So you got my joke then. Regardless, it'll be too cold down there at the time it needs to be run.
Cairns or Canberra 2015??
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What joke?
It will be fine.
It's a world cup event, weather will be fine.
You can't always have events with nice temperatures and having a variety of condintions will be good as tires act differently in cooler weather compared to warmer weather.
Pebble
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Considering only the two options I'd say Cairns, seems like a better option if not just for the tourism aspect. Personally I thought the rain added a bit more interest to the event, it's not so bad if it's raining when it's not cold!
I spent close to 10yrs in Canberra as a kid and have been to Cairns a few times when I lived in Townsville.
Must say I've never been lucky enough to attend a WC DH race, but at least lucky enough to see the state rounds in Nannup WA.
If not Cairns I reckon Tassie would certainly be a great option for something different. What about SA must be some potential there in the Flinders?
...edit, funniest thing I just stuffed up my vote, clicked on Canberra instead of Cairns oooops
I spent close to 10yrs in Canberra as a kid and have been to Cairns a few times when I lived in Townsville.
Must say I've never been lucky enough to attend a WC DH race, but at least lucky enough to see the state rounds in Nannup WA.
If not Cairns I reckon Tassie would certainly be a great option for something different. What about SA must be some potential there in the Flinders?
...edit, funniest thing I just stuffed up my vote, clicked on Canberra instead of Cairns oooops
MARKL
Eats Squid
I would vote Cairns of the two available but new track at Thredbo would be my preference. The flat pedal at both Stromlo and Cairns both suck!
I actually don't really care where it is these are my only requests:
1 - it's on an f'ing big hill (I never want to hear again 'that was the hill we had to work with, sorry about the flat bit at the end, we had to make it long enough to meet UCI...) just pick a place with a f'ing big enough hill! We have a whole country, mostly flat I know, to choose from. Its not like it is hard to work out.
2 - Pick a place with a chairlift
3 - This isn't a crack at GJ but I would like to see someone other than World Trail do the track just to see something different
I actually don't really care where it is these are my only requests:
1 - it's on an f'ing big hill (I never want to hear again 'that was the hill we had to work with, sorry about the flat bit at the end, we had to make it long enough to meet UCI...) just pick a place with a f'ing big enough hill! We have a whole country, mostly flat I know, to choose from. Its not like it is hard to work out.
2 - Pick a place with a chairlift
3 - This isn't a crack at GJ but I would like to see someone other than World Trail do the track just to see something different
Easier said than done. We don't have many chairlift access places aviable to us here in Australia, there's only Mt.Buller and Thredbo. Yell at me if there's others.
And it's easier said than done just "Picking a big fucking hill and build it", you gotta deal with all the environmental shit, than you gotta put up with bloody greenies, than there's the whole government thing.
Errrgghh.
And you know the whole lack of funding and money
Yippee_Ki_YayMF
Likes Dirt
I hear you mate. I was massively skeptical of the track before hand because of WT and GJ. Then I heard about the flat parts AND uphill parts. Although I voiced my displeasure at the inclusion of uphill parts (this is a bloody downhill race after all), I was informed that it would have no impact on the event. As I couldn't see it for myself, I had to take the word of others that it would be fine.
However after going, and hiking the track for 3 straight days, I must say, whilst the track in Cairns is not bad, there are some big design flaws that just made me slap my head.
The track is hosting a bloody World Cup. The world talks about the track. If you had free reign to build the track wouldn't you make it fool proof? I think it's embarrassing the amount of trust people put in World Trail.
Overall, I think Cairns is 80% really good and 20% appalling. But still, I'd rather a coat hanger in the Japs eye than have another World event at Stomlo. So Cairns it is.
Buggergrips
Likes Dirt
Bright would be awesome.
Satellite1
Likes Bikes
The track definitely has some issues, but from what I've heard the idea that they have free reign to build there is not exactly right. It's a conservation area of international significance, you can't even ride there without permits etc let alone start slashing new tracks all over the place. Add to that the limitations that UCI imposes on the start finish area, and the nostalgia of running the same track as '96, and it's not a trivial thing to fix.
But fingers crossed that they do make some progress before the next event in cairns, because the atmosphere and crowd was awesome, and there is room to tweak the track if they can get through the red/green tape.
Can't complain about holidaying on a tropical beach after Cairns events either :first:
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Grundos
Likes Dirt
Disclamer: I haven't seen the Cairns WC course or ridden any "proper" WC courses (Stromlo doesn't count, Whistler hasn't held WC's), so take the following with a grain of salt.
I swear that the people moaning about Cairns are just looking for things to complain about. As far as I could tell by all the pics, vids, helmet cams and rider interviews, that track was rad. It had a bit of everything: Steep switchies, technical, rocks, roots, high speed, big jumps, and a bit of pedalling never hurt anyone either. Also important IMO, is that it drags the WC away from the same old Europe/North America series, and it's good to see it on something that isn't an alpine ski slope once in a while, even if those locations do tend to offer the best terrain. Also, the pedalling didn't look that bad either; sure the finish was a solid slog, but the uphills appeared to be rollable, at least in the dry.
As for other venues, most of those that people have mentioned don't offer anything that Cairns doesn't. Coffs, while an awesome fun track, has virtually nothing challenging and the venue struggles to hold state rounds. Thredbo has loads of potential, but would require an entire new course. Awaba and Illinbah are both cool tracks, but they don't do anything that Cairns doesn't do better and both are a fair way from any real towns. Glenorchy is good too, but would take some work to make it WC worthy.
