Scott 24hr 2009

[Le Matelot]

Just to wet the appetite for this year, some happy snaps of previous Scott 24Hr races at Stromlo...

2008 Night Photos

2007 Aerial Photos

2007 Background Info

2007 Night Training Ride

2007 Womens Camp Stromlo Training Ride

 

[JD26]

If the 24hr track is easy might even stick the kid in the Weeride for a last lap circuit.

Shaken baby syndrome!

 

[jmcavoy]

easy, gentle, less technical? where's the challenge and interest? it's not sounding too inviting if the interesting stuff is gone. i want a great course (or courses) that i'd love to ride, not one my nanna can ride on a sunday afternoon. .

If the course is too easy you for you, go faster

 

[FR Drew]

Must admit, I'm a little gobsmacked right now...

After all the bitching that we've had in previous years about people not liking the climbs and not liking the tech sections, we say that we'll go back to something less tech and we get a whole new set of complaints.

Guess it's a case of damned if you do and damned if you don't.

 

[gixer7]

Must admit, I'm a little gobsmacked right now...

After all the bitching that we've had in previous years about people not liking the climbs and not liking the tech sections, we say that we'll go back to something less tech and we get a whole new set of complaints.

Guess it's a case of damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Well if it helps any the dozen or so riders I was with last year all loved the course, climbs & tech sections all.

I'm a little stunned that anybody could have disliked last years offering.

 

[alchemist]

After all the bitching that we've had in previous years about people not liking the climbs and not liking the tech sections, we say that we'll go back to something less tech and we get a whole new set of complaints..

Was there? A few quotes from last year

loved the course, nothing but improvements but the last few hundred metres of the red descent before the 4x didn't last very long. the first time i did the new climb on the blue (heading up to the start of beginner downhill) i hated it but every time after that it got better and better and the last time it was awesome.

From a solo perspective, I definitely preferred red lap, it was shorter and not as much having to muscle the bike up techy rocky bits.
Blue lap just seemed to go on and on, all those tight corners with rocks exposed made for a rough experience.
While red you knew where the top was and knew that after that it was all downhill from there .
The only unfortunate bit about red was the bottom of the DH where there were those wheel sized undulations, HEAVY on the hands.

I had no dramas with any of the rocky stuff in terms of handling, although sometimes I would stall for half a second because I didn't have enough speed to get over the rock.

Well it was my first 24hr, and i loved it. 2hours sleep 5 laps (4 red,1 blue) and no dramas at all.

I really enjoyed the red actually. The climb was enjoyable and the DH was exceptional - though I thought it was a little too full on and sketchy for a enduro event at times. I saw a lot of people come unstuck on some of those rockgardens, particularly the one a couple of corners after the bridge. I was definitely feeling it in my hands/arms after each red lap riding my scale
.

I was on a rigid 29 single speed (with the christmas tinsle on the wheels after it went dark) and found the blue pretty hard going in places. Similarly, the bottom of the red, as has been mentioned earlier, was very tough on the arms.

Probably the best 24hr ive done so far. We got 3rd, i did 7 (i think) fast laps and felt fine at the end. The red lap was amazing, the climb stayed smooth so i could sit down on my hardtail and the downhill got super slushy just how i like it. The blue lap was pretty boring and painful but the bit from slick rock to the end of the begginer downhill were realy fun IMO. .

great track great people and only had one dickhead passing manouver which was me.

A great weekend. Thanks Corc for putting it on and well done to all the solo riders! I enjoyed every lap, right up until my last one.

Having only ever been to Mt Stromlo once before it was a WHOLE LOT OF FUN!!! That painful climb to the top is worth every second for the downhill. I didn't have the confidence to do any night laps this year, but should be right for next year.

Yeowwwwwwwwwww!!!

it was my first scott 24 hour and i loved it.
i went out onto my first blue lap and got a bleeding nose about 5 mins in, but it was still good.

That was my second Scott 24 and I really enjoyed it. I think the weather was better this year than last (less wind). Also i think the red lap was better than last year but the blue was about the same (just longer)

yep, great riding...blue lap was awesome and brought the 29er to its element, climbing over every rock and other obstacles....bit tricky navigating with fractures sustained in two monumental tyre roll-ofs in high speed crashes on the top of red, the prev night but what a ride down !!

