Brad Kelly from Watanobbi is the first winner of the FLOW Rollercoaster All-Mountain State Series, which premiered at Ourimbah MTB Park near Wyong on the weekend. More than 130 passionate mountain bikers had come to race the new series, which was hosted by local event organiser Rocky Trail Entertainment and the Central Coast Ourimbah MTB Club.
Brad Kelly on course at the FLOW Rollercoaster race on his home track at Ourimbah.
As one of the main track builders at Ourimbah, the 35-year old Brad Kelly was one of the main contestants on the technically challenging track. It took less than 8 minutes for the seasoned downhill mountain bike racer to claim the first win in the three-race series. And it was a high-profile field of racers that he was up against, including legendary Australian and internationally acclaimed downhill champion, Michael Ronning, who had flown in from Queensland as well as cross-country ace Jon Odams and his racing team from Sydney.
Michael Ronning pinning the last corner of the FLOW Rollercoaster race track.
Odams took out the second placing with Ronning coming in third in the Elite Men’s field. Organiser Martin Wisata from Rocky trail said that the up and coming local talent Bradley Jolliffe from Erina would be the one to watch in the upcoming races – with an outstanding second run he came in fourth ahead of Luke Dale from the Southcoast.
“To attract such a high-profile field of racers to our first round is fantastic and I think now we have put the new all-mountain racing concept on the map for Australian mountain bikers”, added Wisata. With its combination of technical downhill and challenging cross-country trail sections all-mountain or enduro racing as it is called in Europe and Northern America will attract a wide range of mountain bikers. “We offered shuttling busses to the top of the Ourimbah track this weekend and there will also be neutral rides to starts at some venues as well as chair lift access at Thredbo”, explained Wisata the series concept, which was derived from the overseas types of all-mountain racing.
Elite Men's podium (l-r): Martin Wisata with Jon Odams, Brad Kelly, Michael Ronning, Bradley Jolliffe and Luke Dale
Further race locations will include Del Rio at Wisemans Ferry (17 March) and the new Thredbo all-mountain flow trails, where the State Championship event will take place on 6 April. For more information and to sign up, visit www.rockytrailentertainment.com
Photos: Mark Cordingley/Zerofive
Brad Kelly on course at the FLOW Rollercoaster race on his home track at Ourimbah.
As one of the main track builders at Ourimbah, the 35-year old Brad Kelly was one of the main contestants on the technically challenging track. It took less than 8 minutes for the seasoned downhill mountain bike racer to claim the first win in the three-race series. And it was a high-profile field of racers that he was up against, including legendary Australian and internationally acclaimed downhill champion, Michael Ronning, who had flown in from Queensland as well as cross-country ace Jon Odams and his racing team from Sydney.
Michael Ronning pinning the last corner of the FLOW Rollercoaster race track.
Odams took out the second placing with Ronning coming in third in the Elite Men’s field. Organiser Martin Wisata from Rocky trail said that the up and coming local talent Bradley Jolliffe from Erina would be the one to watch in the upcoming races – with an outstanding second run he came in fourth ahead of Luke Dale from the Southcoast.
“To attract such a high-profile field of racers to our first round is fantastic and I think now we have put the new all-mountain racing concept on the map for Australian mountain bikers”, added Wisata. With its combination of technical downhill and challenging cross-country trail sections all-mountain or enduro racing as it is called in Europe and Northern America will attract a wide range of mountain bikers. “We offered shuttling busses to the top of the Ourimbah track this weekend and there will also be neutral rides to starts at some venues as well as chair lift access at Thredbo”, explained Wisata the series concept, which was derived from the overseas types of all-mountain racing.
Elite Men's podium (l-r): Martin Wisata with Jon Odams, Brad Kelly, Michael Ronning, Bradley Jolliffe and Luke Dale
Further race locations will include Del Rio at Wisemans Ferry (17 March) and the new Thredbo all-mountain flow trails, where the State Championship event will take place on 6 April. For more information and to sign up, visit www.rockytrailentertainment.com
Photos: Mark Cordingley/Zerofive