Nemesis Marathon Challenge

[adaib]

hey
Does anyone know anything about the Neimisis Marrathon Challenge 2011? I've never done it before, and i'm considering doing it this year.
Whats the course like? Hard, technical, steep?
This years its the National marrathon Championships, so the feild should be good too.

Cheers
Brendan

 

[Mark S]

I would suggest reading the thread on last year's race:

http://www.rotorburn.com/forums/sho...hampionships-Avoca-April-18&highlight=nemesis

The main bone of contention was the "Pyrenees Trail" which was pretty much 8km of hiking track and barely rideable. Apparently they are "fixing" it for 2011.

After the race, many of us (including me) said we wouldn't do it again. But, in hindsight, it had everything (except excessive amounts of singletrack).

We loved the town of Avoca and the whole event had a great vibe. We will be back.

Regards, Mark.

 

[Mark S]

By the way, any chance of correcting the spelling in the title? If this thread gets legs it's going to drive me mad.

"Nemesis" and "marathon".

 

[jathanas]

I felt it was an ordinary course but a very well run event.

By the way, any chance of correcting the spelling in the title? If this thread gets legs it's going to drive me mad.

"Nemesis" and "marathon".

^ +1

Please correct the thread title. Cheers

 

[pistonbroke]

It is one tough race. It is steep, technical and hard. Sometimes all at once. I didn't stop all day and still missed the last cut off point after the 8-10km hike a bike section. For me it was a brutal race. If I was going back I would do the half, as the timing was just a bit tight for me. I think they could have started an hour earlier to give slugs like me a chance to finish.
Also, at my end of the field (way back) it was quite a lonely race. In the hike a bike section I saw no-one for more than 2 hours. Unlike the Otway Odyssey which has folk pedalling (and pushing) everywhere. Sledgehammer anyone?

 

[Josh Seksy]

I raced the 50km last year (and won ) and I absolutely loved the event.
Amazing vibe around the start/finish, good climbing to begin, and plenty of 'proper' technical single track, not that baby flowing crap, the sort of stuff to really keep you on your toes.
The final decent was amazing, 6km of fireroad with waterbars, steep chutes and rocks, Unfortunately this is where I flatted and lost my overall 2nd positioning and only managed to grab the juniour title!

I'll be back there most definately, even considering the stage race over chrissy, thats how much I loved it up there!

Ps, Last year it was also held as the National Marathon Championships you know?

 

[Mark S]

A good movie or book is often one that "stays with you". After the Pyrenees trail bit last year, I swore I wouldn't go back.

But I kept thinking of the great finish (through the vines), the variety of terrain and the general vibe of the race. Also, we had great food in town and the caravan park was like a throwback to the 60s (in a positive way).

Also, I want to get over the 3 Sisters this year (great name for the three hills that go big-bigger-biggest), having had to stop 3/4 the way up the 3rd hill last year. I need to beat them this time.

Regards, Mark.

 

[TimMc]

yes definately it's a tough one but I'll be back for it
(cross fingers it doesn't clash with the Baw Baw Classic!)

 

[jamespierce]

Like others I would count the 2010 Nemesis as one of the hardest days I've ever had on a bike ... I swore I'd never bother doing it again, far too much fire road, far to little rideable single track. Even if the whole walking trail section was ridable there would maybe 20 to 25% single track for the whole course ? It's a pretty region and the on course support was indeed second to none, but would I do it again ? ... hmmm ... Except I'll feel a bit raced out by mid december, the multi stage event they are running up there looks like really good fun.

 

[ArchieBrown]

New trail being cut for the 2011 Nemesis

Like some, halfway through last years Nemesis I was going to burn my bike and give my legs to a fertilizer factory. But like most, I'll probably be back.

There is new trail being cut out on the infamous Pyrenees sections. Rohin has been getting some teams out there and cutting out some of the wall-like gradients and making groovy switchback climbs out of them. I was out there last weekend and even put in some little berms to keep the climbing momentum up. If anyone outside the elites has any momentum by at that stage of the race is anyones guess.

From memory there was new trail cut before I turned my hand to it, and there'll be a bunch more put in (DSE approved of course) before next March. I have no idea if this will reduce the cummulative effect of all those high meters, but it may replace some of the pain with a little more fun.

My 0.02

 

[butlerhr]

Are you sure it's the National Championships?


Eddie

hey
Does anyone know anything about the Neimisis Marrathon Challenge 2011? I've never done it before, and i'm considering doing it this year.
Whats the course like? Hard, technical, steep?
This years its the National marrathon Championships, so the feild should be good too.

