Insomnia 24 Hour Mountain Bike Festival

The Insomnia 24 Hour Mountain Bike Festival is held annually at a stunning location 30mins North of Brisbane, Queensland. The feature is a 24 hour mountain bike race but is supported by a raft of festivities including live music, food stalls, competitions, displays, demos, corporate tents and all weekend camping. At the event centre, Pit Lane is the hub of all event happenings. It is lined with all sorts of vendors and stretches from the transition area next to the lake, right down to the main entertainment stage. The festival is open to the public and competitors alike. Gates open 3pm Friday with the main race starting midday Saturday and finishing midday Sunday.

The racing track is 17.5kms long and organisers have enhanced the already extensive single track to provide one of the most ridable and enjoyable 24 hour courses in the country. It is characterized as easy to moderate difficulty with gentle undulations and wide passing lanes. Speed and curves are what this course is all about! One highlight for riders and spectators alike is the two-third point of each lap which passes right in front of the main music stage.

Global Surf Industries Noosa Festival of Surfing

The highest quality surf memorabilia ever brought to auction in Australia will be seen at the Festival, to be hosted by the world’s leading authority on surf collectibles, Hawaii’s Randy Rarick.

Rarick, convenor of the biggest surf auction in the world, Honolulu’s bi-annual Hawaiian Islands Vintage Surf Auction, is making his first trip back to Noosa in eight years. He will be assisted by some of Australia’s leading experts in surf memorabilia, including surfboard guru Bob McTavish and author and film buff Murray Walding, and by regular festival auctioneer Bob Johnson.

Auction organizer Darryl Homan says that the emphasis is on quality rather than quantity in 2008, with some truly rare and classic offerings, including a Hayden Kenny Greenough spoon kneeboard from the late 1960s, four-times world champion Mark Richards Hawaiian season Lightning Bolt twin fin from 1989, and rare ‘60s world contest decals and tee shirts from the collection of former Australian women’s champion Gail Couper.

Says Darryl: “We’re restricting the number of lots to around 50 this year and presenting many of them in sets of related items, such as a board, shorts and rashie all used by Michael Peterson. Quite a few of us from Australia went to Randy Rarick’s auction in Hawaii this year and we picked up a few tips about presentation. I think our regulars at Noosa are going to see a difference this year, and for first-timers it will be a great evening of entertainment as well as buying opportunities.”

The auction will be preceded by an “antique roadshow” featuring Randy Rarick, Bob McTavish, Walding and other experts offering free evaluation of surfboards and other items.

XPD - "As much an expedition as a race"

XPD is Australia’s own expedition length adventure race. Up to 80 teams of four competitors from Australia and overseas will trek, mountain bike, kayak and complete roping sections in this world renowned expedition. Edition 4 of XPD will span 800km of the Australian High Country and see teams taking in some of Australia's highest mountains; white water paddling on turbulent rivers fed by melting winter snow; navigating through alpine forests of snowgum and tall sub-alpine mountain gums; visiting historic gold rush towns; and dangling from ropes on exposed cliff faces.

XPD is open to mixed, all male or all female teams of four. The exact course is kept secret until 24hrs before the start. Then with much excitement and anticipation, teams are provided a course booklet and their race maps. The course booklet contains the location of each of the race checkpoints. Once teams start, racing is 24 hours per day; teams choose when and where they will sleep. The winning team is expected to complete the course in 4-5 days. All other teams will be permitted up to 10 days to complete the expedition without mid-race cut offs. XPD will be challenging for first time racers and experienced teams alike.

In the spirit of a true expedition, teams will be unsupported with their equipment, pre-packed in plastic trunks, being moved to various points on the course by the race organisers.

Held approximately every 18 months, Edition 4 is scheduled for 17-28 November 2008. It will be “as much an expedition as a race”. HQ will be located in the alpine village of Thredbo, New South Wales.

