Troy Brosnan’s return to racing over the past few weeks hasn’t been smooth sailing unfortunately but expect him to be up there tomorrow come finals. Seeding today saw Troy well and truly down the order with a flat tyre. Image: Andrew Palmer
It is not all bunnies and Easter eggs this weekend with Oceania’s being held at Glenorchy, Tasmania. Seeding today showed the main contenders were those who have been competing all season in the National Series, bar Sam Hill. Results as follows;A�
Elite Male
1. Chris Kovarik 3:13.24
2. Jack Moir 3:16.30A�+ 3.06
3. Kaine Cannan 3:17.53 + 4.29
4. David McMillan 3:21.03 + 7.79
5. Joey Vejvoda 3:22.29 + 9.05
Elite Female
1. Claire Buchar 3:57.57
Under 19 Male
1. Luke Ellison 3:21.98
2. Brent Smith 3:25.69A�+ 3.71
3. Brent Capel 3:27.80 + 5.82
4. Matthew McCorkell 3:31.13 +A�9.15
5. Thomas Crimmins 3:31.23 +A�9.25
Under 19 Female
1. Danielle Beecroft 4:46.94
A good day for Kovarik Racing with both riders seeding first. Image: Jason Stevens
Check back for the full report for the weekend up on the site after the race.
Round 5 of the Victorian Downhill Series saw everyone head up to Mount Baw Baw, after a break that seemed like an eternity. Conditions were near to perfect, especially considering there was an enormous storm that ripped through the Baw Baw area, threatening to close the tourist road with debris. Many arrived early on the Friday evening to celebrate the 21 birthday of Eamonn Flahavin, who tragically passed away in a car crash last year.
It has been a little while between VicDH races and everyone was keen to get back into it!
When the track opened Saturday there were many more riders than usual for a Saturday practice, many came up early for the party and more wanted to ride in memory of their friend. As riders came through doing runs the early reports were the track may very well be the quickest it had been in a very long time, it had drained off well and was extremely sticky.
Epic! Good conditions just made the event that much betterThe track itself is pretty awesome regardless of the conditions.
The competition was going to be rather tight for this race with a few big names staying south due to Oceaniaa��s next weekend. The biggest name to note was Troy Brosnan, The Team Specialized rider opting to stay in Melbourne over the week and head south after Baw Baw. As Saturday began to roll through people began to realise just who was racing so more and more spectators began to gather, all wanting to watch some of the worlda��s best practice through the rougher top sections.
He pulls a crowd does old Troy Brosnan, we can’t call him old though can we…!It is always good to see a keen, enthusiastic and vocal crowd!
By the end of Saturday we were all surprised at just how well the track was holding up, though there were plenty of braking bumps forming on the high speed track the general track condition was far better than expected with no real ruts forming and the moisture seemed to be holding the track together over helping it fall apart. This was going to make Sundays racing very interesting!
Surprises all round as the track was turning into a beauty of a race track.Joey Vejvoda and Jack Moir throw down a practice run.
Sunday morning came around as the wind kicked up, knocking over the Gippsland MTB timing tent at the bottom of the track and bringing with it some extremely cold temperatures. With the clouds moving at a high speed, some threatening clouds came and went without crashing the party but the potential for rain, though not forecast, seemed high.
As usual the weather was high on the list in everyone’s minds.
Qualifying began with one mentionable name absent, Troy Brosnan had picked a virus and wasn’t feeling up to racing at all. Though there was disappointment Troy was ill and unable to ride there was also a spark amongst riders as it seemed like the win was anyonea��s again. With qualifying over there was a small lunch break and racing began.
It was unfortunate to see Troy out of action on the weekend but these things happen.
As riders began coming through the track it appeared the track had become much quicker, but some ruts had begun to form, catching some riders off guard. The most notable rider to take a tumble through the ‘Jeep Track’ section was Jackson Davis, the Specialized Swell rider who wins our vote as the off of the weekend. As you can see below, the faces tell the whole story.
