A huuuuuge update to get through this week…
Join the MMBCC WhatsApp group
Yes, the club has a WhatsApp group. If you want to join and find out what’s going on, download the app, then SMS your name and number to the group Admin, Will Calvert-Jones, on 0400 144 366.
Victorian Mountain Biking Strategy Survey
Do you love riding mountain bikes in Victoria? We need your insights. The Victorian Mountain Biking Strategy Survey is now live!
You can help build a strategy for more amazing MTB experiences in Victoria by filling in this survey. Common Ground and AusCycling (previously MTBA) are working on the Victorian Mountain Bike Strategy. This strategy will be used to create a prioritisation framework for upcoming projects, understand the market, inform planning and development decisions and identify opportunities and gaps in the current MTB offering. If you’re a part of the mountain biking community, keen off-road rider, or parent of a mountain biker, please take the time to fill in this survey so we can build an informed strategy that will shape mountain bike riding in Victoria for years to come.
Survey closes Sunday 7th March
Dirt Crits Gravity Enduro 3
By Dave Empey
Tight racing was the order at the top of table in the third Gravity Enduro held at Rifle Butts Park last Tuesday night. Dan Friday just pipped Ant Bateup by 1 second to take the top spot closely followed by Luke Vivash and a host of younger riders nipping at their heels.
Everyone’s times are slowly coming down; it is obvious that some people are sneaking out for some extra training!
The womens race was closely fought as well, with Ruby Dobson coming out just ahead of Bella Green. Ruby didn’t have it all her own way with Bella taking a stage, but it wasn’t quite enough to take the win.
Great to see so many people racing very competitively .
Big shout out to Steve Curnow who raced the Otway Odyssey last weekend and won his class. Well done Steve!
Here are the results and thanks to Alex Green for the pics.
Mansfield Hotel Tour
With the Baw Baw Classic having to be postponed, the Mansfield Hotel Tour is now round 1 of the Victorian Road Series on 20 and 21 March.
Are you available to help out during the Tour? Contact Jason Parker via email if you have a few hours spare.
New listing on the For Sale pages…
Mavic road shoes - a bargain!
A weekend at Falls Creek
The Falls Creek Regional School MTB Race was held on Friday with some great results from Mansfield kids. Highlights include Ben Ross winning 3/4 Boys, Keeva Morris-Webb winning 3/4 Girls and Ruby Dobson winning 9/10 Girls.
Plus there were heaps of other great results too - here’s a link to the Alpine timing results.
Thanks to all the wonderful parents for making it happen.
The weekend also saw the final two rounds of the Victorian Cross Country Series with Ruby Dobson taking out the Vic Championships Race and the overall series title.
Congratulations to all the Mansfield kids who competed.
Now more than ever, Victorian kids deserve the chance to get outside, join a club and be active.
Applications will open on 1 March 2021 for the opening round of the $21 million Get Active Kids Voucher Program, we’re hoping to make that happen for thousands of eligible kids around the state.
That’s why we need your help to promote the program to ensure it reaches those in need to let them know about the Get Active Kids Voucher Program and encourage eligible families to apply.
The program will support the delivery of up to 100,000 vouchers to support eligible kids get involved in organised sport and recreation activities by providing up to $200 towards the cost of membership and registration fees, sports equipment or uniforms (new or second-hand).
How does it work?
The parent, legal guardian, temporary foster or kinship carer of a child can register their children for a voucher towards eligible activities or programs (e.g. for registration, uniforms and new or used equipment costs). For more information about eligible activities or programs visit the Get Active Victoria website – www.getactive.vic.gov.au
Eligible applicants are required to pay up front for their chosen activity or program and then complete an application form (with copies of their invoice/s and receipt/s).
The applicant is reimbursed up to $200 towards eligible costs (subject to eligibility).
There are 100,000 vouchers available over the duration of the program.
Who is eligible to apply?
The parent, legal guardian, temporary foster or kinship carer of a child who is the holder of a valid Australian Government Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card with named dependents can apply.
To be eligible kids need to be 4 to 18 years old and a resident in Victoria.