As a member of the AR World Series, XPD is a qualifying event for the Adventure Race World Championship. The AR World Series is an international circuit of premiere adventure races in 10 countries culminating every 12 months in the Adventure Racing World Championships.

BMC 100km Classic

The Canberra City Half Ironman Triathlon is a race you will never forget; and a race so many come back to, now entering it's eighth edition in '08!

According to many reports it was sorely missed and whilst the crew at X-Tri Australia are proud to say "We're Back!", those who competed in 2007, in conditions a little tougher than expected can testify this was a great race and a personal challenge on the new revised course!

The perfect event for families, couples or singles, relay teams - you name it - it's all based in the Nation's capital, a short drive south on the freeway from Sydney, and a short flight from the rest of the country.

The last 'Half Ironman' validation race (The Ironman 70.3 Geelong will follow this event!) of the new triathlon season, there's no better reason than to go visit Canberra, especially if you are looking to pick up maximum Half Ironman series points or validate your entry to the Panthers Ironman Australia triathlon.

As the penultimate round of the national Half Ironman Series, the Canberra City Half Ironman is the perfect chance to up your earning rate of points towards an age group or open category win in the annual national series.

SO, points towards the national Half Ironman series, validation of your entry into the Panthers Ironman Australia triathtlon, a special early bird entry period, the series' finisher's towel and so much more...

And if you don't think you are ready, think again!

This is just one of two events in Australia where you entry fee also brings you months of training programs direct from one of the best coaching groups in the country. Grant Giles, former top five Ironman, Level 2 Triathlon Coach and director of Aeromax Coaching International will personnally write a program each month leading into the race just for entrants to the event that month. Training programs will begin 26 weeks out!

Enter now and these programs are just for you; put it off for a month or two - then there's less!

But what an opportunity to grow in your training as the race comes closer!

And all that training will prepare you for a great course, based on the 2006 Championship LD course. Compete in the footsteps of the worlds best!

Convinced? Heh! We'll see you all on December 14th 2008 - so book mark this page and return to catch up on our plans for a sensational 2008 eighth edition of the Canberra City Half as we go forward to the race (and remember - bring a friend in 08!)

We're back! We're Ready! The Course is Ready, Canberra is Ready!
Are you?

Mountain Designs GeoQuest 48 Hour Adventure Race

Mountain Designs GeoQuest 48hr is Australia's premier adventure race. It involves 48+hrs of non-stop endurance racing in the major disciplines of trekking, mountain biking and kayaking. Mixed, Male or Female teams of four must navigate their way through an arduous 200+km course that is only revealed to them the evening before the race. The Mountain Designs GeoQuest is held annually on the Queens Birthday long weekend in June. The race is moved each year to a different location with exciting new challenges for the teams.

The Geo-Half adventure race is run at the same time as the Mountain Designs GeoQuest. It covers only half the distance but teams have the full 48hrs to complete it. The legs will be challenging, but with the additional time available to complete the half course, teams have a greater chance to reach the finish line. It is NOT a 24hr race; you have the full 48 hours to complete the course. Boats, paddles and PFDs are provided.

Emerald Beach Holiday Park, www.ebhp.com.au , will host Mountain Designs GeoQuest 2008

Jonsson Dusi Mfula

The route, like that of the famous canoe race, will throw every kind of challenge at the competitors, with quick flat sections, serious climbs, technical single track and long winding super fast downhills, all set in breathtaking and very rarely seen parts of the Dusi and Umgeni river valleys.

Riders taking on the challenge will need to be of intermediate ability, with quite a few miles in the legs, as the valley does not have too many flat sections to rest, meaning non-stop action on some great trails.

