Jason English and Jessica Douglas are the winners of the elite categories at the JetBlack WSMTB 12 Hour endurance mountain bike race at Dargle Farm in Sydney’s West on 11 August. More than 300 racers defied nature’s elements and the windy conditions in the Hawkesbury Valley as the two 24H Solo World Champions raced to victory in the elite solo divisions and the Bernard Riders Racing team of four riders took out the overall race win and line honours.
It’s not often that you get two mountain bike racers of that caliber to stand next to each other at the start line. However, the growing reputation of the JetBlack WSMTB 12 Hour as one of the highlights on Australia’s mountain bike endurance racing calendar had both Jason English and his fellow 24H Solo World Champion Jessica Douglas travel to the Hawkesbury Valley to race at Dargle Farm.
Race organiser Rocky Trail Entertainment had secured the exclusive event venue with major sponsor JetBlack Cycling and marked out a 10 km race course across paddocks and farm bushland with flowy single trails and technical rock features as well as wide fire trails where competitors battled against the strong head wind all day.
The top team and solo racers took their leads from the start at 9am with the fastest rider of the day Andrew Arthur (Stevens Bikes), Troy Glennan (Project 63), Glenn King (Bernard Riders) and Ben Isaaksen (Ashfield Cycles) crossing the line within a minute of each other not even half an hour into the race. They were closely pursued by the solo podium from 2011 with James Lamb, Andrew Hall and Jason English.
The Jason English-moment
Andrew Hall and Jason English then stayed together for most of the morning and as English came through timing for his 10th completed lap suddenly the event centre was charged with electricity. Punching out two sub-25 minute laps, English was racing at the speed of the four-man teams, increasing his lead in the solo field.
“I was hanging onto the wheels of the Bernard Riders. Man, do those guys know how to put the foot down! It was a lot of fun, however, after a few laps with my heart rate soaring I had to do the sensible thing and back off a bit and focus on keeping my lead”, said the four-time winner at Dargle Farm later of the four-man teams’ fast pace.
The Bernard Riders kept it up and completed 29 laps in just over 12 hours, taking the line honours and overall race winner’s title. The entire event centre had watched a fierce battle unfold between their fellow four-man teams of Ashfield Cycles and Project63 throughout the afternoon. With both teams sending out their last riders onto lap number 28 within not more than a minute of each other just as the clock was about to hit the 12 hour mark, the crowd was skipping to the beats and eagerly awaiting the rider that would cross the line first.
Jessica Douglas takes the women's title
The dark had descended onto the event centre and a DJ pumped out funky tunes into the valley and one of the first solo racers to cross the line only 16 seconds after 12 hours had been completed, was elite women’s winner Jessica Douglas from Forrest (VIC).
“That was a tough track”, said the beaming World Champion. “And that music was just awesome! I could hear it long into the track! I really enjoyed the ride today – I have to admit, I heard you guys announce the 5-minute mark across the valley and you know what – I walked the last uphill section and just admired the lights as they zoomed towards the event centre on the last downhill – it was magical! Thanks, Rocky Trail, for suggesting I do this race. That was long overdue!”
Last year’s race winner Liz Smith from Mt Ousley (NSW) finished second in the elite women’s field with 20 laps in just under 12 hours, ahead of Mel Hayes from The Junction (NSW) who completed 8 laps and had retired mid-afternoon.
And as the event centre kept erupting in cheers, welcoming the race finishers across the line with Bernard beers and rocky music, Ben Isaaksen from Ashfield Cycles claimed a thrilling second place in the four-man teams, crossing the line just 36 seconds ahead of Troy Glennan from Project63, who finished third and completed the podium with the winning Bernard Riders.
Congratulations to all podium getters and race finishers! Rocky Trail Entertainment and the JetBlack WSMTB 12 Hour race will return to Dargle Farm on 10 August 2013, once again reviving the infamous mountain bike trails on the Hawkesbury River. For more event information visit www.rockytrailentertainment.com
Top Results 2012
Solo Elite Male
1. Jason English / Merida Red Racer / Port Macquarie, NSW / 26 laps/12:07:25
2. Andrew Hall / Radical Lights Factory Racing / Canberra, ACT / 25 laps/12:00:58
3. Matthew De Pomeroy / North Rocks, NSW/ 23 laps/12:26:55
Solo Elite Female
1. Jessica Douglas / Team Douglas / Forrest, VIC / 22 laps/12:00:16
2. Liz Smith / Mt Ousley, NSW / 20 laps/11:52:59
3. Mel Hayes / The Junction, NSW / 8 laps/5:43:17
Solo Male Master
1. Phil Welch / Project 63 / Fairlight, NSW / 22 laps/12:22:10
Solo Female Master
1. Liz Story / The Silent Revolution / Wanniassa, ACT / 9 laps/11:28:09
Solo Male SuperMaster
1. Gary James / Radical Lights / Canberra, ACT / 22 laps/11:41:48
Solo Male SingleSpeed
1. Brett Bellchambers / Jeebus Racing / Lyneham, ACT / 24 laps/12:16:16
Overall Race Winners and Line Honours
1. Bernard Riders Racing Team 4: M. Kafka, O. Slezak, A. Lakeman, G. King 29 laps/12:19:51
2. Ashfield Cycles Team 4: K. McLachlan, O. Vallee, R. Buchanan, B. Isaaksen 28 laps/12:20:48
3. Project63: T. Swain, S. Binns, B. Glennan, T. Glennan 28 laps/12:21:24
It’s not often that you get two mountain bike racers of that caliber to stand next to each other at the start line. However, the growing reputation of the JetBlack WSMTB 12 Hour as one of the highlights on Australia’s mountain bike endurance racing calendar had both Jason English and his fellow 24H Solo World Champion Jessica Douglas travel to the Hawkesbury Valley to race at Dargle Farm.
