On Sunday Liberal MHA Sarah Courtney promised $20,000 to the All-Schools Mountain Bike Championships and $20,000 for Launceston’s Mountain Bike Club, to support competition costs, track management and signage for the Trevallyn, Kate Reed and Hollybank areas. 

“One of the great things about mountain biking and cycling tourism, is that it helps encourage people out to regional areas,” she said.

“That’s one of our [Liberal] key targets, should we be re-elected.

“To try and get more of or visitors into regional areas, spending more money and having more nights.” 

Last year’s all-schools championships attracted 270 students from 18 schools and event organiser Adrian Cooper said the funding would help keep participation costs to the minimum. 

“This year hopefully we can expand our reach and increase advertising and funding certainly helps us pay for some of the infrastructure involved with an event like this,” he said. 

“Really what we want is to have as many kids as possible participating. 

“We have always run it as a participation event, and so we want to really push that.

“It’s just about coming out and having a go on a mountain bike.”

Launceston Mountain Bike Championships president Louisa Hayes said the sport had grown exponentially in recent years, putting a greater demand on local tracks. 

“Any funding we receive means we can proceed with some track building and maintenance around the greater Launceston area, that otherwise we might not have been able to do to the same level,” she said. 

“All the bike shops say they are selling more bikes than ever before. 

“Twilight races we are getting up to 130 riders on a Wednesday night.

“There is always a heap of people out riding wherever you go. 

“A place like Tasmania with its unique terrain, the setting just lends itself to mountain biking and it is so readily accessible.”