MTBO News

Victorian Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships and national selection trials

31 March 2016
craigf
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Categories: MTBO News, News

The Victorian Mountain Bike Orienteering Championships are being conducted on the weekend of April 17-18th in the Beechworth area.   There will be sprint and middle events on the Saturday followed by the long distance championships at Stanley on Sunday morning.

These Championships are also the selection trials for the MTBO World Championships (both junior & elite) to be held in Portugal later in the year.

Nominations for the 2016 Australian MTBO Team must be made before the event commences via this link – https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/W7HFHQN

For more information contact Craig Steffens, Chair of Selectors, 0418871193

Angus Robinson, last year’s JWOC sprint gold medallist and Orienteering Australia’s 2015 “Athlete of the Year” will make his championship debut in the elite class at this event.  Will he immediately dominate in the elite ranks or will some of the older and more experienced guys still take the top podium?    Carolyn Jackson, the new Australian team coach, would be relatively happy to see some local women post faster times than her in the women’s elite races.  Hopefully there will be some more juniors looking to impress selectors and gain Australian selection.

The Middle, which commences at 11am Saturday, is on an enlarged Indigo Winery map utilising farm tracks, vineyard rows, cross country on open farmland, and purpose built single trail.

The Sprint will have starts from 4pm.  Courses set by Thorlene Egerton, include the historic Mayday Hills Campus in Beechworth with its extensive buildings and gardens.  Semi-rural tracks and roads, and open farmland will also feature.
The Long Championships is based near Stanley, just four or so kilometres from Beechworth and starts are from 9am Sunday.  The competition area is a large extension to the old Stanley map, consisting of forest roads and tracks and single tracks, with some steep country for the longer courses.  Leigh Privett is the mastermind behind this map and courses.

Normal entries close shortly via Eventor (April 4th), with late entries accepted until April 11th incurring an additional $10 fee.   There are already some New Zealanders entered, which will make the older age classes even more competitive.

Event Enquiries: Leigh Privett 0416 278 488  
leighprivett@bigpond.com

Australia wins AUS v NZ MTBO Challenge

12 November 2015
craigf
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Categories: High Performance News, MTBO News, News

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Congratulations to all competitors who took part in the 2015 Australian MTBO Championships last weekend.  This was the largest Australian MTBO Champs yet. Adding the “on the day” entries, in some of the 4 events nearly 200 people participated.

Over the 3 Championship events there were many stand-out performances with only four adult riders achieving a trifecta of wins. These were Angus Robinson (M20); Marquita Gelderman (W21) and Carolyn Matthews (W50), who had convincing wins despite quality opposition and Joyce Rowlands (W80) who survived everything the course setters threw at her with her normal aplomb. Juniors to win all 3 titles were: Jessica Law (W16); Alec Power (M12); Jack Wigney (M14); and Evan Fossum (M16).

A special mention must go to NZ’s 14 year old pocket rocket Georgia Skelton who rode very respectable times in the elite sprint and middle events before dropping down to win W20 in the long. It was also good to see British rider Keith Dawson, the founder of the World Masters Series racing here to experience the strength of the masters classes down under.

The male elite was a strong class with a number of former WOC representatives making a return to racing. One of these, Steve Cusworth had 2 close victories and a 2nd whilst present top ranked elite Chris Firman took the other win and two 2nd’s.   Others to take 2 victories were: Arabella Phillips (W14); Lucy Mackie (W20); Dale-Ann Gordon (W70); Brent Simpson (M40); Eoin Rothery (M50); Rob Prentice (M60); Leigh Privett ((M70) & Graeme Cadman (M80).

Australia v New Zealand Challenge – 3 races with the best 2 riders times added together from each nominated team in the 8 classes nominated by NZ.               Australia took a big lead after the 2 events on day 1, with 11 points to 5 but NZ “won” on day 2 to make it a somewhat closer 14 points to 10 victory to Australia overall. Sprint             Australia 5 (M21, M50, M70, W40, W50) –           NZ 3 (M40, M60, W21) Middle             Australia 6 (M21, M60, M70, W21, W40, W50) –   NZ 2 (M40, M50) Long               Australia 3 (M21, M70, W50) –        NZ 5 (W21, W40, M40, M50, M60) Results

Results and winsplits are available on the Australian MTBO Championships website:  www.ausmtbochamps.com

We will shortly also have links available for you to upload your GPS routes to thebeatentrack.org where you can then compare routes with each other.

