Well it’s that time of year again. MTB season is upon us and the 1st race of the season is a PMBC Club race next weekend 17th March at Langford Mountain Bike Park, Jarrahdale.
The race entries are $15.00 for all grades. A current MTBA membership is required to race. A day license can be purchased if you don’t have a MTBA membership. Entries close at 11 pm Thursday 14/3/2013. There is a $20 late fee for entering on the day (NO Exceptions).
Race Classes
The club races will be run as mixed classes. The idea is to hopefully have some exciting, fun and close racing. It will give you the chance to race against riders not normally in your class and to grade yourself for the upcoming state rounds. Below is a guide to help you determine which class would best suit you.
A Grade = Elite Men, Expert Men, Top 3-5 Masters, Top 5 Vets (30 to 50 riders)
B Grade = Elite women, 5 – 10 masters, 6 – Vets Men, Top 3 Sport Men (40 to 50 riders)
C Grade = Expert Women, Super masters, Sport Etc (40 to 50 riders)
D Grade = Sport women, Juniors etc (40 to 50 riders)
Please note: we will change your class if we feel you are clearly in the wrong grade.
Race Distances
The courses will be shorter and faster tracks. We will be trying to keep the racing close and fun, so the tracks will reflect this, with fast flowing single-track and limited climbing.
A and B Grades= Approx 1.30hrs
C and D Grades= Approx 1.00hrs
We will set the number of laps for each grade once the course has been selected.
Race Day Schedule
Registration = 8am to 9am (collect race numbers)
C and D Grades= 9:15am (first wave)
A and B Grades= 10.45am (second wave)
Presentations = 12.30 pm (or a bit earlier if possible)
Giant Bikes Test Bikes
As part of their sponsorship Giant will be at both races with a range of test bikes. Feel free to test one of their great bikes; just remember to bring your pedals, drivers licence and credit card for a ride.
Fundraising: Gold Coin Donation.
Once again BBQ and Drinks will be provided by Rock and Roll Mountain Biking. We ask you to bring a gold coin donation; all money raised will be used for junior development and trail maintenance with PMBC.
Rubbish
DEC will be removing rubbish bins from some DEC managed properties, including Langford Park. Please take your rubbish home with you PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE. If you don’t, one of the PMBC volunteers has to. Rubbish cannot stay on site after we have left. That goes for gels and bars, it’s not the world championships, please don’t discard your wraps on the race track.
It’s that time of year again guys, Welcome to the 2012 State Cross Country season. The first round of racing is being held at Langford Mountain Bike Park at Jarrahdale on Sunday 25th of March 2012.
This round is proudly being organized and supported by Rock ‘n’ Roll Mountain Biking. TOURS.RIDE.CLINICS.HIRE
Entries
Entries are open and can be found here.
The race entries are $15.00 for juniors and $20.00 for seniors. All of the entries for this first race include a one off plate fee of $5.00. This is included in the price so that no one forgets to click the button (as seems to happen each year). Therefore you will see the entry costs as $20.00 for juniors and $25.00 for seniors. There is a $20 late fee for entering on the day (NO Exceptions).
Race Numbers
This $5.00 goes directly to WAMBA to fund projects like trail advocacy, legalizing and signing trails.
The number you purchase for this first race is your number for the whole season. You keep this number and bring it to each PMBC race from here on. Points are allocated based on THIS number, please do not forget to take it to the next PMBC races.
U9 and U13’s
Entries for Under 13’s are online for members only. If you are an Under 9 or Under 13 and not a PMBC or MTBA member then please enter on the day, as the day licence is only $5 on the day (and $20 online) and there is no entry cost for these classes. (Please note: there is a one off $5 plate fee).
Race Directions
Enter off “Nettleton Road” and follow the PMBC signs.
For directions, Click on this Google maps link.