The facial expressions in the background pretty much sum it up!And in full size…Jackson wasn’t the only one who got a bit wild!The degree of rider/bike wildness varied though!Those that got it right though were really motoring!
The Elite men starting coming down track and someone shifted the whole race up a gear with the speed going through the roof, the looseness was off the charts! With many riders appearing to just be passengers on the bike through the rough stuff. The times began to tumble and before we knew it only the top 10 were left in the start gate. Rhys Atkinson appears through the crowd and cruises through the rocks with almost effortless speed but loses traction around the following corner and has a minor off continuing Rhys’s run of bad luck racing this year. The next rider down is Liam Panozzo, who also gets extremely loose but holds on and bring it back to set a quick time which sets him up in provisional first. With Dean Lucas and Jack Moir to come, could anyone top Liama��s time? As Dean crosses the finish he clocks a time slower than Liam, this leaves it up to Jack Moir, looking quick all weekend did he have what it takes to top Liama��s time? Jack flew past us on track and as we heard the time over the speaker, Jack had topped Liama��s time and claimed the win at Mount Baw Baw continuing his extremely promising results previous to his time overseas.
Tegan Molloy mirrored her number plate by finishing 2nd on the day.Winner! Jack Moir’s domestic campaign is tracking well in preparation for his overseas competition later this year.The crowd gathered in the usual spot and got behind the riders no matter what they were doing, here Jack Moir gets some encouragement.
JustA�prior to the Elite Men’s presentation there was a special presentation of the ‘E-Man Memorial Trophy’, which also included a ‘scholarship’. Awarded each year to a deserving rider this is designed to help them out with expenses such as travel, accommodation, and racing costs. This year the trophy was awarded to a very deserving rider and also a friend of Eamonn; Dru Berryman. Dru was overcome and unable to speak, but we feel that this award couldn’t go to a more deserving rider, so congratulations Dru.
There was some very emotional moments during presentations but for a valid reason.
Sunday saw racing finish with the following results:
Elite Men:
1st Jack Moir
2nd Liam Panozzo
3rd Dean Lucas
4th Joey Vejvoda
5th Alex Swann
Elite Women
1st Sarah Booth
2nd Tegan Malloy
3rd Alyssa Lyons
4th Ellie Wale
5th Liching Li
Under 19 Men
1st Olly Zwar
2nd Aiden Varley
3rd Luke Norris
4th Austen Hawkins
5th William Stajnko
Another good race and VicDH just shows why it is the premier downhill series in Australia, oh and did anyone say champagne showers?
We are off to the Apple Isle next for Oceania’s amongst other articles you will see on the site!
Epic! Dust, light and track all combined for some banger shots!
Welcome to the final round of the Australian National Downhill Series! Nestled in the alpine country of Victoria there were hints this track would supply the goods. As competitors began showing up and walking the initial part of the track, from the bottom upwards, excitement grew and even grown men began to giggle with jitters of excitement as the track unfolded before their eyes.
There was no hiding it Hill was who everyone was watching but a strong field meant it was up in the air.
First practice opened and every rider was emerging over the finish line wide eyed and large mouthed. The track was certainly delivering everything that everyone was hoping for. While chatting with Sam Hill he described the track as ‘a mini Val Di Sole’ which we agreed with completely. So, what did that mean? We’re pretty sure it meant you better watch out, because we all know just how well Sam Hill and Val Di Sole go together. As the practice began flowing the track started to wear in, lines began to form, ruts were dug and the dust gathered. Come Friday evening there was so much chatter about the pits of just how fun the track was that no one was actually concentrating on just how to find a fast line yet.
Henry Blake didn’t quite have the weekend he was hoping for with a crash but he wasn’t the only one with plenty of riders over the weekend chasing five cent pieces!Jared Rando, the family man, may have retired from international competition but he still knows how to handle a bike!Another rider who didn’t have an ideal race run was Chris Kovarik but he still tore up the hill.