Start time: 08h00 day one and 07h00 on day two.
Distance: day one 70km - 80km and day two is 40kms
Cost: R1500 per rider

Mazda MTN Forest-to-Falls in conjunction with Ferdevco

The National marathon series has been reduced to 7 events with 5 to count for 2008, culminating in the final event with MTB prize giving for the year. A new category will be introduced for the 2008 series, where rider and bike’s net weight must be over 105kg’s. Once again only licensed riders qualify for points in their respective categories for the series. The accompanying half marathon events will form the half marathon series.

The SA Marathon champs coincide with the 4th Leg of the Mazda Drifter series at Stellenbosch.

Nedbank Swaziland's Imvelo MTB Classic

Due to the overwhelming support this race receives and the delicate nature of the environment, race numbers will be limited to 400 this year

Classic 64km
Begins at 08h00
This is the BIG GUY - not for those weak at the knee!
The first 22 Km is relatively flat, riding through plains alternating between interesting and fun single track and dirt roads, allowing the field to open out and the body to warm up nicely for the mountains to come. A quick detour through the "Donga Route" providing a Historical tour of the old McCreedy Tin Mines, where the side of the mountain is blasted out by water cannons in search for tin, past hippo calving dams and back onto the plains. Nip through the forest onto the "Hippo Trail" - a bit of excitement and adventure before beginning the first climb up Mantenga View Point, a short rocky road / trail with stunning views and technical riding. Travel the newly cleared 4x4 Track, down a little game path and bounce over and along the railway line for a short distance before dropping down the valley past Njunju then following the Usushwana River. Now for the first big one .... cross the river and tackle The King of the Mountain climb 2 Km of slippery clay road through the shaded Gum Forest (Mantenga Nature Reserve). The Reward? - catch a glimpse of the beautiful Mlilwane North opening up in front and to the north, while narrowing onto technical single track - a serious down hill which takes many wary prisoners. The well-deserved gentle forest 2 Km track back along the river provides a breather before taking on . "The Grim Reaper" - the most mindless 7Km of the entire course! This is an undulating climb up the back of Nyonyane Mountain through the Usuthu Forest. Prepare for an Adrenalin Rush, a quick 4km descent of Nyonyane on dirt road - beware the uneven erosion spots and the large drainage humps. We weren't finished with you yet.. Back out the Sanctuary, along a tranquil river single track, through the fence and into - yes, the Usuthu Forest! Yebo!.. another climb - the "Scorpion" - a series of short sharp climbs and descents traveling up the Mhlambanyatsi River, crossing a rough drift and finally heading home up and over the last obstacle, back through the fence onto Mlilwane - and home through the plains once again.

Challenge and Team Challenge 33 km Starts at 09h15
Challenging ride for people with average fitness, but who aren't up for the classic. The first 22 Km is relatively flat, riding through plains alternating between interesting and fun single track and dirt roads, allowing the field to open out and the body to warm up nicely for the mountain to come. A quick detour through the "Donga Route" providing a Historical tour of the old McCreedy Tin Mines, where the side of the mountain is blasted out by water cannons in search for tin, past hippo calving dams and back onto the plains. Nip through the forest onto the "Hippo Trail" - a bit of excitement and adventure before meeting the real challenge head-on . leave Mlilwane via a neat forest single track, over the Mhlambanyatsi River and begin the one and only real climb of this race - a little ± 3 Km taste of the Classic craze! Catch your breath, hold on to those handlebars and enjoy the downhill, coasting back into Mlilwane, through the plains and to the finish.

Family Fun 22km
Starts at 09h45 The entire Family course is relatively flat, riding through plains alternating between interesting and fun single track and dirt roads. An escape route is provided at 12.3 km making the "Chicken Run" roughly 14 km. Those who are not quite done yet will continue onto Mphumalanga Plains, including a slightly challenging 2 km detour through the "Donga Route" - an Historical tour of the old McCreedy Tin Mines, where the side of the mountain is blasted out by water cannons in search for tin, past hippo calving dams and back onto the plains. Nip through the forest for a little shade, cross over the dam wall and head home to the finish.