Found the course very love / hate. Loved all of the red lap up till the A / B line. After that it sucked (IMO) with 'moon dust corners into shit lines' as one rider put it. Blue lap was fun except km's 3 - 5 which felt like they went for 8kms.

I had the red lap picked as being my favourite when I did a recce run on Friday but by the end of the race I couldn't face doing another one. It didn't help that I didn't figure out the line through the rock garden until my last red lap just after dawn on Sun.

The blue lap on the other hand was brilliant until I had to do the last lap of the day and wished I was dead. I just wish I got the cojones earlier to do the doubles properly.

I only did 4 laps (team of 6), 3 being the blue and one on the red... for the first time I managed to get lucky and do the sun up laps... which was good in seeing the world wake up, and bad having the sun smash you in the face as you were quickly descending down the chopped up downhill. But as a fav lap.. I will give it to the blue, whenever I ride stromlo I always seem to do the same loop time after time which is most of the red, so getting to know the bits that were included in the blue lap a lot better was unreal... the bottom half of the beginners DH is a lot more fun with the tabletops made bigger.

Mostly seems very favorable. I don't envy who is going to take over the course setting this year from Morgs, they've got a lot to live up to.

 

[FR Drew]

I've got better things to do with my life than argue the point. There were a significant number of complaints that the course wasn't "punter friendly".

While in general I liked it, there were sections that I was dreading each lap and that I would have preferred weren't there.

At the end of the day, it's not a pro race, it's a participation event. If the flow is going to get ruined by bottlenecks where more novice riders have to dismount that's less than ideal. I'd prefer stuff that a beginner could ride through at a slow pace, but that an elite rider with top level skills could hit fast.

For my money, last year the low bar was set too high on some of the tech sections.

 

[joeyjoblah]

...
While in general I liked it, there were sections that I was dreading each lap and that I would have preferred weren't there.

At the end of the day, it's not a pro race, it's a participation event. If the flow is going to get ruined by bottlenecks where more novice riders have to dismount that's less than ideal. I'd prefer stuff that a beginner could ride through at a slow pace, but that an elite rider with top level skills could hit fast..

I'd have to agree with you there. The end of the red lap (after the downhill bridge) in particular was a little technical last year.

I guess it's all about striking a balance.

 

[chops007]

I've got better things to do with my life than argue the point. There were a significant number of complaints that the course wasn't "punter friendly".

While in general I liked it, there were sections that I was dreading each lap and that I would have preferred weren't there.

At the end of the day, it's not a pro race, it's a participation event. If the flow is going to get ruined by bottlenecks where more novice riders have to dismount that's less than ideal. I'd prefer stuff that a beginner could ride through at a slow pace, but that an elite rider with top level skills could hit fast.

For my money, last year the low bar was set too high on some of the tech sections.

end of discussion i reckon.......

stromlo is free to ride most days of the year i suggest some ppl to ride it on those days..

 

[Pizzaz]

For my money, last year the low bar was set too high on some of the tech sections.

For me, riding around the silly thing for 21 laps or so it was hard work. Some technical parts but hey... its mountain biking - certainly not as bad as riding around some of the tracks that have been used in the WWS (Appin... or Darkes Forest or even Yarramundi on a tough setting!)

Some of the rocky sections on the blue lap were a pain... I think I probably hit them well about.....ummmmm...... ok I didn't.

But at least it was interesting... technical, non technical I don't really mind so long its still fun to ride - the VVC is a great example, the track was really easy to ride but to really hit it fast required a bit of concentration and the giggle factor was there even though the laps are short.

Best of luck in setting the course - I'm sure it'll be a hoot!

Oh, and part of the fun of a participation event (well for me) is riding the stuff that the really fast guys ride - no-one wants a 'special' course to make it too easy - it looses the epic nature of the thing...

 

[morto1980]

I'd have to agree with you there. The end of the red lap (after the downhill bridge) in particular was a little technical last year.

I guess it's all about striking a balance.

And even if it was good for those of us who ride more technical trails frequently, on more than one occasion I almost came unstuck by being caught out by a punter who decided to stop dead in the middle of the rock garden / other obstacles (forcing "interesting" line choices)

I trust the CORC guys to set a fantastic track - honestly, I've been riding their 24hrs and 8hrs for a few years now and have never come away disappointed (I even liked all of the blue lap which puts me in the minority among most people I talk to).

