Kowalski Classic 2015 - 20 Sept - Entries Now Open

[Kowalski Brothers]

You guys ever thought about doing a Kickstarter type campaign to fund your rock hauler? Make a donation reward 'shuttle runs for you and your bike to the top of beer garden in the rock hauler' and I reckon you'll be funded in no time!

Never thought of that... (I wouldn't know how)

That would be a funny 'shuttle'. The hauler probably goes 'about' walking pace but that being said it'd have no trouble carrying a rider and a slab or two of cold ones so there'd be something to do on your way up the Garden

 

[Kowalski Brothers]

Get a wriggle on — entries close in two weeks

The Majura Park Kowalski Classic is the ultimate single track marathon and a one-day showcase of the famous trail network in East Kowen and Sparrow Hill. Sign Up and celebrate the achievements of local trail builders Paul Cole, Alan Anderson and those mysterious Kowalski Brothers, who together have hand built over 100km of trail.

Get ready to race a crazy amount of single track (and some of the region's best new trails) as we take you around pretty much the entire cattle dog of trails in the Kow and the Bird.

Love single track? Then you will love the Kowalski Classic.

Race Day is Sept 20.
ENTER NOW http://bit.ly/1IzBkGe

 

[Kowalski Brothers]

Entries close this friday

NOT LONG NOW BABY...

Hello racers. 19 days out from race day and we're super excited about seeing you on the start line.
The new course is wicked and you'll get to play on some rather amazing new trails too!

ENTRIES CLOSE AT MIDNIGHT THIS FRIDAY - GET BUSY!

FULL KOWALSKI COURSE UPDATE

We are really happy with the way this year's course has come together. Racers will actually visit Race HQ three times after the race starts — once at 25km (having done the second half of the Half Kowalski), again at 75km (after a magical loop of Sparrow Hill) and finally, when they cross the finish line (after 25km of the Far East's finest). It will be tough 100km for sure, but with an extra pass through HQ and feed zones on course, there are good opportunities to fuel and consider your options. (i.e. 75km might be the 'call it a day' option for some. Note: Cut-off times apply at 75km). Total elevation for the day is circa 1800m. 75% skinny dirt. Viva la Kowalski!

 

[jp80]

Pretty pumped for it!!

 

[sclyde2]

i'm in for my 3rd go at the half kowalski - looks like i am making a habit of it. i haven't raced at all this year (not since the fling last year), so will look into doing a warm up this weekend.

hopefully all the measures they are implementing will help avoid the crazy congestion from last year. i could not believe how slow some of the people were last year who went in the "aim to podium in my category" wave. either they were dreaming or were just plain inconsiderate. or roadies.

pretty quiet thread this one, given that it is possibly one of the best xc events of the year, has 900 people in it, and is not much more than a week away.

anyone know of a gps file/link (strava segment or otherwise) that covers this year's course. (half)

 

[Kowalski Brothers]

i'm in for my 3rd go at the half kowalski - looks like i am making a habit of it. i haven't raced at all this year (not since the fling last year), so will look into doing a warm up this weekend.

Course maps and descriptions are already online at the event website AND they are also on the latest update to Kowalski's Trail Buddy (which came out last night). The update also includes Bruce Ridge and Sparrow Hill trails (because they are awesome!)

hopefully all the measures they are implementing will help avoid the crazy congestion from last year. i could not believe how slow some of the people were last year who went in the "aim to podium in my category" wave. either they were dreaming or were just plain inconsiderate. or roadies.

I think you'll be impressed with the course and race format this year [split course will keep Full Kowalskis out of your hair, bigger time gaps between waves and the QRTR Kowalskis start behind the HALFs]. The only thing we can't do much about is distorted 'self assessments' of how fast they are.

pretty quiet thread this one, given that it is possibly one of the best xc events of the year, has 900 people in it, and is not much more than a week away.

anyone know of a gps file/link (strava segment or otherwise) that covers this year's course. (half)[/QUOTE]

contact me via message and I'll see what I can do.
Viva la Kowalski!

 

[steve jobs' pancreas]

............

