New event "flinders ranges outback epic"

[stevo78]

Hi guys, this event has just been announced on the Adelaide mountain bike club website and thought you interstaters might be interested and being 1 week before the 24hr race in Adelaide you could hit up two events in a week. If anyone done the Kona Mawson Marathon this would be a great replacement.

http://ambc.asn.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=4716

After 12 months of planning and research, Event Strategies has decided to take the plunge and organise the Flinders Ranges Outback Epic MTB Race. A lot of information can be found here Flinders Ranges Outback Epic. Features:
•Sunday 28 April 2013 (last weekend of the SA school holidays)
•Starts and finishes at Wilpena Pound
•Pairs for the 205km distance
•16 hour time limit, which equals an average speed of 12.8km/hr. A condition of entry is that you agree to be withdrawn if you reach any timing point slower than this schedule
•"Unsupported" categories to offer a level playing field for riders who cannot bring their own team to help them
•"Supported" categories for riders who can bring their own team to help them
•"Relay" option
•64km option for solo riders from Gum Creek to Wilpena

The inaugural event will need to get a decent number of entries to ensure we do not suffer the same fate as the Mawson Marathon. As an incentive, individuals who enter the 2013 event will get half priced entry for life, so yes you help us by paying one full entry fee and giving the first one a go, then we help you with 50% off the entry fee for all subsequent Flinders Ranges Outback Epics you enter.

I'm away in New Zealand for 10 days but wanted to launch this event on our club's forum so members can comment - you're being used a bit like a test group (sorry!) I am sure the comments/questions/suggestions you post will resonate with others so I will address all of them when I get back. Thanks in advance.

Malcolm Robertson
AMBC Trails Officer
Director, Event Strategies Pty Ltd

 

[mtb101]

just a stupid question here, how does an event that attracts only elite riders through mainly desert terrain in an isolated town that requires a lot of volunteer logistics not end up like the Mawson Marathon? (I'm assuming MM suffered due to low entrant numbers vs the economics to stage event).

inaugural event will need to get a decent number of entries to ensure we do not suffer the same fate as the Mawson Marathon.

wouldn't you want an event accessible to a broader range of riders through a more desirable environment - closer to Adelaide that still caters to elites but offers you more entry $$$ due to larger participant numbers?

 

[Pizzaz]

just a stupid question here, how does an event that attracts only elite riders through mainly desert terrain in an isolated town that requires a lot of volunteer logistics not end up like the Mawson Marathon? (I'm assuming MM suffered due to low entrant numbers vs the economics to stage event).



wouldn't you want an event accessible to a broader range of riders through a more desirable environment - closer to Adelaide that still caters to elites but offers you more entry $$$ due to larger participant numbers?

Cause there's hundreds of those?

The Mawson was a great race - sure it wasn't your typical MTB hundred k'er race but I still rate it as one of the more pleasurable experiences I've had on a bike and signed up for it for the second year... what killed the Mawson wasn't the marathon itself so much but the attempt to run a stage race at the same time on the same course which was logistically challenging (and its not that exciting as a stage race - lets face it). Also overly generous with the prize $$$ didn't help much...

The scenery around the Flinders is amazing / unique / breathtaking / ummm running out of superlatives here and the course they've chosen will get more of the better bits and less of the long flat fire road stuff we did in the MM. I had heard from Bike SA that there actually is quite a lot of ok(ish) track out there but the agreement with Tourism SA was to promote the track which they did. Looks to be a bit more bumps in this than the MM course as well...

The race looks good but I have a hankering to ITT the Mawson trail from Blinman back to Adelaide and was planning to do that early April but a 205 km one day smash fest does have a certain appeal...

 

[stevo78]

just a stupid question here, how does an event that attracts only elite riders through mainly desert terrain in an isolated town that requires a lot of volunteer logistics not end up like the Mawson Marathon? (I'm assuming MM suffered due to low entrant numbers vs the economics to stage event).



wouldn't you want an event accessible to a broader range of riders through a more desirable environment - closer to Adelaide that still caters to elites but offers you more entry $$$ due to larger participant numbers?

I dont think this race is catering for elites only, there is a team relay option too! so you could ride anywhere from 25-205km depending on the category you choose.
The selling point of this race is the Flinders Ranges, this terrain is like no ther race and no its not mainly desert terrain. Its only 5-6 hrs from Adelaide and I travel alot further to east cost races every year and its not that hard.