Maybe something could be done like offering a shorter A line choice vs a longer B line choice (over a longish distance like 500m/800m or so) - basically split the course and send the nutters down one of the shorter blue rated sections while others can take a longer green rated section (something like "your call" in the Highland Fling)

Disclaimer: 30 seconds of thought went into this one - there are probably major problems with it)

 

[FR Drew]

end of discussion i reckon.......

Certainly not end of discussion thanks to me. I have no role in setting the course, I was simply giving my own opinion.

Basic story is that if you make it too tame everyone complains that it's too easy for the roadies and doesn't favour those with MTB skills enough, but if you make it too tech then it's not friendly for beginners and punters (remembering that the event has school teams and corporates of 10, many of whom have barely hopped on a mountain bike before in their lives).

I certainly wouldn't want a beginner crawling away from the race battered and broken and saying that they never wanted to go in a 24 hour again.

Elite riders have state and national rounds and club rounds to cater to their riding needs. My preference is that the 24's are something that anyone feels they can enter and, although challenged, walk away from having had fun.

 

[Smiker]

Elite riders have state and national rounds and club rounds to cater to their riding needs. .

That's right, as elite riders don't enjoy racing with their friends or staying in the one place with thousands of other like minded people!

My tongue is stuck firmly in my cheek, but as a one time quasi expert/elite rider, I loved 24hr events!

Smiker

 

[FR Drew]

I'm all for the elites being there and having a hoot, but increasing the tech level of the course to give them a challenge at the expense of other rider enjoyment, especially if it's going to result in logjams at the tech sections doesn't strike me as a good option.

A good course should be possible for anyone to ride and have fun, but should be hard to ride fast.

 

[rangie]

A good course should be possible for anyone to ride and have fun, but should be hard to ride fast.

you mean like sparrow

 

[rangie]

last lap

Maybe not

trailer/cart was seen at last years scott behind a lunatic (read solo 24hr nutter...you know who you are)...so maybe strap the littly to something lowprofile perhaps...guess would depend on mums sense of adventure, your sense of a death wish, etc

 

[FR Drew]

you mean like sparrow

Stromlo is not Sparrow and why would you want to replicate two places the same when you have an opportunity to build variety?

Stromlo, Sparrow, Kowen and Majura all have sections that I love riding (and all have sections that I'm less keen on).

I love pancakes with maple syrup too, but I couldn't live on just that and nothing else for the rest of my life. Variety is what makes mtb fun.

 

[smokeybear]

And even if it was good for those of us who ride more technical trails frequently, on more than one occasion I almost came unstuck by being caught out by a punter who decided to stop dead in the middle of the rock garden / other obstacles (forcing "interesting" line choices)

I trust the CORC guys to set a fantastic track - honestly, I've been riding their 24hrs and 8hrs for a few years now and have never come away disappointed (I even liked all of the blue lap which puts me in the minority among most people I talk to).

Maybe something could be done like offering a shorter A line choice vs a longer B line choice (over a longish distance like 500m/800m or so) - basically split the course and send the nutters down one of the shorter blue rated sections while others can take a longer green rated section (something like "your call" in the Highland Fling)

Disclaimer: 30 seconds of thought went into this one - there are probably major problems with it)

I think the A and B line idea has merritt and is possibly worth trying. I doubt there is time to implement it this year but it would give those of us that love a bit of a challenge in a descente to gain back some of the climb time we lost. I lap in the same sort of time as my C grade mates but they out climb me by 5mins at Stromlo, A & B lines would suit climbs flat and the downhill parts of the Scott. It may possibly clear a few jams to.

 

[rangie]

Variety is what makes mtb fun.

gee mate, thanks for pointing that out...would never have guessed

while you are at it, pull your head in too..as there might not be sufficient space for the both of you

then go back and re-read my comment.....slooooowly

 

[FR Drew]

Suggestion: go re-read mine, take off your attack mindset and realise that I agree with you, having had an absolute hoot at the Mont and being blown away by how quick the top guys could hit that course.

Fact remains we can't reproduce Sparrow out at Stromlo and it'd be stupid to try. Sorry if my personal view somehow offends you. Wasn't intended that way.