Darling Soapbox Derby

The idea of putting together an event to bring the different Darling communities together, as well as something for parents to do with their children, was kicked around for some time. (Normally on the stoep of a local watering hole at the end of a hard working day). As friends and colleagues pondering this challenge all work in motor related industries, the idea of a go-kart race evolved naturally.

The first Darling Soapbox Derby was held in 2005 and has been growing in popularity year after year.

Last year the event was even filmed by "Let's Play", a programme devoted to children's sports on the Supersport channel. Popular Mechanics entered the race and although they had to forfeit due to punctures, they enjoyed it thoroughly and are now getting ready for this year's race!

This year marks the fourth annual Darling Soapbox Derby. Children, residents and local businesses build their own soapbox carts and race each other down a steep hill in Darling.
The whole community comes together, old and young, men and women, employees and their employers, colleagues, you name it!

Each soapbox cart is unique with it's own personality given by faces, grins and other kinds of decoration. And with the soapbox carts all having different sizes you will sometimes see a tiny cart taking on a monster-on-wheels!

The street is dotted with spectators and everybody is excited. They cheer and laugh and sometimes worry a little, but altogether it is a great experience!

The prizes are usually given out by Darling's most famous resident, Pieter Dirk-Uys, and everyone wins a prize.

There are two classes: Classic (Private Cart) - R10 and Open Class (Sponsored Cart) - R100

Build your own cart and let's see how well you fare against the others!

Spur Adventure Race #2

The main event, this is a challenge for teams of 2/3 people, 12 yrs and older. Activities include a running/hiking/scrambling/kloofing leg of 5-7 km’s, including water crossings and natural obstacles, as well as a biking leg of 10-12 km’s.

Requirements: Mountain Bike, helmet and running shoes.
Duration: 1.5-2 hrs.
Teams: 2 or 3 mixed, all male or all female.

Cameron Park Sprint Adventure Race

Too Cool Racing is grass roots adventure racing that strives to give each and every racer quality, challenging races in and around central Texas. For 2008 we have some exciting news. First, we are proud to be part of the Checkpoint Tracker Adventure Racing Series. Go head-to-head with some of the best teams in the country and compete for points and cash!

Next, our race schedule brings you a new and improved Big Chill. This year we've included a river paddle and your choice of a sport course or an adventure course. The Spring Sprints are just the ticket if you are a new racer looking for a challenge or a veteran looking to go all out. We kick off the sprints at our newest venue, Cameron Park in Waco and end them, once again, at Inks Lake in Burnet, Texas. Spread Your Wings will make you want to go back to camp, Camp Eagle that is. Plan on staying for the whole weekend to enjoy awesome single track, cool climbing, and crystal clear waters. Finally, No Sweat will be a 12 or 24 hour race this year. Start hydrating now.

The MVP Health Care Frigid Infliction Winter Adventure Race

The MVP Health Care Frigid Infliction is a ten hour adventure race for teams of two or three on Saturday, March 1st, 2008. The race will feature several winter disciplines as well as requiring you to continually navigate.

We use an accelerated cutoff system which allows us to really challenge experienced teams while providing a great race for the first timers. If you have never done an adventure race before, this is the perfect one to start with. This was the first adventure race for about a third of the participants the past two years, so don't be intimidated!

The race is unsupported. Teams can receive no assistance from anyone once the race begins.

BMC 100km Classic

Maximum Adventure is proud to announce the latest edition to our MTB event calendar. The BMC 100km Classic will be staged from the picturesque Cammeray Waters at Woodend in Victoria, only one hour’s drive from central Melbourne and 40 minutes from the airport. The event is scheduled for the 20th April 2008, with entries opening in early December ‘07.

Set amongst some of the best MTB trails in Victoria, the course will traverse the popular riding locations of the Wombat State Forest and Lerderderg State Park with up to 50% single track and absolutely no tarmac, guaranteed!

