Currambene State Forest south of Nowra played host to Round Two of the SRAM Singletrack Mind endurance series for mountain biking. A big field of over 300 riders lined up for an early start in the cool but perfect conditions. South Coast United Mountain Bikers prepared a fun but demanding 9km circuit that solo riders and teams of 2 or 3 would attempt to lap as many times as possible during the 8 hour race period.
By the conclusion of the starting lap it was of little surprise to see Matthew Fleming of the Rockstar/Clarence St Cyclery Male Pairs team out in front and holding a considerable lead to the second-placed combo of Matthew Potter and John Odams. As these four riders featured at the top of the results for the recent Rock Wallaby half-marathon in Appin with Fleming on top, and it would be a very similar result with Fleming and team mate Troy Glennan leading to the end from Odams and Potter and the Stevens Bikes pair taking 3rd in the category.
Many of the other categories were just as hotly contested, where in the female pairs the teams swapped positions all day in the end both teams rolled over the line only 0.9 of a second apart after 8 hours of tough racing! The battle in the mixed pairs was for 2nd place as Bicycle Garage had it stitched up from the start. The SCC team started 9th in category but clawed their way up to 3rd, then back to 4th but found a second wind to get back to 3rd and challenge the team from Bike Culture who took 2nd place, with a gap of only 3 minutes in the end.
The solo categories are for the real hard-nuts who like to push themselves to the limit of endurance for over 8 hours. Bree Webb came off a win at the Rock Wallaby and showed her great form, leading from start to finish, while Erin Zimmer and Liz Smith fought it out for the minor placings of the women's category. Phil Welch and Wendy Stevenson took out the masters solo categories convincingly, while in the open men it was Ed McDonald who slotted straight into position one on a one geared bike no less, the flowing course suiting his singlespeed machine and he led to the finish over Luke Dale and Matthew Wright.
In the three rider team categories there were two great teams battling in the junior category, Tristan Ward, Luke Harden and Steven Mackay put in lap times that would make the pros happy, racking up 18 laps in 8 hours and 6 minutes. The Mixed Threes saw a dominant display from the Stevens bikes trio taking the category by 3 laps whereas in the Mens Threes it was a much tighter affair, with local team from Berry Mountain Cycles just taking it from the Orange-based team Popstar Racing. The margin after 8 hours – just 7 seconds!
Podium getters received over $10,000 worth of cash and prizes from SRAM, Rockshox, Avid, Truvativ, Leyzne, Hammer Nutrition, Jimmy Jack wine, Muc-Off, Kenda, Nzo, Aussie Butt cream and Mountain Biking Australia magazine. Full results can be found at www.chocolatefoot.com.au/singletrack-mind-series/results
The next round of the state's premier mountain bike enduro series moves to Mount Stromlo in Canberra on 26 June.
For more information see www.chocolatefoot.com.au
Male Pairs winner Matt Fleming’s tyres barely touched the ground all day.
Photo: Dave Bateman Photography
Winners are grinners! Kath Bicknell on her way to winning the Mixed Pairs category.
Photo: Dave Bateman Photography
By the conclusion of the starting lap it was of little surprise to see Matthew Fleming of the Rockstar/Clarence St Cyclery Male Pairs team out in front and holding a considerable lead to the second-placed combo of Matthew Potter and John Odams. As these four riders featured at the top of the results for the recent Rock Wallaby half-marathon in Appin with Fleming on top, and it would be a very similar result with Fleming and team mate Troy Glennan leading to the end from Odams and Potter and the Stevens Bikes pair taking 3rd in the category.
Many of the other categories were just as hotly contested, where in the female pairs the teams swapped positions all day in the end both teams rolled over the line only 0.9 of a second apart after 8 hours of tough racing! The battle in the mixed pairs was for 2nd place as Bicycle Garage had it stitched up from the start. The SCC team started 9th in category but clawed their way up to 3rd, then back to 4th but found a second wind to get back to 3rd and challenge the team from Bike Culture who took 2nd place, with a gap of only 3 minutes in the end.
The solo categories are for the real hard-nuts who like to push themselves to the limit of endurance for over 8 hours. Bree Webb came off a win at the Rock Wallaby and showed her great form, leading from start to finish, while Erin Zimmer and Liz Smith fought it out for the minor placings of the women's category. Phil Welch and Wendy Stevenson took out the masters solo categories convincingly, while in the open men it was Ed McDonald who slotted straight into position one on a one geared bike no less, the flowing course suiting his singlespeed machine and he led to the finish over Luke Dale and Matthew Wright.
In the three rider team categories there were two great teams battling in the junior category, Tristan Ward, Luke Harden and Steven Mackay put in lap times that would make the pros happy, racking up 18 laps in 8 hours and 6 minutes. The Mixed Threes saw a dominant display from the Stevens bikes trio taking the category by 3 laps whereas in the Mens Threes it was a much tighter affair, with local team from Berry Mountain Cycles just taking it from the Orange-based team Popstar Racing. The margin after 8 hours – just 7 seconds!
Podium getters received over $10,000 worth of cash and prizes from SRAM, Rockshox, Avid, Truvativ, Leyzne, Hammer Nutrition, Jimmy Jack wine, Muc-Off, Kenda, Nzo, Aussie Butt cream and Mountain Biking Australia magazine. Full results can be found at www.chocolatefoot.com.au/singletrack-mind-series/results
The next round of the state's premier mountain bike enduro series moves to Mount Stromlo in Canberra on 26 June.
For more information see www.chocolatefoot.com.au
Male Pairs winner Matt Fleming’s tyres barely touched the ground all day.
Photo: Dave Bateman Photography
Winners are grinners! Kath Bicknell on her way to winning the Mixed Pairs category.
Photo: Dave Bateman Photography