Race organiser Rocky Trail Entertainment had secured the exclusive event venue with major sponsor JetBlack Cycling and marked out a 10 km race course across paddocks and farm bushland with flowy single trails and technical rock features as well as wide fire trails where competitors battled against the strong head wind all day.
The top team and solo racers took their leads from the start at 9am with the fastest rider of the day Andrew Arthur (Stevens Bikes), Troy Glennan (Project 63), Glenn King (Bernard Riders) and Ben Isaaksen (Ashfield Cycles) crossing the line within a minute of each other not even half an hour into the race. They were closely pursued by the solo podium from 2011 with James Lamb, Andrew Hall and Jason English.
The Jason English-moment
Andrew Hall and Jason English then stayed together for most of the morning and as English came through timing for his 10th completed lap suddenly the event centre was charged with electricity. Punching out two sub-25 minute laps, English was racing at the speed of the four-man teams, increasing his lead in the solo field.
“I was hanging onto the wheels of the Bernard Riders. Man, do those guys know how to put the foot down! It was a lot of fun, however, after a few laps with my heart rate soaring I had to do the sensible thing and back off a bit and focus on keeping my lead”, said the four-time winner at Dargle Farm later of the four-man teams’ fast pace.
The Bernard Riders kept it up and completed 29 laps in just over 12 hours, taking the line honours and overall race winner’s title. The entire event centre had watched a fierce battle unfold between their fellow four-man teams of Ashfield Cycles and Project63 throughout the afternoon. With both teams sending out their last riders onto lap number 28 within not more than a minute of each other just as the clock was about to hit the 12 hour mark, the crowd was skipping to the beats and eagerly awaiting the rider that would cross the line first.
Jessica Douglas takes the women's title
The dark had descended onto the event centre and a DJ pumped out funky tunes into the valley and one of the first solo racers to cross the line only 16 seconds after 12 hours had been completed, was elite women’s winner Jessica Douglas from Forrest (VIC).
“That was a tough track”, said the beaming World Champion. “And that music was just awesome! I could hear it long into the track! I really enjoyed the ride today – I have to admit, I heard you guys announce the 5-minute mark across the valley and you know what – I walked the last uphill section and just admired the lights as they zoomed towards the event centre on the last downhill – it was magical! Thanks, Rocky Trail, for suggesting I do this race. That was long overdue!”
Last year’s race winner Liz Smith from Mt Ousley (NSW) finished second in the elite women’s field with 20 laps in just under 12 hours, ahead of Mel Hayes from The Junction (NSW) who completed 8 laps and had retired mid-afternoon.
And as the event centre kept erupting in cheers, welcoming the race finishers across the line with Bernard beers and rocky music, Ben Isaaksen from Ashfield Cycles claimed a thrilling second place in the four-man teams, crossing the line just 36 seconds ahead of Troy Glennan from Project63, who finished third and completed the podium with the winning Bernard Riders.
Congratulations to all podium getters and race finishers! Rocky Trail Entertainment and the JetBlack WSMTB 12 Hour race will return to Dargle Farm on 10 August 2013, once again reviving the infamous mountain bike trails on the Hawkesbury River. For more event information visit www.rockytrailentertainment.com
Top Results 2012
Solo Elite Male
1. Jason English / Merida Red Racer / Port Macquarie, NSW / 26 laps/12:07:25
2. Andrew Hall / Radical Lights Factory Racing / Canberra, ACT / 25 laps/12:00:58
3. Matthew De Pomeroy / North Rocks, NSW/ 23 laps/12:26:55
Solo Elite Female
1. Jessica Douglas / Team Douglas / Forrest, VIC / 22 laps/12:00:16
2. Liz Smith / Mt Ousley, NSW / 20 laps/11:52:59
3. Mel Hayes / The Junction, NSW / 8 laps/5:43:17
Solo Male Master
1. Phil Welch / Project 63 / Fairlight, NSW / 22 laps/12:22:10
Solo Female Master
1. Liz Story / The Silent Revolution / Wanniassa, ACT / 9 laps/11:28:09
Solo Male SuperMaster
1. Gary James / Radical Lights / Canberra, ACT / 22 laps/11:41:48
Solo Male SingleSpeed
1. Brett Bellchambers / Jeebus Racing / Lyneham, ACT / 24 laps/12:16:16
Overall Race Winners and Line Honours
1. Bernard Riders Racing Team 4: M. Kafka, O. Slezak, A. Lakeman, G. King 29 laps/12:19:51
2. Ashfield Cycles Team 4: K. McLachlan, O. Vallee, R. Buchanan, B. Isaaksen 28 laps/12:20:48
3. Project63: T. Swain, S. Binns, B. Glennan, T. Glennan 28 laps/12:21:24