Rock Wallaby Mountain Bike Half Marathon - Appin, NSW
15/5/2011
After a very chilly start, Appin put on brilliant weather for a new mountain bike challenge on a newly designed course. As part of the celebrations for Appin's Bicentenary, 160 mountain bikers were treated to a 25km course in the bushland surrounding Appin. The course included many new and rehabilitated sections of singletrack trails and its rough and rocky nature proved to be a tough but enjoyable challenge, with most riders opting to test themselves over the two lap 50km distance.
After a starting lap of Appin Park football oval, a leading group of three riders broke away. Matthew Fleming, Mitch Codner and Troy Glennan traded turns at the front until Fleming put the gas down midway through the 1st lap and would not be seen by the other two for the remainder of the race. Clarence Street Cyclery rider Fleming built up a two minute lead by the midway point and continued to build up time coming in to the finish with a total time of 2 hours and 40 mins, with a 4 min 35 second buffer back to Mitch Codner and Rockstar Racing's Troy Glennan a further five minutes back in third. The Mens Open category saw a clear winner in Jason Morgan while 2nd and 3rd was a tough battle between Tim Curry and Eamonn Bell, Curry held second place on the first lap but struggled in the second lap slipping back to third place, a minute and a half behind Bell.
The Womens elite category was a race of attrition, with Lindsay Gorrell and Vanina Vergoz withdrawing after the first lap leaving Wollongong rider Breony Webb to take the win. The Womens open category was a more competitive affair with Danielle Pollock taking the category win and recording the fastest time by a women in the event.
The 25km race saw a strong juniors category which was taken out by Cameron Taverner-Smith while Victoria Armstrong and Ondrej Slezak took the open Womens and Mens categories.
The event has been hailed a success and with the new extended trail system that will really put Appin on the map for cyclists seeking a fresh challenge on well crafted trails. The organisers of the event Chocolate Foot praised the great support that the event received from Appin's businesses, clubs and service organisations who contributed to the success of the race as well as the sponsors: Finish Line, Jimmy Jack wine, SRAM, Avid, Truvativ, Hammer Nutrition and Mountain Biking Australia. Full results can be found at http://www.chocolatefoot.com.au/rock-wallaby/results-a-reports.
Chocolate Foot also coordinate the SRAM Singletrack Mind NSW Enduro series which has an upcoming round of the series near Appin at The Australian Botanic Garden, Mt Annan on 18 September: http://www.chocolatefoot.com.au/
Peter McKellar-Stewart powers through the water crossing on his way to winning the Junior Men 50km category. Photo: Dave Bateman Photography
15/5/2011
After a very chilly start, Appin put on brilliant weather for a new mountain bike challenge on a newly designed course. As part of the celebrations for Appin's Bicentenary, 160 mountain bikers were treated to a 25km course in the bushland surrounding Appin. The course included many new and rehabilitated sections of singletrack trails and its rough and rocky nature proved to be a tough but enjoyable challenge, with most riders opting to test themselves over the two lap 50km distance.
After a starting lap of Appin Park football oval, a leading group of three riders broke away. Matthew Fleming, Mitch Codner and Troy Glennan traded turns at the front until Fleming put the gas down midway through the 1st lap and would not be seen by the other two for the remainder of the race. Clarence Street Cyclery rider Fleming built up a two minute lead by the midway point and continued to build up time coming in to the finish with a total time of 2 hours and 40 mins, with a 4 min 35 second buffer back to Mitch Codner and Rockstar Racing's Troy Glennan a further five minutes back in third. The Mens Open category saw a clear winner in Jason Morgan while 2nd and 3rd was a tough battle between Tim Curry and Eamonn Bell, Curry held second place on the first lap but struggled in the second lap slipping back to third place, a minute and a half behind Bell.
The Womens elite category was a race of attrition, with Lindsay Gorrell and Vanina Vergoz withdrawing after the first lap leaving Wollongong rider Breony Webb to take the win. The Womens open category was a more competitive affair with Danielle Pollock taking the category win and recording the fastest time by a women in the event.
The 25km race saw a strong juniors category which was taken out by Cameron Taverner-Smith while Victoria Armstrong and Ondrej Slezak took the open Womens and Mens categories.
The event has been hailed a success and with the new extended trail system that will really put Appin on the map for cyclists seeking a fresh challenge on well crafted trails. The organisers of the event Chocolate Foot praised the great support that the event received from Appin's businesses, clubs and service organisations who contributed to the success of the race as well as the sponsors: Finish Line, Jimmy Jack wine, SRAM, Avid, Truvativ, Hammer Nutrition and Mountain Biking Australia. Full results can be found at http://www.chocolatefoot.com.au/rock-wallaby/results-a-reports.
Chocolate Foot also coordinate the SRAM Singletrack Mind NSW Enduro series which has an upcoming round of the series near Appin at The Australian Botanic Garden, Mt Annan on 18 September: http://www.chocolatefoot.com.au/
Peter McKellar-Stewart powers through the water crossing on his way to winning the Junior Men 50km category. Photo: Dave Bateman Photography
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