As the sun rose on Saturday and crowds gathered around the pits the first shuttles went up, the dust was un-settled and the racing began. Riders began picking lines, Sam was finding lines no one else could and everyone else had the joy of watching world class riders perform on a proper downhill track. As qualifying rolled around the clouds began to gather and the rain began to fall, would this affect qualifying? Would the dust become mud and turn this place into Sam Hills playground? The rain grew heavier, but the thick pine forest held back the moisture and after only a hand full of riders the dust kicked up yet again and the track seemed almost untouched by the heavy showers. Sam Hill appeared first as he held the no.1 plate, as he went past you could see that another gear had been engaged, could anyone catch Sam? Jack and Connor went past and the dust began to hang in the air, making it difficult to see much at all, would having an early qualifying run become an advantage due to visibility? Only time would tell. Troy having the number 32 came through much later in the field but looked just as quick with the visibility not seeming too much of an issue at all. As the final qualifier crossed the line it was pretty apparent that Sam Hill was in fact the man to catch on this track, Sam walked away Saturday with a commanding 9 second advantage over his closest rival; Jack Moir.
Another super strong race weekend for Jack Moir who keeps improving, we are excited to see what he can do as he heads overseas later this year.Was Jase standing with one foot lower than the other or was the track really that steep?! David McMillan had it covered ether way!
Race day arrived with a brisk and damp morning, but again after only a couple of riders the track was back at its dusty best. The track opened for practice and many did only one run to check the track for any new ruts that had been formed through the days earlier racing. As racing began riders began to tumble, bikes began to suffer and the course showed its teeth. Many riders were suffering mechanicals and coming off. It seemed if you could keep both wheels on the ground and stay upright there was a good chance you could walk away with the win. As the top ten began to traverse down the hill times began to tumble, as Troy passed the finish line he took the provisional hot seat with only Jack Moir and Sam Hill to come. Jack appeared around the corner and pedalled hard but couldn’t quite make up the time, this left only Sam Hill to come, the former team mates were in for a battle, would Sam keep it on the vertical and come down with a winning time? Sam appears around the corner pedalling hard, eyes flash from the clock to the track as we watch Sam manual over the line for the win by 1.10s.
Dean Lucas took the win in Under 19’s and was pretty excited to boot!Crouched and low, Kovarik looking good!It was good to see Troy Brosnan back and racing at Bright, in the end he was duelling with his former team mate for the victory, impressive for a comeback race!Finishing off the season as he started it, Sam Hill took the win.Both Sam and Claire took the race and the overall series, Claire with a big piece of foam attached to her hand to help reduce the vibrations to her injured hand.
This left Sam with a National Series white wash, claiming the fastest times at each round, not only for the finals, but also for qualifying and giving him a solid overall, a warning sign to competitors in the upcoming World Cup? There can only be one winner on the day, but as everyone walks away from the track there really are only smiles, this track had delivered some excellent racing and was a favorite track for many this National Series.
Ben Hill had an awesome Tassie series, plus he is a style merchant! We will be doing a full Inside Info with him soon, watch out now! Image: Andrew Palmer
This weekend Glenorchy mountain bike park hosted the 6th and final round of the Tasmanian 2012/2013 gravity series. All the riders were keen to do as well as possible to gain maximum points in an effort to improve their overall result for the series. When Sunday morning rolled around a heavy fog and rain blanketed most of the city leaving riders nervous the race would turn into a mud bath. Surprisingly though, the rain didna��t make its way to Glenorchy and the track stayed relatively dry for the entire day.
Glenorchy is one of the best downhill race tracks in Australia and with Oceanias just around the corner this was a lead up event for many of the locals! Image: Andrew PalmerThere are still plenty of interesting lines being used, as Kaine Cannan shows us… Image: Andrew Palmer
Riders punched out heaps of practice runs in the morning in an effort to familiarise themselves with the course and their lines once again. Seeding runs went well for all with everyone making their way down the course safely. Riders also treated the event as a practice for the Oceania Championships, which are being held at Glenorchy from the 29th of March. As usual downhill247.com will be covering the event so be sure to check back then.