If an individual or family is experiencing financial hardship as a result of an unforeseen situation, they may be eligible, without an Australian Government Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card. This will be assessed on a case by case basis.
Application timelines
The Program will be delivered across four Rounds from 1 March 2021 until 17 April 2022.
The opening round of the program will cover eligible expenses incurred between 1 January 2021 and 11 April 2021. Applications for vouchers in this round open 1 March 2021 and close 11 April 2021.
The online application portal will open at 10.00am on Monday 1 March 2021.
To find out more view:
The Program website.
The Program guidelines.
If you have any additional questions that cannot be answered via the above information, email us.
Hopwood on the Coombesberg
By Ewyn Carter
The road racing season continued for the Mansfield Mt Buller Cycling Club this past Thursday with 15 entries received for the handicap format. Each group contained two riders for a split into seven groups for the evening with the last starting 14'30" minutes behind the first.
Club President Mauro Brega was a welcome return racer from his social soiree with the Jamieson locals whilst on marshal duties the week prior. Unfortunately, he had put on a bit too much upper body strength with his week off the bike and inflated his tyres to bursting pressure on the start line. A late scratching.
Racers began their campaigns from the Botanic Gardens out to Sawpit Gully Road in tricky cross/headwind conditions. Whilst being in a pair is more advantageous than being a lone rider, there wouldn't be much time for recovery between turns. A night possibly for the early markers to link up to stay away in greater numbers?
Di Condie, David Jagger, Steve Curnow and John Musich rode well in the tricky conditions to make the turn at Sawpit Gully Road with a solid five minute advantage to the pairs behind. Meanwhile, Josh Hopwood was teaching Ewyn Carter the meaning of true fitness with the start of one of his trademark individual efforts, chasing alone and dropping Carter on the windswept green summer pastures north of Mansfield. He would pick up the 1'30" minute deficit to Chris Miller and Bruce Halket before the turn and begin his chase with a sniff at the win in trying wind conditions.
The turn left at Barwite Road moved the stiff westerly wind onto the riders' backs and kept the now leading three of Jagger, Condie and Musich away with the speed differential to the chasing Hopwood and strong Miller being minimised. An interesting equation had occurred; the first two groups had combined and the last to two groups had combined, with the rest stuck in the middle of a time gap sandwich.
With one final right turn onto the Old Tolmie Road; Jagger, Condie and Musich had the crosswind reinstated and the ramping Coombesberg climb to conquer for their chances at victory. Unfortunately for them, Miller had been working well with Hopwood and they closed the gap to catch the leaders just out of the turn. A reduced bunch sprint would be on the cards if those just caught could hold the wheel on the gradients ahead.
Hopwood and Miller continued their pace setting and ultimately dropped their new found group members to contest the win in a match sprint. An interesting match up. Both men share much of the Rouleur pedigree. A consistent all rounder who can ride well over most types of courses with a strong reliable diesel engine, not what you want in a sprint. Nonetheless they boxed on to the end with Hopwood pipping Miller to the win and fastest time. The third close finish for Miller in as many weeks in a sprint. He could be heard proclaiming his desire to improve his finishing speed in the closing weeks of the season to not miss his chance again with the training and diet regime of an Olympic powerlifter. Good luck Chris.
Behind Musich broke away from Condie, Curnow and Jagger to take a well-deserved third place finish. The field continued to finish with a not too distant spread of times on a tricky evening for racing conditions in the cross winds of Mansfield, Holland. Carter went from first to last in a week and received encouragement from tail car driver Alex Green on his solo 27 kilometres in the form of the Rocky Balboa theme and Green showing his age with ABBA's greatest hits.
Thank you to Chief Commissaire Allan Gerrans and Chief Marshal Leonie McGlaughlin and her daughter for their quick thinking and adaptability with limited numbers of volunteers on the night, forcing a reshuffle of plans for a successful evening of racing. Thanks also to Club President Mauro Brega for not heading home after his tyre failure at the start and marshalling the racers at the finish line into a group ride for a safe return to the Mansfield Hotel after the race.
Here are the results and many thanks to Tony Copland for the pics.