Natchez Trace Challenge

The Mid-South has consistently been cited as one of the unhealthiest areas in the country. Residents are losing the battle to killers like obesity and heart disease every day. It’s time for someone to step up and make a change. Say hello to Start 2 Finish, Inc. a company dedicated to breaking this dangerous downward spiral by offering health-oriented events throughout the year.

Start 2 Finish is the premier health-oriented event management company in the Mid-South. S2F takes pride in producing events that allow Mid-South residents and area visitors the opportunity to challenge themselves, achieve goals and most importantly have fun! Whether you’re looking for a first class triathlon, exciting adventure race or a fun running event you can find it on the S2F Event Calendar.

S2F not only owns several races and sporting festivals but also offers full service event management to organizations looking to increase visibility, attract new customers or raise funds for their organization by putting on a festival or sporting event.

24hr Race

If you have done a couple of sprint races, rogaines or half Ironmans and are looking for the next challenge, then this is the event for you!

Just like the sprint races these events are designed to keep you on your toes. There will be up to 10 different legs to each race. This will ensure your are constantly challenged throughout the event and never bored, taking between 12 to 24 hours to complete.

The MAX 24 HOUR races are designed for teams of two. A typical course will consist of 60-70km of mountain biking, 15-20km of trail running/trekking and 10-15km of kayaking. No support crews are necessary.

The MAX 24 HOUR SOLO will be for individuals and will consist of the same course as above, but a support crew will be required.

These events tend to involve a lot of natural obstacles whether it be rivers, lakes, hills, mountains, cliffs or caves. Be prepared to be surprised and pushed to your limits.

Orient Express Bicycle Expedition

This Transcontinental Bicycle Expedition, goes through the following countries: France, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey. It covers a distance of 4 000 kms. One can either do the full tour or a section of the tour.

Boven Roc Rally

This is a yearly rock climbing endurance event that involves a team of two, racing between the cliff facesaround Waterval Boven and doing as many climbs as you can on the first day, then climbing one route as hard as you can, in 14 hours, over 2 days.

Our objective is to bring the pros and beginners together to socialize, compete and have fun together. As in a golf match, every climber gets given a handicap based upon his or her climbing performance over the last year and other personal best performances.

Basically to win this competition, you will have to climb a lot (against your handicap) on the first day and then climb hard on the second day. A logical and fair but complicated system (designed by NASA!!!) will be explained before the start of the competition.

Selati AfriCycle 2008

"The Mpumalanga Provincial Government has confirmed its support for the second Selati Africycle Tour, setting off in September. The invigorating and exciting seven day road cycle stage race will wind its way through the Mpumalanga lowveld and its surrounding communities.

Tony Rominger, international cyclist, who also used to cycle the Tour de France earlier in his career says “The Africycle race is really pleasant to ride, because the pack isn’t too large and you can find all kinds of different cyclists: mountain bikers, couples, groups, very well-trained riders or people who are simply there for fun”.

Registrations are open to any caliber of rider, both local and international cyclists of all cycling performance levels including amateur riders to sub veterans and veterans of cycling. To register, register on the Africycle website www.africycle.co.za".

Addo Elephant 100Mile and 50Mile Trail Runs

With the popularity of trail running internationally, Extreme-Marathons and Video Architects have put together a 100 Mile and 50 Mile Trail Run in the vast Addo Elephant National Park, which is situated 75 km North of Port Elizabeth.

The 100 Mile route will start at Darlington Lake, about 80 km South of Somerset East, and wind it’s way over the mountains into the Sundays River Valley and then over the Zuurberg Mountains, to finish at the Addo Elephant Park Main Rest Camp.

The 50 Mile route will start at the Dagbreek Spar, Main Street, Kirkwood, and also finish at the Addo Elephant Park Main Rest Camp.