Race Distances
Even though the UCI and MTBA rules have changed, the race times will remain basically the same as they always have been for our PMBC races. Race times, laps and start times will be listed below. Race Day Schedule;
Registration = 8am to 9am (collect race numbers)
U9 and U13 start = 9am
U9 and U13 presentations = 9.30am
First wave start = 9.40 am
Second wave start = 11.00 am
Presentations = 1.30 pm (or a bit earlier if possible)
Volunteers
If you are not racing and would like to help, please feel free to contact us. Mark or Jenny on 0410 949 182. Any help is certainly appreciated. We can do with some help to process rego and race numbers and then you are free for the rest of the day. We also need help to tow the PMBC race trailers, fuel will be paid.
If you are racing and not helping…………….THANK the volunteers.
Rubbish
DEC will be removing rubbish bins from some DEC managed properties, including Langford Park.
Please take all of your rubbish home with you PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE. If you don’t, one of the PMBC volunteers has to. Rubbish cannot stay on site after we have left please. That goes for gels and bars, it’s not the world championships, please don’t discard your wraps on the race track.
Just a quick reminder that racing for real cyclists 🙂 starts this week with the Dirt Crits commencing on Tuesday and the 1st round of the XC season this Sunday.
Previous blog for the Crits can be found here. Don’t forget you will need your lights for this, discussion on lights is here, but in my opinion you can’t go past a decent set of Ayups. If a group of you get together and order at the same time and you speak to Ayup nicely they might give you a discount. They look after PMBC well and support our annual Dusk til Dawn 12hr Enduro.
Those wanting to get in on the action of the XC series can find all the details for the 1st round here. Just quickly it will be held down at Langford Park Jarrahdale, so if your not part of the final SPR/RCCC crits race, get yourselves down and have a race or support those who are. This is a nice easy trail to start the season off with.
If you are heading down drop a mention in the comments and i’ll know which tent etc to bring and how much room we need to setup.
Well now that we have all recovered from the lack of sleep and intimate relations with trees and the ground, it’s time to share the fun with everyone who missed out.
Saturday saw a stalwart group of individuals band together to conquer the almost 17km, Jarrahdale 12hr enduro course… in the dark. Given how difficult some people find riding in the day, someone thought lets just up it a notch and do it at night.
The SPR conglomerate consisted of 2 duo teams: Chocolat Canards – Nigel & Grant and Frog Stompers – Andrew & Gregor and a trio: Night Sliders – Jeremy, Ashlee & myself. As the teams started to arrive the campsite took shape and became the biggest ‘taj ma hoochie’ onsite although not the most extravocant. That was taken by the Airport team whom had a 42″plasma, 5.1 surround and the xmas light kitchen with a close 2nd going to the Cape crew with there projector setup to distract you while riding past the camp. But none of them had the Venga boys and disco central.
After we had setup and settled in the boys talked tactics, who would go first etc and doing some last minute prep, this was a good idea cos I found a broken spoke that was quickly fixed with a bit of leccy tape. Before we knew it the start was rolling around and time to get ready.
The start was a Le Mans style, sprint to your bike and get yourself going. Lets just say this is organised kaos and makes for an entertaining view as a spectator, not as fun if your the 1st rider up. Those who were quick got a nice clean start, Andrew got in on this and capitalised as did Grant. This was to set them up for a good race.
As the field thinned out and riders came thru transition a nice rhythm was found. I was lucky enough to have some relax time as the 3rd rider in our team. This allowed for the field to spread out and give a bit of breathing room to settle into my 1st lap. Breathing room was good as the course was very dusty due to the lack of rain of late, and if you were following someone you would spend most of the time eating dirt.
The night idled along with the campsite entertainment keeping riders going as well as the on course entertainment with 1 team taking things to a whole new level. The Wembley Cyles Motastics decided fancy dress was in order, bringing out an array of outfits thru the night including, full suit, girls school uniform and PJs complete with slippers. Other entertianment included the track stand and tyre change competition, as well as random prizes for stacks and other interesting anecdotes from out on the trails. Although the prize for the best stack went to the poor bugger who left in an ambo with a broken hand, cracked ribs and bleeding kidney. Hopefully he pulls up alright and makes it back next year.