Cheers
Brendan

 

[akashra]

It was the National championships in 2010. It will not be the National marathon championships in 2011.
Just to be clear and not allow any rumors to get out of hand, the discussion is still ongoing as to what event will be the 2011 Victorian Marathon Championships.

 

[adaib]

I raced the 50km last year (and won ) and I absolutely loved the event.
Amazing vibe around the start/finish, good climbing to begin, and plenty of 'proper' technical single track, not that baby flowing crap, the sort of stuff to really keep you on your toes.
The final decent was amazing, 6km of fireroad with waterbars, steep chutes and rocks, Unfortunately this is where I flatted and lost my overall 2nd positioning and only managed to grab the juniour title!

I'll be back there most definately, even considering the stage race over chrissy, thats how much I loved it up there!

Ps, Last year it was also held as the National Marathon Championships you know?

When you say proper single track what do you mean? I can ride single track (2nd in timed decent in otway oddessay 50km 2009) but a race worth of rocky step ups, sketchy corners and no flow would just piss me off. Is it like that?

 

[Josh Seksy]

When you say proper single track what do you mean? I can ride single track (2nd in timed decent in otway oddessay 50km 2009) but a race worth of rocky step ups, sketchy corners and no flow would just piss me off. Is it like that?

Think of real proper 'back country' all mountain, thats what it reminded me of.
You'll need proper tires, not those wanky 1.9'' semi slicks, and a good tubeless setup...with tubeless tires, its not worth a shreaded sidewall.

Even if your skilled, You'll still walk some of it, there are some very small (50m max at a time) that may not be rideable, but get out front away from a group and you'll be set.

I can't really speak for how it held up over time, the ST may have degraded over the race and made it as displeasureable as many people are climbing. I really don't know, I was the second rider going through it.

 

[quiggs]

You'll need proper tires, not those wanky 1.9'' semi slicks, and a good tubeless setup...with tubeless tires, its not worth a shreaded sidewall.
.

I ride Geax Mezcals 2.0 on the front and a wanky 1.9 on the back last year, actually for the last 2 years I have ridden them on a variety of trails. Yes they are the TNT versions but have never had a blow out, pinch, puncture with them. In fact I ride them in all conditions but the worst of muddy conditions.

quiggs

 

[jathanas]

When you say proper single track what do you mean? I can ride single track (2nd in timed decent in otway oddessay 50km 2009) but a race worth of rocky step ups, sketchy corners and no flow would just piss me off. Is it like that?

The Avoca Nemesis "singletrack" couldn't hold a candle to the Otway Odyssey technical sections, especially in terms of flow.

I'll reiterate my initial point that it was a very well run event with a course that was ordinary ( in 2010 anyway ).

 

[Mark S]

When you say proper single track what do you mean? I can ride single track (2nd in timed decent in otway oddessay 50km 2009) but a race worth of rocky step ups, sketchy corners and no flow would just piss me off. Is it like that?

To specifically answer your question - yes. I wouldn't say the track was "ordinary", but certainly not the smooth flow of the Forrest trails. Very little singletrack at all.

But we will be back.

 

[DaGonz]

To specifically answer your question - yes. I wouldn't say the track was "ordinary", but certainly not the smooth flow of the Forrest trails. Very little singletrack at all.

But we will be back.

I liked the area, not sure I'd go there specifically for a holiday though, but it was nice we had dinner at an old disused railway station that was tops.

the course was just crap. Mr Norco only rode some of the crappy single, and he rode the 2nd better half of it. it was what 15km's(?) of just crappy trails. Powdery steep descents you couldn't let go on, hair pin turn, pinchy climb, repeat.

I also remember thinking after being warned out rocky and loose it was how rocky and loose it wasn't. Perhaps our definition up here of Rocky is different

Having said that, I really enjoyed the first 50-60km's or so, though I was looking forward to a bit of single track for variety when it came...

YMMV

Cheers
Spoonie

 

[adaib]

Think of real proper 'back country' all mountain, thats what it reminded me of.

Dualies have an advantage? Seeing as it is an hard tolling and rough endurance event?

 

[Josh Seksy]

Dualies have an advantage? Seeing as it is an hard tolling and rough endurance event?

Possibly.
I rode on my HT last year, But I'd say I have a pretty tough core/body and can generally ride rough stuff without fatiguing too much.

In hindsight, A dually may be quicker for the long tough descents, but there are some REALLY STEEP climbs you'd need to lug it up. When I say steep, I mean steep, these are like goat track steep, I had such difficulty climbing some of them.

I'd go a light short travel dually.
100mm MAX, carbon frame ideally, light wheels, with a total weight under 10.5kg.