24 Hour Team Challenge - NE

Kooralbyn, Queensland, March 5-6, 2005

Results

Coasters conquer 24 Hour Challenge

Sharon Payne

The Dirty Mongrels team of Gold Coast cyclists have taken out the 24 hour Mountain Bike Team Challenge at Kooralbyn. The six man team completed 61 laps of the 8.4km circuit by riding continuously for 24 hours. Spokesperson for the team, Brett Stevens, from Parkwood said, “Our plan was to always be out in front.” In the first lap, 44 year old Stevens got them off to a blistering pace with the fastest lap time of 21.05. Stevens has been in the winning team four out of the last five years. This year's team consisted of training partners, Gary Sutherland, Doug May, Michael Johnston, Darren Wood and Josh Keep.

A 355 km solo effort saw Andrew Wegener from St Lucia take first spot in the solo men's division. Wegener completed 41 laps and finished the race without sleeping. Wegener recently competed in the grueling Crocodile Trophy from Darwin to Cairns. “We’d raced in 51 degree heat up there so the temperatures here at the start were nothing compared,” explained Wegener.

Making her debut in 24 hour racing was solo woman winner, Wendy Jones from Toowong. “I had no sleep but a couple of massages helped,” said a tired Jones at the finish. Jones was up against another first timer, Thorlene Egerton also from Toowong. "Having a fit competior," said Jones, "gave me a bit of incentive to go faster."

Racing started at 12 noon on Saturday and continued through the night with many competitors keeping up the pace using bike lights. A total of 220 competitors came from as far away as Coffs Harbour in the south to Sunshine Coast in the north. Many riders will head to Victoria next week for the final in the National Series Cross Country closely followed by the National Championships in Eildon, Victoria.

Results

Solo Men
 
1 Andrew Wegener                  41 laps
2 Scott Lahrs                     35
3 Aaron Pickett-Heaps             31
4 Martin Comer                    24
5 Michael Walsh                   22
6 Rod Field                       22
7 Trevor Creighton                21
8 Erin Smith                      17
9 Steve Gibbs                     17
10 Mark Skroblin                  16
11 Michael Skroblin               16
12 Adrian Hudson                  12
13 Neil Francis                   11
14 Dillon Price                   10
15 Bob McKenzie                    6
16 Andrew Handyside                4
 
Solo Women
 
1 Wendy Jones                     25 laps
2 Thorlene Egerton                22
 
2 Person Open
 
1 US Postal                       40 laps
2 P & O                           19
3 Team Beagleator                 11
4 Battlers                        10
 
4 Person Open
 
1 Quattro                         53 laps
2 Four Skins                      53
3 MTB Dirt Knuckle Heads          52
4 Bushrangers 4 Play              51
5 Hoffy's Hero's                  49
6 Too Old To Care                 48
7 The Red Hot Pedal Pushers       47
8 4 Boys                          46
9 InsaneMTB.com                   45
10 Kickstand Kids                 44
11 MTB Dirt Masochists            36
12 Redback Racing                 35
13 Team Sea Life                  32
 
4 Person Mixed
 
1 Team Hama                       55 laps
2 2 Die For                       41
3 Black Ice                       38
4 MTB Dirt Bunnies                27
 
Race Elements 6 Person
 
1 Dirty Mongrels                  63 laps
2 Super Rats                      59
3 Cycle Evolution 1               51
4 MTB Dirt Digglers               50
5 Cycle City Hillbillies          48
6 MTB DIRT Ventana                47
7 MTB Dirt E Minds                46
8 Byron Bay Cycles                46
9 Redundants                      44
10 Rawhides                       44
11 TC's Truckin' Co.              43
12 MTB Dirt Bacon                 43
13 Traveltech Pink Plaits         42
14 Bushrangers 6 Excess Energy    41
15 5 Under Rated Heroes           38
16 Star Rats                      37
17 MTB Dirty 1/2 Dozen            36
18 Cycle Evolution 2              35
19 Afternoon Sundowners           29
20 Facts Pack United              29
21 Race Elements                  28