 

[sclyde2]

contact me via message and I'll see what I can do.
Viva la Kowalski!

thanks heaps for the quick and detailed response. as for the gps file, it looks like i don't need it. i downloaded that trail buddy app, and it gives me what i want. i.e. i can now work out which singletack and fireroads are climbs/downhills. i see on the newsletter that the ios version of the app has be updated with an overlay of the event course. that would make it much easier (i'm patiently waiting with my android phone/tablet).

i had a look at the youtube vids of the stairway to heaven climb. videos never really give a good sense of how steep/flat the trail is, but i suspect that those steps, which don't look too hard, would be a lot harder if in the middle of a lot of climbing (which the course profile and trial buddy suggest), especially given that will be close to 3hrs in for a lot of people - geez you wouldn't want to be cramping and then having to contend with those steps.

looks like the weather is gonna be good.

 

[Kowalski Brothers]

thanks heaps for the quick and detailed response. as for the gps file, it looks like i don't need it. i downloaded that trail buddy app, and it gives me what i want. i.e. i can now work out which singletack and fireroads are climbs/downhills. i see on the newsletter that the ios version of the app has be updated with an overlay of the event course. that would make it much easier (i'm patiently waiting with my android phone/tablet).

i had a look at the youtube vids of the stairway to heaven climb. videos never really give a good sense of how steep/flat the trail is, but i suspect that those steps, which don't look too hard, would be a lot harder if in the middle of a lot of climbing (which the course profile and trial buddy suggest), especially given that will be close to 3hrs in for a lot of people - geez you wouldn't want to be cramping and then having to contend with those steps.

looks like the weather is gonna be good.

In the main, the climbing in Stairway to Heaven is not hard (lots of switch backs, grade reversals and a little descending to make best use of the hill). What makes it challenging are the features, where we have put them as well as the slow speed turns/skills stuff — it all requires thought, planning and skillz. Last climb of the day for Half Kowalskis and about 20km in for the FULL Kowalskis. Have fun.

p.s. Android may even be ready tonight (the hamsters are 'hopeful')

 

[nzdans]

Thanks for a fun event guys.. great day, great people and a most enjoyable 25km course. Making the top ten was a bonus, I'll be back for at least a half next year.

:whoo:

 

[SlowManiac]

Massive thanks to the organisers, volunteers and trailbuilders! What a cool event. Congestion issues were solved and race went off without a hitch.

 

[jp80]

+ 100 on congestion easing

I am usually one to moan about xc racing requiring too much passing and letting pass, but the waves and the course (especially with a slight uphill start for SS riders) were perfect for finding a position and holding it. I reckon maybe 20 passes all day, mostly people rolling past me in the last 15km or so. It was an excellent, excellent vibe! This has now joined DuoClassic as the races I will look forward to each year on the mtb.

 

[sclyde2]

zero congestion issues for me this year

after seeing the bunching at the ribbon for wave 2, i decided to avoid the risk of what happened last year and tagged onto the back of wave 1. best decision i ever made. other than having to contend with a few dreamers at the back of wave 1 at the start, i had pretty much clear track (well, either clear or sitting behind people that were going at a pace that suited me, and having no issues passing when i wanted to) after the end of that first little fire road climb. i reckon that bigger fire road climb about 10 mins in was really well placed, and would've been long enough to really sort out the field. after about an hour, a few came through from wave 2 (geez that single speeder was moving) but, from the look of the results, there was only about half a dozen pass-ers for me (+ a few extra that passed me and were then later reeled back in before the end). all in all, one of the most enjoyable mid-length xc events that i have ever participated in.

i just gotta ride that xc bike a bit more often - i was having a few issues with front end weighting and getting the steering right and finding grip. it was also a bit sketchy on the steep-ish downhill stuff (nearly came off at the start of romper room). i was having far less issues than those around me though (a few were very much caught out by that romper room - stairway to heaven bit). i couldn't quite clean that stairway to heaven climb - dabbed in two spots where the steps were in simply just the most difficult positions and i didn't see them hiding behind a tree in the middle of a switchback until it was too late. i started really enjoying those switchbacks by the top of stairway to heaven - either i was getting my eye in, or maybe they just had more of a berm on them.

got to the top of stairway to heaven, and was a bit bummed that i was only a descent away from the end. wouldn't have minded a bit more. probably should've gone a bit harder, as i had a bit left in the tank. i'll be back for round 4 next year. if i lose a bit of weight, i might do the 100. (that's what i said last year though)

 

[Kowalski Brothers]

Kowalski Classic - Highlights Video

This is the Majura Park Kowalski Classic — the once-in-a-year chance to race a crazy amount of single track in the ACT’s mountain biking mecca — East Kowen & Sparrow Hill, ACT.

It is also proof positive that there’s no such thing as too much single track! Viva la Kowalski!

VIDEO LINK HERE