The final round wrapped up with Dan Booker taking the win in Under 17a��s, with Connor Greatbatch and Ewan Favretto following behind. Ben Hill and Brent Capel tied for first place in Under 19a��s! Simon Palmer finished in second with Ben Chopping in third. Kaine Cannan took his 6th consecutive win for the series showing his dominance over the Elite field. Remy Adderton took second place on his brand new bike, riding it for the second time that day. Aaron Oates took third place in elite. The Women’s category was again won by Christina Sergeant with Jill Brady in second place.
Dan Booker took the win in Under 17’s and gives us the thumbs up for another successful season! Image: Andrew PalmerEwan Favretto took out third place in Under 17’s. Image: Andrew PalmerBrent Capel and Ben Hill tied for the win on the day! Ties happen every now and then for downhill but we can’t think of too many that have happened for first place! Image: Andrew PalmerSimon Palmer sends the tabletop near the bottom the course and takes out second place in Under 19’s in the process. Image: Andrew PalmerAaron Oates took the more conventional line near the bottom of the course and third place in Elite in the process. Image: Andrew Palmer
The overall series podiums were also held. Under 17a��s was won by Dan Booker with Tyler Wickham and Ewan Favretto following him. Under 19a��s was taken out by Ben Hill with Brent Capel and Simon Palmer trailing him. Elite Mena��s was again won by Kaine Cannan, Aaron Oates in second and Andrew Weatherhead in third.
You have to hand it to Kaine Cannan, 6 from 6 is a super effort! Image: Andrew Palmer
The organisers would like to thank the sponsors; Ride Bellerive, Hill St Gourmet Meats, St Johns, Moo Brew and Track X as well as all the event organizers for another fantastic Tasmanian downhill series. We head back to the Apple Isle soon for Oceanias, stay tuned!
Wolfpack Racing, they have more than just a cool name! Image: Jayden Ostwald
No doubt if you have been following downhill racing here in Oz then you would have come across WolfPack Racing, the team of six have been prolific at races and online with some of their antics. We had a chat with the guys to ask; ‘For your nameA�is it because you just reallyA�like the movie?’ and more, read on…
So leta��s start with the name; WolfPack Racing, why that name did you just like the movie or is there more to it than that:
When I was over in Canada a few years back the boys and I went on a road trip to check out the BC bike parks. On the way to kicking horse we found a farm where you could go and hang with some real wolves. It was an epic experience to get so close to a a�?slightly domesticateda�? wild animal that had the ability to kill me if it really wanted to. In some respect I felt the same rush as I do when I race my DH bike so it kind of all fell into place after that. These days the WolfPack is all about good mates, racing and fun times so ita��s great to have a collective name that brings as all together.
You will find the guys out having fun across the Country but Victoria is their home state. Image: Jayden Ostwald
Who makes up the WolfPack and where are you based:
The team has been around for 3 seasons now and we have 6 riders. Our teams focus to show how much fun our sport is to a wider audience. We have a great dynamic where everyone in the team has been friends for quite a long time, well before the team began.
Our riders and their local tracks
Ben Rohloff (Rollie) – Red Hill
Nathan Murphy (Nato) – Beach Road, St Kilda
Ben Hardman – Mt Dandenong
Jack Oa��Hare – Maldon
David Leach a�� Red Hill
Fabian Bill (Pup) – Red Hill
We are all based in Victoria as it keeps everyone close. We all ride together on weekend and always up for a beer or two when the right occasion presents its self. Being a team on close friends really shows in the online edits and I hope it can inspire other riders to take a similar approach.
If you have watched some of the teams online edits the sense of camaraderie really shows through. Image: Jayden Ostwald.
