suggest that Victoria NOT have a 24 hour race... WHoa!
Victoria is blessed with an abundance of racing, and that's awesome... so we just wish those NSW folk would come down more often and show us how to race.
Cheers
hmmmm.
it's clear to see that the OO is the toughest 100k in Aus.
I don't think saying an event is the toughest is a good selling point. most of us want to have fun when we race and ride.we want to race on fun flowing creative tracks. forest has all these elements but the ottway seems to ignore these great tracks and go headlong into making the event "the toughest" which I think is just plain dumb. it seems to be more a marketing ploy than a decision for the riders. It is far more fun finishng a race on a decent rather than an assent. I am a victorian and quite a few of my mates have also agreed that they would not do the 00 again because it is a bit pointless walking up hills, and spending most of your time on an assent. I think the reason the ottway sells out is because the promoter dose ALOT of promotion and advertising and gets alot of people out side of the sport of mtbing to enter. ( which is a good thing )
I would not recommend this event to any nsw riders unless they want to spend half the race climbing ,riding fire trails. I just think it could be heaps better.
it's clear to see that the OO is the toughest 100k in Aus.
I don't think saying an event is the toughest is a good selling point. most of us want to have fun when we race and ride.we want to race on fun flowing creative tracks. forest has all these elements but the ottway seems to ignore these great tracks and go headlong into making the event "the toughest" which I think is just plain dumb. it seems to be more a marketing ploy than a decision for the riders. It is far more fun finishng a race on a decent rather than an assent. I am a victorian and quite a few of my mates have also agreed that they would not do the 00 again because it is a bit pointless walking up hills, and spending most of your time on an assent. I think the reason the ottway sells out is because the promoter dose ALOT of promotion and advertising and gets alot of people out side of the sport of mtbing to enter. ( which is a good thing )
I would not recommend this event to any nsw riders unless they want to spend half the race climbing ,riding fire trails. I just think it could be heaps better.
normdouglas
Likes Dirt
Well I don't disagree with everything you have said... and I've actually been critical of the types of trails John Jacoby has chosen to use... namely because they show a lack of understanding of what MTB riders want... HOWEVER I think John has done a good job of making an exceptionally tough race, which is what he set out to do I think.
lincolnsydney
Likes Dirt
Exactly. With the amount of gear you need for a 24 hour, getting through an airport on my own is more stressful and tiring than driving!
ilike.bikes
Squid
Hey does anyone know where you can get result updates of the kona 24? is there a website or something? im interested to find out whats happening dowm there!!!
alchemist
Manly Warringah MTB Club
It is. Much quicker to get to Rotorua!
Are you working for NZ Tourism part time, Alchemist?
I reckon if us 'Northerners' could tear ourselves away from the glorious single track, we'd get our shit together and organise a bus trip to 'Mexico' and smash up their forrested 24 hour. Maybe next year?
But, as mentioned before, we're spoilt for choice with more events than fleas on a camel, The hardest part of racing is justifying a leave pass to race every weekend, not to mention the cost.
Adz, are you coming up for the solo nats at easter? It would be good to throw down a few laps with you again after your solid effort at the Scott.
I reckon if us 'Northerners' could tear ourselves away from the glorious single track, we'd get our shit together and organise a bus trip to 'Mexico' and smash up their forrested 24 hour. Maybe next year?
But, as mentioned before, we're spoilt for choice with more events than fleas on a camel, The hardest part of racing is justifying a leave pass to race every weekend, not to mention the cost.
Adz, are you coming up for the solo nats at easter? It would be good to throw down a few laps with you again after your solid effort at the Scott.
DaGonz
Eats Squid
you can't please all the people all the time & what I want is likely to be different to what you want. I want a race that's a challenge; a race that isn't for the feint hearted. The OO caught my attention because it was just that! With stupid amounts of climbing (origionally. it's been "toned down" now
) and some fun sections of single track. In fact, the first year he did listen to what people wanted "lots and lots of snigle track" and then gave us so much in one contiguous section that it was a pain in the ass....Some of the marathons are even more extreme, only 70 or 80k's yet wordclass elite riders take well over 4 hours to complete
From talking to the RA guys on and off this forum, I think they went out to set an increadibly tough course that was a challenge but still achieavable for the average punter. Personally I think they've done that. It's a unique product in a competitive market space and has probably become a permenant fixture in the Australian Calendar. he sells out every year so clearly he must be providing something that MTB riders want.
*shrug*
Cheers
Gonz