The night wore on riders started to show fatigue with times slowing and the campsite getting quite as some had a quick nap. Others took this time to capitalise and put their lead out of reach of the competition. The SPR teams were still going strong and making an impression.
As the sun broke and I completed my last lap the 2 SPR Duo teams had an uncatchable lead (short of mechanical or other disaster) and my team had confirmed their spot in the top 10 trios.
In the end the Chocolat Canards took out 1st in the duos closely followed by the Frog Stompers, making it 1,2 for the SPR camp. Night Sliders finished with a respectable 10th in the Trios and 28th over all in a field of 160+ starters. Once the podiums had finished & prizes received, it was time to pack up and head home for a well earned shower and sleep.
A mention must go to Matt Upton who was talked into this, his 3rd MTB event without ever riding the course and never having ridden off road at night. Goes to show anyone can give this fun a go.
We’d also like to thank Greg Murison for putting this great event together. Without his time and effort this event would not have come together. Also a big thanks to his helpers and volunteers who were out there making things run smoothly and making sure the riders had a fun and safe night. You’ll see Greg and some of his helpers out on our rides so don’t be a stranger say hi and step up for the next event.
The 12 hour enduro rounds off the year of mountain bike events in Perth. PMBC will run the race, starting at 7pm and finishing 7am and yes you will need lights! The event will be held at Langford Park Jarrahdale, a 45 minute drive from Perth city. Expect a fantastic racing track, great prizes, a relaxed & professional atmosphere and most of all heaps of fun!
Team and Solo competitors will ride an awesome course of single track and fire trail attempting to complete as many laps as possible in the given time limit. The event is supported with food stalls, drinks & coffee and sponsor displays.
Already we have a number of teams from within our ranks and if your still thinking of joining the fun and festivities, get your entry in quick as there is not much time left before cutoff.
The Club tent will be setup and provide a hub for all to hang out and chill when not racing. Feel free to dress up as you won’t be the only one and given that xmas is not far away that may taint the theme for some. For full details if your not already aware head over to the official site – www.wa12hour.com.au
If you will be racing or able to make it down, let everyone else know by posting in the comments. Even if your not racing you can cheer on the riders or volunteer with Lorraine who will be there to ensure the night runs smoothly.
Last Sunday saw the second event in the WA Mountain Bike Enduro series. 6 hours of fun at Langford Park in the Jarrahdale forest.
Jonny "volunteers" to let Ryan go first
SPR’s presence on the MTB scene is growing and for this event we had 2 teams: The SPR Mud Wrestlers comprising Jonny and Ryan, and SPR Young and Younger which was Scott and my son Nick.
Getting a teenage boy out of bed before lunchtime on a Sunday is quite a feat in itself however, the excitement at getting on a brand new Giant XTC had Nick and I organised and on the road by
Langford Park is a favourite spot for MTBers and it was easy to see why. Beautiful forests and well maintained trails. A little after we arrived Scott and his wife Gaby rocked up. We quickly found a good spot for the new 3×3 sunshade near the transition area, unloaded the cars and then drove up to the carpark area. By the time we walked back Gaby and Nick had already gotten the tent up and were setting up chairs. Gaby is a woman after my own heart and was super organised with thermoses, food, cool drinks, first aid kit…. so along with ALL my provisions no-one was going thirsty, hungry or would bleed to death!
Garmin ready to go...
A little after 9 Ryan and Jonny appeared and settled themselves into the SPR base camp. Registrations complete and numbers on bikes (very un-aerodynamic) consternations and murmurings began as to who was going to front up on the start line to begin the day’s epic adventure for the Mud Wrestlers. Jonny, being the gentleman of the two, relinquished the honour to Ryan. Nick the Novice was feeling nervous about the whole affair and was glad to leave the race start to Scott.
The start line was back at the railway lines at the entrance to Langford Park. After a short distance on the road to sort things out, the riders would then join onto the singletrack race circuit. The 8.5km loop was shorter than the original 9.5km due to heavy rain earlier in the week. 10 am… they were off, and 6 hours of fun in the dirt began.