At races you guys always seem to be having a lot of fun on and off the track, what were/are the goals of the team racing wise though:
Downhill is a very competitive sport these days. In some respects it makes the sport more enjoyable as the racing is faster and there is a lot more sponsorship and prize money on offer. The WolfPack has never been results based, we focus on always doing our best and enjoying our time together at the races, the results flow on from this. I dona��t need to say anything to the riders as I know that as soon as they leave the start gate they are giving 100% until the finish line. We also have an Alpha Wolf title which goes to the fastest rider of the weekend so each rider is pretty hungry to have the bragging rights over the other boys.
To the victor go the spoils, Alpha Wolf is what everyone’s chasing (plus race wins of course!). Image: Jayden Ostwald
We have spotted you guys at some Enduro downhill as well as the regular format, what races will the team be doing this year:
The teams main focus is the VDHS coupled with attending as many national rounds as we can. We will have team members at all the Alpine Gravity DH and All Mountain races over the coming year as they are great to keep the fitness and skills up through the a�?off seasona�?. However, the Enduro format is taking off in Victoria at the moment. Ita��s a great weekend out as it feels a lot more relaxed than the usual downhill event. Most of the riders have AM bikes as ita��s hard to ride the big bike every weekend. I love the fact that in Victoria we can race some form of DH/AM event almost every weekend over summer and ita��s great for the promotion of the team having so many events close by.
As well as traditional downhill races you can find the Wolfpack guys at Enduro races around the way. Image: Jayden Ostwald
What would you say the highlights for the team have been thus far:
Racing is the pinnacle of our sport. Being able to get together in a remote location with 300 other riders, having fun and pushing yourself to your own limits is something most sports cana��t give you. I know the guys are stoked to get positive feedback from the sponsors and even random fans on the Facebook page. I guess personally for me every time I race and hear people howl at me it always makes me smile. Ita��s great to have so many other riders support the concept of the team. Mates, Fun and going fast, thata��s what it all comes down to.
What would be the most priceless moments you have had so far as a team, racing or not:
The team always has a pre-season party which is usually fairy wild however the media edits are the best part about being involved with the WolfPack. Going back and watching some of the old edits always brings a smile to my face. These are the memories that will last forever. I cana��t wait to be 70 years old and to dust off the old DVD collection and watch them all again.
Mates, fun and going fast! Sounds pretty good to us! Image: Jayden Ostwald
Thanks to the guys for chatting to us, the team would also like to thankA�their sponsors; Magneto Industries, Schwable, Sealya��s Cycles, Contour, GU Energy, Chromag and Fox head. If you see the guys out at the races wave and yell you may get on one of their infamous race edits!
The final round of the Victorian Enduro Series was held in the town of Beechworth, a few hours from Melbourne. Image: Jacinta Renee
The final round of the Victorian Enduro Series was held in Beechworth over the weekend. Beechworth itself is a nice little town to spend the race weekend in, with its bakeries, breweries and if you like honey then you’re definitely in for a treat! We were here for the race though and the track was different to the last round atA�Mount Beauty, it was a fast track with more pedalling and combined with the hardpack nature of the ground it meant speeds were high. The track wasn’t overly technical but had some rock gardens with large boulders in them that kept riders on their toes.
The turnout for the race was solid but no where near as big as what we saw at Mount Beauty, as per usual the shuttles were spot on and turn around times’ good. Like Mount Buller, the race village was near the top of the track which meant plenty of encouragement for riders as they left the gate! As per the trend this season Daniel MacMunn took the Elite victory to cap off an super impressive season which he comprehensively dominated. Under 19 was taken out by Simon Harrington, full results can be found on the Alpine Gravity site.
Our man on the ground Lucas took out the win on the day in Expert and the overall Expert series for the season to boot, nice one! Image: Jacinta Renee
Interesting to note some details for the next series have already been released, at this stage it looks like there will be two race runs for each rider with only the best time counting. We will bring you more information but the next Alpine event will be their downhill series.
