Canberra World MTB Champs

I'm in Canberra and am a journalist - news producer at iPRIME. can someone let the organisers know that I'm interested in running a preview and news from the titles.

regardss

Garry Raffaele
mobile 0421 597 004

Hi Garry
Will send you a text. Feel free to contact me any time and i will put you in contact with the media team

AB

Thanks

just got the text.

Will do tomorrow.

Garry

So I was out at Stromlo yesterday - It is looking amazing. So much work going on.

The bottom of the DH has been transformed. Fast, very fast with a series of HUGE jumps. Estimates of 70+kph on that section. This is the area bellow the road gap known as J-Walk. It will improve the track no end and should prove to be a great spot to watch.

The XCO has a new technical DH - the fang will come off tiger snake (near the feed zone). Will make for some very fast, exciting racing. The course length is now around 7900m but times should stay at around 23 minutes per lap. If you know the course you will know that these boys and girls are riding VERY fast. Wish I knew how to do it myself.

Added to that but the 4 X is being completely remodeled. Straight 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 all getting a touch up. With moguls, rock gardens and roll overs the racing will be great.

I am starting to get excited 😄

We hoping to bring a few competitors from Fiji. But money is really tight and to make matters worse our $ was devalued by 20% a few months ago. Fingers crossed 🙂

Hi Don

Drop me an e-mail at anthony(at)theeearlybird.com.au and let me know if there is anything we can do to help

Cheers

Anthony

The 4X is complete and ready for the World Champs in September. So its all good to go.

The changes have been as follows (Borrowed from Jeff).

The first straight had the slight kink to the right removed and the last two jumps changed with a rock “suck pit” installed in the last jump - Bells Beach.

The first corner has been blown out to be a big burm with the entry and exits extended and a middle smaller burm added - the Monster Berm.

The second straight is all new with a step down to a Mogul field and a big mogul field.
Second corner was moved further back. It is a big fast burm with a massive Mogul on the inside - the Bungle Bungles.

Third straight is longer as the corner before and at the end of it have been moved. The big jump in the straight (Red Roo) if bigger leading to a new step up over a log (Drop Bear).

The forth corner is now a flat long radius corner with radial log/rock steps (Matchsticks). Forth straight is as it was.

Fifth Corner (Hoop Snake) has a new inside rock feature (Uluru) with rock steps on the exit. The middle and out side lines are as they were.

Sixth straight has a new log jump installed (Aussie Crawl).
The Bear trap is as it was

The last corner has been changed to an open burm mane the last jump (Ski Jump) in the bear trap has been made longer and the landing improved so most riders should not over jump this now

The rest of the track to the finish is basically as it was (Bidgee Gator).

Jeff has some photos at Rotorburn - Stromlo 4X track Open from Today - ROTORBURN Forums

There are also some great Photos from a Canberra local - Wild Wassa at MTBR - Canberra World Champs - Mtbr.com Forums

I took a walk around the XCO yesterday and the new bits are really starting to bed in, the changes to the XCC (short course) will be being done this week and will really improve the 'fun factor' of the course (that and the 5K prize money - if only it was in euro :rolleyes🙂

Hey Guys a quick update on the changes to the 4X - it's looking really good now (if you like that kind of thing!)

[ame="[MEDIA=youtube]9uWXgdXo7no[/MEDIA]]YouTube - 4X Track Mountain Bike World Championship Stromlo Canberra Australia[/ame]

Fences are up (except the ones that blew down!), courses are almost ready, the car parking is sorted, busses are books, entertainment is set...now for a few more volunteers and the riders and the spectators and we are ready to roll 🙂

The build is going very well - the Bar was the first thing in the village finished! The sun is shining and the trails are all complete. Bunting the course has started and the trials areas have been fully planted out. The 4X spectator areas are done and the ticket sales are going off.

I met the Chilean XCO team today, they didn't speak English and I don't speak Spanish (I do know how to ask for beer!). Ou conversation was short - they had no beer, they did however speak the language of mountain bike, I showed them the XCO course, but was quickly eating their dust!