I swear that the people moaning about Cairns are just looking for things to complain about. As far as I could tell by all the pics, vids, helmet cams and rider interviews, that track was rad. It had a bit of everything: Steep switchies, technical, rocks, roots, high speed, big jumps, and a bit of pedalling never hurt anyone either. Also important IMO, is that it drags the WC away from the same old Europe/North America series, and it's good to see it on something that isn't an alpine ski slope once in a while, even if those locations do tend to offer the best terrain. Also, the pedalling didn't look that bad either; sure the finish was a solid slog, but the uphills appeared to be rollable, at least in the dry.
As for other venues, most of those that people have mentioned don't offer anything that Cairns doesn't. Coffs, while an awesome fun track, has virtually nothing challenging and the venue struggles to hold state rounds. Thredbo has loads of potential, but would require an entire new course. Awaba and Illinbah are both cool tracks, but they don't do anything that Cairns doesn't do better and both are a fair way from any real towns. Glenorchy is good too, but would take some work to make it WC worthy.
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rednightmare
Likes Dirt
Curious to hear what you think the design flaws were in the track. I get the pedally section to the finish after the last step-up (Ronning's ramp) - which could've been improved by throwing a few more jumps in afterwards. The mid pedally section was definitely ordinary (made worse by the rain) but the uphill part didn't seem to be too much of a problem, considering how much speed the riders had coming into it. No real way around it, being on a ridge and all. And then I guess there was the whoops, which had to be tamed a bit.
The rain made the technical sections more difficult but also exacerbated the 'problem areas'. Scheduling the race later in the year would probably be the go. Be great to see the WC riders hit the track in the dry.
MARKL
Eats Squid
Well it's not going in a paddock or a mining site so there will be 'environmental shit...' to deal with. Makes more sense to deal with it on a hill that is big enough rather than one that that will be compromised?
Yeah, we probably are limited to alpine areas but these events should be a show case for Australian down hill. Ignoring what's there at the moment the best hill in Australia to build a track is Thredbo, plain and simple. It's steep, long and could be so much more. But there are other places that could also be awesome as well. My point is I want a DH track without excuses about the terrain
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<Steven>
Likes Dirt
Sure Cairns has an uphill section and a lot of pedalling at the bottom, but it has an international airport 25 mins drive away which I'm sure UCI takes into account.
I walked up and down that track carrying my 4 yr old daughter... it's very technical and definitely worthy of a World Cup event. Anyone who criticises it should go ride it... and if it's still crappy to you... get sponsored and go win it next year... put up or shut up... We're extremely lucky to have a World Cup event in Australia period... Last thing we need is a bunch of whiners ruining our chances to get it back again.
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All I can think about is mountain biking... Even when I'm not thinking about mountain biking, I'm thinking about mountain biking.
I walked up and down that track carrying my 4 yr old daughter... it's very technical and definitely worthy of a World Cup event. Anyone who criticises it should go ride it... and if it's still crappy to you... get sponsored and go win it next year... put up or shut up... We're extremely lucky to have a World Cup event in Australia period... Last thing we need is a bunch of whiners ruining our chances to get it back again.
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All I can think about is mountain biking... Even when I'm not thinking about mountain biking, I'm thinking about mountain biking.
heavyp
You heard it here first
Theres your problem you were able to walk up it carrying someone, clearly not steep enough!
The UCI should have a slogan "If you can't walk up it, they'll ride down it"
As someone who's ridden illinbah, and went to cairns for the World Cup. Illinbah is a cow paddock compared to cairns.. Oh wait illinbah is a cow paddock!... You'd need a coupla hundred grand of earthworks to even be in the same league.. And it's a fair hike from accom and facilities etc for big crowds. A solid downpour during race weekend and no one would be able to enter or leave the track for the flooded creek. Illinbah is fun and all but it ain't a worldcup track..
jbg
Likes Dirt
No go for 2015 
They were talking about it during the Cairns world cup but I always had suspicions it may not happen, thought the calendar for 2015 would have been set by then and all sites locked in?
Real shame it didn't get off the ground, great for the local economy and a real tester of a course for the riders.
2016 and 17 will be great though and hopefully the world cup will visit again after that
They were talking about it during the Cairns world cup but I always had suspicions it may not happen, thought the calendar for 2015 would have been set by then and all sites locked in?
Real shame it didn't get off the ground, great for the local economy and a real tester of a course for the riders.
2016 and 17 will be great though and hopefully the world cup will visit again after that
People can defend cairns as much as they like. its a good track is has some good sections. But over all its not a wc quality track.
I recall riders saying they were enjoying it though so it still shits all over canberra.
For those who keep saying 'if you weren't there you don't know", drop it because we are not overseas at fort William either but like all things camera and headcame footage is all the same from track to track and therefore you can compare tracks via footage. I think the track is awesome its a good downhill track, the rock garden was awesome and the rooty sections were sick, but its all the in between single track easy stuff and pedaling that is the problem.
I recall riders saying they were enjoying it though so it still shits all over canberra.
For those who keep saying 'if you weren't there you don't know", drop it because we are not overseas at fort William either but like all things camera and headcame footage is all the same from track to track and therefore you can compare tracks via footage. I think the track is awesome its a good downhill track, the rock garden was awesome and the rooty sections were sick, but its all the in between single track easy stuff and pedaling that is the problem.