Photos

If you haven’t checked out the photos yet, they are also available on the website. We were really pleased to have Mike Spain from Mike Spain Photography to take shots for the Sprint and Middle. If you would like any of the photos in hi resolution files we are happy to send them through for $2 per file. Contact Peter Cusworth on <pcusworth53@gmail.com>

Also we are looking for photos from the Long distance event – so send them through if you have some you think would be good to put up on the website.

Make sure you check out this website: 365daysofsport.com

Our Saturday events were day #15 of Beefy”s 365 Days of Sport. He interviewed a few of our people, took video and photos and the online show they put together will be up on this website in a couple of days’ time.

In the 2015 National MTBO Series conducted over the 8 events of the national rounds in QLD, NSW & VIC (with best 5 counting) the winners of the plaques were:

M-14   Jack Wigney (Vic)     M-16   Even Fossum (Vic)

M-20   Angus Robinson (Vic)  M21-   Chris Firman (Qld)

M40-   Craig Steffens (Qld)    M50-   Andrew Power (NSW)

M60-   Rob Prentice (NSW)   M70-   Graham Fowler (NSW)

M80-   Graeme Cadman (Vic)   W-14   Rhiannon Prentice (NSW)

W-16   No rider qualified    W-20  Gabrielle Withers (Qld)

W21-   Carolyn Jackson (Vic)

W40-   Tie Nicole Haigh (NSW) & Joanne Rogers (Qld)

W50-   Kay Haarsma (SA)  W60-   Kath Liley (Vic)

W70-   Dale Ann Gordon (Vic)  W80-   Joyce Rowlands (Vic)
State Team totals in the 2015 National MTBO Series

1st  612 Victoria Nuggets               2nd 590 NSW Stingers

3rd  452 Queensland Storm          4th  136 WA Nomads

5th    93 SA Arrows                         6th    49 ACT Cockatoos

7th    39 Tasmanian Foresters

 

OA State Shield

(based on 5 pt for 1st, 3 points for 2nd and 1 point for 3rd in all age classes from M/W-14 to M/W80 at the three Australian MTBO Champs races.)

1st  231 Victoria

2nd    96 NSW

3rd    41 Qld         4th  16 Tasmania     5th 14 SA       6th  9 ACT

Thanks

We were very fortunate to have fantastic support from the Surf Coast Shire Council. We will soon have the final video from the championships to show you. This was funded by a grant received from the council.

We’d also like to thank Paul and Anne Sorensen, the Eumeralla Scout Camp, Parks Victoria, Great Ocean Road Coast Committee and DELWP for allowing us to map and compete in these areas.

 

Sponsors’ special deals

We would also like to thank our sponsors including Thule and Pro4mance. A reminder that there are considerable deals for competitors that have been offered by each company and it would be great to see those deals taken up.

Pro4mance at www.pro4mance.com.au is offering a 40% discount on your first online order. Just put in “MTBO” as the code when you register and order online to obtain your discount.

Thule is offering 15% discount on all products. Contact Damien Enderby info@bikeandfitness.com.au to arrange an order.

Thanks also to Flemington Cycles for helping us out with the spot prizes and goodies for the race packs.

Kay Haarsma

 

Australian MTBO Champs 2015

12 October 2015
craigf
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Categories: Featured News, High Performance News, MTBO News, News

Now that the Australian Championships Carnival is over, time to focus on the final National Championships for the year – the Australian MTBO Championships, to be held on Victoria’s spectacular Surf Coast on the 6-8 November.

The carnival is also a World Ranking Event for Elites, a round of the World Masters Series, an Australia New Zealand Challenge and the final round of the National MTBO Series.

Sprint, Middle and Long races will be contested with a warm-up event at the You Yangs on Friday afternoon.

