An expected 600 competitors have primed themselves for the feature event on the Australian mountain bike calendar, the national championships at Maydena, north-west of Hobart.
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The event will be held in Tasmania for the first time as part of a two-year agreement.
The trail crew at Maydena Bike Park have constructed the downhill and cross-country course specifically for the five-day event which features world cup and world championship riders.
The downhill course which is around three kilometres long and finishes in the event village, features 400 metres of descending with machine and hand-built features.
Maydena Bike Park managing director Simon French said both trails are classed as race-only.
"With the finishing touches now being completed on the venue and a brand-new set of race trails, we are extremely excited to welcome Australia's mountain bikers to Maydena," he said.
We are super lucky to have national champs on my island this year.
- Izzy Flint
Other disciplines to be held at the venue are pump track and observed trials.
After two days of practice, racing begins on Wednesday with adaptive and e-bike cross-country along with the highly popular cross-country team relay which will feature under-19 women's Tasmanian champion Izzy Flint, of Launceston.
"We are super lucky to have national champs on my island this year and looking forward to heading down south to race against some tough competition," said the former Tasmanian all-schools champion, who has previously won a national gravity enduro title in Adelaide.
Saturday's highlight sees two-time world championship elite women's bronze medallist Rebecca McConnell (ACT) in action as she looks to defend her crown for the seventh straight year.
The event culminates on Sunday with the downhill finals featuring the likes of world cup riders Troy Brosnan, of South Australia, and Victorian Dean Lucas who have rated the trails as world class.
More than 100 national champions will be crowned in categories from under-15 to masters 10 (70+).
More info: www.mtba.org.au
Event Schedule
Wednesday
- Downhill track walk
- Cross-country racing (adaptive, E-bike)
Thursday
- Downhill practice
- Pump track
- Cross-country racing
Friday
- Downhill practice
- Pump track finals
- Cross-country racing
Saturday
- Downhill seeding
- Trials
- Cross-country racing (elite, under-23, junior)
Sunday
- Downhill finals (All categories)
- Cross-country racing
(maydenabikepark.com)