Not much more than 25 min later the first of the riders riders began to appear. Being up the front of the bunch would have been a great advantage in avoiding the argy bargy of the bottleneck when the riders left the nice wide road and began the circuit. In the first flush of riders was Ryan who had set a cracking pace in his first lap. Here, as the riders entered the feedzone/transition area they dismounted and walked through a barricade chicane to ensure a safe changeover of riders. No stopping for Ryan though as he and Jonny had agreed to do begin with 2 laps each. Nick, who had been the picture of pre-race nerves, only had to wait a few more minutes before Scott appeared and he took off on his first lap. Jonny paced around a bit more while he waited for Ryan to appear and Scott headed back to base camp for re-fueling. The wisdom of starting with 2 laps for Ryan and Jonny was in question as Ryan appeared… Steaming in the morning sun like a cup of tea in the antarctic, he reflected in true Fynn-esque vocabulary that indeed, he would NOT be doing 2 laps again!
Nick’s first lap went well and he reappeared some 36 min later intact, uninjured, bike in one piece and a smile on his face… good to get that first lap out of the way! His mother, who had embarrassingly yelled out “take it easy”…. “go for the B line” as he
The day rolled on and apart from a few minor scratches to body team SPR remained intact. The pace stayed strong despite legs growing tired. Hungry team riders queued at the sausage sizzle that had been provided for the day. Solo riders quickly grabbed drinks and food as they sped past transition. Commentary, updates, music and calls for missing team riders poured out over the PA system. The atmosphere was fantastic!
Team changeover
Just after 2 I had to leave all the action to get back in time to start work. So will leave the wrap up of the day to Scott…
I came in from a lap just after Lorraine left and young Nick headed out on his last effort. By now there where many tired and weary bodies around. Attrition was taking its toll with riders out from injury and mechanicals but team SPR was soldiering on, with Ryan and Johnny still putting in good lap times.
With Nick out on lap 8 and just over an hour left I was counting down the time to see how many more we could fit in. At this end of the race timing is critical, can you fit in that extra lap or will you smash yourself for nothing and miss the cutoff by secounds. 1 racer did such and missed the clock by 3 seconds. Unfortunately the day had taken its toll on our young rider and I only had enough time for 1 more before kicking back to watch Ryan and the other riders try to beat the clock. The day finished with some big efforts by riders trying to beat the clock and a few fast laps recorded. SPR finished the day in 1 piece with team SPR Mud wrestlers completing 12 laps to get 6th in their category and SPR Young & Younger taking 50th. Also 2 other riders that make an appearance on SPR weekend rides raced the event with us as well. Chris Brown & Peter Gill fresh from the Alice Enduro entered the day as solo riders and must be commended for their efforts, now to get them into SPR kit.
All in all a good day had by all. Nick enjoyed himself greatly and looks to be an up and coming racer, and it was good to see Ryan make an event as well. The next race in the Enduro series will be the Ferguson Valley 4hr on July 25th. It would be great to get a bigger showing of SPR riders along. We know there are a number of closet MTB riders out there so make yourselves known and join the fun.
Sunday 30th May heralds this year’s Wembley Cycles 6hr. This is the 2nd race in the Enduro series, to be held at Langford park, Jarrahdale, just south of Byford.
After SPRs good turnout at the 4hr, we’re hoping for even more at the 6hr. There are 3 types of entry – Solo, Duo or Trio. Already a few have entered as solo riders for the day. If your not up to doing it solo and would like to form a team, let me know in the comments and we can organise a few teams. Check here for entry options. We will have the SPR team tent setup in the transition zone as well.
Online entry for the event closes next Tuesday 25th May, but you can still enter on the day with an extra fee. Full details are available on the event page. If you would like to ride the course in advance it has already been marked, so knock yourselves out. If you head down this weekend you will find plenty of others doing the same. I rode some of the course the other week and its definately looking good.
Well it’s that time of year again. MTB season is upon us and the 1st race of the season is a PMBC Club race next weekend 17th March at Langford Mountain Bike Park, Jarrahdale.