 

[tcp13equals2]

* Does it have to be a pairs race? Why not allow a solo option?
* If you want the interstate elite's, then check that date against the other race calendars. ie I think that date would probably conflict with a Singletrack Mind series round. The STM and XCM rounds draw the biggest rider counts for NSW/ACT - so not conflicting with them increases your interstate riding pool.
* Make sure you keep everyone up to date on whether or not you are getting your min entries or not. Esp for those interstate riders we all have to plan well ahead with flights, accomo, care hire etc - we don't like being burnt with late race cancellations

 

[Rida]

The inaugural event will need to get a decent number of entries to ensure we do not suffer the same fate as the Mawson Marathon. As an incentive, individuals who enter the 2013 event will get half priced entry for life, so yes you help us by paying one full entry fee and giving the first one a go, then we help you with 50% off the entry fee for all subsequent Flinders Ranges Outback Epics you enter.

A great incentive but you might also want to consider having a cut-off time for this offer - otherwise people will just leave it til the last minute and you won't know how many people intend to enter. This was one of the problems with the MM.

just a stupid question here, how does an event that attracts only elite riders through mainly desert terrain in an isolated town that requires a lot of volunteer logistics not end up like the Mawson Marathon?

Not sure why you think this caters only for elite. The cut-off time seems to be pretty generous given the terrain/topography.

* Does it have to be a pairs race? Why not allow a solo option?

+ 1 for a full distance solo category or just make it a solo race rather than pairs. You’ll get more entrants. For what it’s worth I also think that having separate categories for ‘supported’ and ‘unsupported’ will just water down the field. Just make it unsupported and it’s equal for everyone (with the usual water/ aid stations/ marshalls along the route). Retain the relay category and the shorter 64km distance for those not up to the full distance and those that just prefer shorter races.

 

[quiggs]

Sounds like a bit of fun, as much as like solo endurance racing, being in a pair working as a team helping one another out etc is something that you dont get to experience too often, may have to talk to my mate Cam Winn and see what he thinks??

quiggs

 

[Mal Rob]

Online entries open for 2013 Flinders Ranges Outback Epic - Sunday 28 April

Entry details for this event have been finalised and online entries are open. A 109km option has also been added. Event is still on Sunday 28 Feb, with the Anzac Day holiday 3 days before. Click here to go to the event website.

We hope a few interstate riders will be able to make the trip across. BikeSA has its KONA Dirty Weekend the following Saturday and Sunday where you can ride up to 24 hours, so not a bad endurance training package.

 

[steve24]

This looks great, i am planning to ride the 109k solo option followed by the Kona 24 the next weekend.

 

[ozzybmx]

This looks great, i am planning to ride the 109k solo option followed by the Kona 24 the next weekend.

Entered 109km, maybe next year we'll do the 200km

The Flinders are Awesome, im staying up there for the week, might get to ride some of the other sections as pre race prep.

Will be good practice for the 12hour at the Kona the next weekend.

Should be an great event.

 

[Old Softy]

Some of what to expect
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0IGsjwB_nl4

 

[Canbaroo]

... some answers pls.

Any elevations and accumulated climb?

Estimate of winning time? [I can do the X2 multiplication:flame:]

Looking at the results of the failed Mawson M @ 380k in 14hrs it was a bit quick for me .... maybe the $8k cheque helped:car:

 

[Old Softy]

Here is the official site. It has got elevation profiles with the maps but I don't think there is a total climbing. You will be able to see that there are no huge climbs. I did it over 2 days last year and was pretty flat but a great ride.
http://www.eventstrategies.com.au/wp/flinders-ranges-outback-epic/
If Chris Jongewaard enters I would expect him and partner to finish around 8 hrs. My partner and I (Ave age 60+) are hoping for 10-11 hrs but probably closer to 11.

Hope this helps.

 

[Canbaroo]

Thanks Old Softy, i've started doing a trace and it's looking like +2000m, not so bad over 200k. I'll try and get a mate to pair with [60+ also] we can have a race to the bottom! Cheers.

 

[Old Softy]

Another link to details of the 3 different distance options.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2206538