The organising team is confident it will be an outstanding and enjoyable championships for all. The spectacularly scenic Surf Coast will provide some wonderful riding opportunities on the three new maps. We are predicting the the Middle race at Anglesea will go down as possibly the best MTBO map in Australia and will truly test your navigation while giving you the opportunity to ride some fantastic trails.

The native coastal forest is a beautiful backdrop when riding these trails, and is such a different experience from the usual Victorian MTBO maps. When added to the spectacular coastal scenery and views, it is sure to be a winner.

The setters have been out testing courses in recent weeks and can report that the trails are in great condition. Tune your bikes for fast and flowing and tune your brains for a navigational challenge.

The events are held just over an hour’s drive from Melbourne airport and about 30 minutes from Jetstar’s Avalon airport.

You can read all about the events, the details and plans in Bulletin 1&2 which can be found on ausmtbochamps.com. This website is the central place for news and information about the championships.

Enter now on Eventor

Check out the new Promo Video

2015 Australian MTBO Championships Reminder

24 September 2015
craigf
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Categories: MTBO News, News

6-8 November, Anglesea, Victoria
Time to get your entries in Australia!!
New Zealand is leading the way with host state Victoria in getting their entries in for the Australian MTBO Champs in early November.
Unless more Aussies get cracking and enter our AUS Champs, it may be a bit of a cake walk for the Kiwis to take out the ANZ Challenge this year.
At present there are just 67 entries in the Long Champs with 20 of them from New Zealand and 26 from Victoria. The other states are sadly lagging well behind.
What about the battle for the Champion State and the National Series?
NSW – JUST 7 entries, Queensland ONLY 5, same number as WA. 2 from Tassie and nothing from SA or ACT!
We have one entry from Russia and one from the UK, so those two are ready to commit.
ENTRIES CLOSE. ON 26TH OCT
A BIG REMINDER: This year’s Aus MTBO Champs is going to be very special with brand new mapped areas to use and explore and all on Victoria’s spectacular Surf Coast. I’ve been out test riding courses over the last few weeks, and these maps include some fantastic and fun riding while giving you a really good navigational challenge. This unique coastal forest is magic to ride through in Spring time. Wildflowers, blossom and lovely smells. Each course includes one or 2 controls with amazing lookout views – you can spend as much time there as you like during your course 🙂
GREAT NEWS – These Championships are now also the first round of the WORLD MASTERS MTBO SERIES, so unless we get a large influx of entries from Europe, you should all get a good start in the series points scoring.
The carnival is also a round of the National Series, a World Ranking Event for Elites in the Middle and Long races, a round of the World Masters Series and again this year will also be an Australia New Zealand Challenge for the age classes.
The events are held just over an hours drive from Melbourne airport and about 30 minutes from Jetstar’s Avalon airport.
There are four events to compete in over the Friday, Saturday and Sunday, plus, if you are able to stay in Victoria until the following weekend, there is a 6 hour MTB Rogaine event near Daylesford to finish off your trip.
You can read all about the events, the details and plans in Bulletin 1&2 which can be found on ausmtbochamps.com. This website is the central place for news and information about the championships.
LINK to PROMO POSTCARD
Click Here to enter now on Eventor

posted by Ken Thompson on behalf of Kay Haarsma

Gold for Angus Robinson at MTBO World Championships

20 August 2015
craigf
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Categories: Featured News, High Performance, High Performance News, Mountain Bike Orienteering, MTBO News

Victoria’s Angus Robinson (BK) made history to become Australia’s first JWOC MTBO gold medallist by winning the sprint at Turnov (Czech Republic) today. He had a 21 second victory margin and earnt himself a World Championship jersey as well as the IOF gold medal. Angus rode really consistently throughout the race and nailed several crucial route choice legs. Some of this action was captured on live Czech television! Chris Firman (Qld) placed 23rd in the elite class of 109 riders, less than 2 minutes behind the winner and was pretty pleased with his ride also. Rest day tomorrow followed by the long and relay on Friday & Saturday.

Angus_SprintAngus-Sprint-podium