Australian National MTB Championships - CN

Canberra, Australia, January 23-26, 2009

2008 results Schedule Preview Past winners

Schedule

Race 1 - January 23: Club Team Relay
Race 2 - January 24: Cross country: Super Master/Master/Veteran/Sport/U17/U15 Women
Race 3 - January 24: Cross country: Super Master/Master/Grand Master/U17/U15 Men
Race 4 - January 24: Cross country: Sport(A&B) men
Race 5 - January 24: 4X
Race 6 - January 25: Cross country: Veteran/Expert/U19 men
Race 7 - January 25: Cross country: Elite/U23/U19 women
Race 8 - January 25: Cross country: Elite/U23 men
Race 9 - January 25: Observed trials
Race 10 - January 25: Downhill: Group C
Race 11 - January 26: Short track: Elite men
Race 12 - January 26: Short track: Elite / open women
Race 13 - January 26: Short track: Open/Junior men
Race 14 - January 26: Downhill: Group B
Race 15 - January 26: Downhill: Group A

Course changes as Stromlo tunes up for World Champs

The charge off the line during last year's cross country national championship
Photo ©: Evan Jeffery

While the biggest cycling phenomenon this weekend, the Tour Down Under, is happening in South Australia, Canberra will be playing host to an important cycling event. The 2009 Australian Mountain Bike Championships at Stromlo Forest Park over the Australia Day weekend has attracted over 500 competitors from around the world including riders from Australia, New Zealand, France, Czech Republic and Germany. This weekend will give racers a sneak preview of the courses that will be used in year's 2009 UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships on September 1-6.

Racers will contest five disciplines over three days and without doubt, all eyes will be on the four events that will return for the World Championship; four cross, cross country, trials and downhill.

Elite competition will begin on Saturday afternoon with the heats and finals of four cross on a BMX-style course that is expected to see some tight racing and close finishes.

Nathan Rennie won the downhill title in 2008
Photo ©: Evan Jeffery

On Sunday morning, the elite and under 23 women's cross country race will precede the men's. The 8.5km laps will be similar to the recent World Cup circuit, with a fireroad start hooking into singletrack. The famous 300m "Cardiac Climb" is followed by a technical rocky section. The one-metre rock drop known as "Hammerhead" will again become popular for spectators. About mid-course, riders head into the berm track known as the "Weekend at Bermie's". There is a double feedzone followed by a climb known as "Blackberry Climb". The remainder of the course has fast descents and been described as a quick and flowing course. Women will race for approximately one hour and 45 minutes while the men's competition should end up closer to the two-hour mark.

Sunday afternoon, downhill riders will complete one seeding run. The 2.2 mile track starts from a 2.7m high scaffold start ramp. Riders head into the first open section, which has step downs followed by the fire road jump. Competitors then need to choose the faster "A line" or the easier "B line" through the lengthy rock garden into the traverse. The tricky "G 20" section will sort out the riders before they head through the downhill bridge. The "triple treat" has high speed berms followed by a road gap known as "first blood". As expected on a course like this, riders will face a pedally "wallaby run". From the busy "Jwalk" intersection, riders then need to pump home with one final jump before the finish line. Winning times are expected to be between 2'30 and 2'45.

The mountain bike trials competition will be conducted throughout Sunday.

In addition to the mainstay events, racers will contest a club team relay on Friday and a short track cross country on Monday morning.

Past winners

      XC Men            XC Women        DH Men            DH Women          Dual / 4X Men     Dual / 4X Women

2008  Chris Jongewaard  Dellys Starr    Nathan Rennie     Tracey Hannah     Luke Madill       Caroline Buchanan
2007  Chris Jongewaard  Tory Thomas     Jared Graves      Julia Boer        Luke Madill       Caroline Buchanan
2006  Sid Taberlay      Dellys Starr    Nathan Rennie     Tracey Hannah
2005  Chris Jongewaard  Emma Colson     Mick Hannah       Sabrina Jonnier
2004  Sid Taberlay      Lisa Mathison   Sam Hill          Tracey Hannah
2003  Josh Fleming      Lisa Mathison   Sam Hill          Tai-Lee Muxlow
2002  Sid Taberlay      Mary Grigson    Chris Kovarik     Tai-Lee Muxlow    Chris Kovarik
2001  Paul Rowney       Mary Grigson    Chris Kovarik     Tai-Lee Muxlow    Jared Rando       Donna Hadfield
2000  Paul Rowney       Mary Grigson    Chris Kovarik     Donna Hadfield    Grant Day         Katrina Miller
1999  Paul Rowney       Mary Grigson    Joel Panozzo      Tai-Lee Muxlow 
1998  Rob Woods         Mary Grigson    Michael Ronning   Katrina Miller    Nathan Rennie     Suzanne Cengia
1997  Cadel Evans       Hanneke Geysen  Michael Ronning   Rachael Grundy    Miles Davis       Katrina Miller
1996  Cadel Evans       Alex Alty       Scott Sharples    Katrina Miller    Craig Fisher      Caroline Haas
1995  John Gregory      Janine Fayaets  Michael Ronning   Caroline Haas     Craig Fisher      Caroline Haas
1994  Rob Eva           Meg Carrigan    Scott Sharples    Bronwyn Battersby 
1993  Rob Eva           Janine Fayaets  Rob Eva           Bronwyn Battersby 
1992  Rob Eva           Robyn Harris    John Tomac (USA)  Rachael Bruce
1991  Vincent Flanagan  Robyn Harris    Ewen Gellie       Rachael Bruce     Robert Langlands  Nicole Dutton
1990  Scott Steward     Robyn Harris    Pete Smith        Rachael Bruce
1989  Graham Allbon     Megan Warthold  Ben Monroe        Robyn Harris
1988  Werner Wohlrab    Karen Wells     Ewen Gellie       Robi Van Nooten