The trail will consist mainly of tracks within the park itself, with some stretches on gravel roads. Due to the remoteness and inaccessibility of the trail, the Addo Elephant Trail Runs differ substantially from other organized runs. Adequate mental and physical preparation is of utmost importance to each runner, because the mountains and valleys, although beautiful, are relentless in their challenge and unforgiving to the ill prepared.

Registration: 14:00 on Thursday, 01 May 2008 at the Lapa, Main Rest Camp
Start time: 50 Miler- 06:00; 100Miler- 07:00 on Friday

There will be 16 checkpoints along the 100Miler route and 9 along the 50Miler route stocked with bottled water/energy drinks, sweets and fruits. 100 Miler participants can arrange a pacer to run with them from Check Point 13 (100 km mark) to the finish. It is essential to run with a small pack and to carry 2 drinking bottles or a bladder. For environmental reasons, no cups or sachets will be provided at the checkpoints – water bottles will be filled. Anyone wanting their own supplies at the specified checkpoints can hand in clearly marked drop off bags containing these at registration and they will be taken to the checkpoints. The finisher’s belt buckle concept is being introduced for the 100 Miler, with a silver buckle for all finishers under 24hrs and a bronze buckle for all finishers under 30hrs.

Cut-off time is 30hrs and there will be cut-off times at various checkpoints. Participants of the 50Miler who finish in under 9hrs will receive a silver medal, and a bronze buckle will be given to all finishers. There is no cut-off times at the check-points for the 50Miler, but all participants must finish by 13:00 on Saturday, which is the cut-off for the 100Miler. Prize-giving will be at the Addo Elephant National Park Main Rest Camp at 15:00 on Saturday.

RAW Africa Cape Town

Adven'ture Ra'cing n. a multidiscipline, outdoor sport. Primary disciplines include navigation, running/trekking, mountain biking and paddling. Canyoneering, mountaineering, glacier travel, white water rafting, rope skills, inline-skating, kick-biking and other human-powered activites may be included. Events may be assisted or unassisted, staged or non-stop; and can take between 2hrs and 10-days to complete, depending on the nature of the event and the environment in which it is held.Each month, join us on a journey around South Africa.

MTN Cape Argus Giro del Capo

The race covers the Boland and Cape Town areas, with the Paarl, Stellenbosch, Helderberg and Durbanville regions playing partners to the event. Several cycling clubs in the various regions will have some involvement with the Giro, and would gain support for their clubs development initiatives through their involvement.

The core team of organisers consists of the list of people mentioned below - we thank them for their efforts, as we near the home-straight leading towards March!

BIKE4BEASTS MTB Challenge 2008

The BIKE4BEASTS MTB Challenge is back for its second year. Thank you to all the riders who supported the event in 2007 and made it such a success.

Join us on this exciting and adrenalin-filled cross-country MTB challenge in the 33000 hectare Venetia Limpopo Nature Reserve.

This reserve is situated in the Limpopo Province, some 80km west of the mining town of Musina, close to the confluence of the Shashe and Limpopo rivers, which form the natural international boundaries between Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa.

The reserve is set in the rugged landscape of the Limpopo Valley floor and is home to a wonderful diversity of plant and animal life including elephant, lion, leopard, black and white rhino, wild dog as well as a host of antelope species

Cape Argus Pick’n Pay MTB Challenge

"The MTB Challenge is an official event of the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Lifecycle Week and part of the build-up to the annual Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour.

The event takes place on the Sunday preceding the Cycle Tour and the 2008 edition will be the sixth event using Boschendal Wine Estate as a venue.

Take a thrilling mountain bike ride through the exquisite Boschendal Wine estate. Test your skills on steep slopes, corkscrew turns and furrowed vineyards. Both seasoned bikers and brave newcomers will have plenty of opportunities to test their limits over a variety of routes.

And if you prefer relaxing with a glass in your hand – instead of gripping the handlebars then book a picnic, bring the family and sample some of Boschendal’s exquisite wines in the picturesque scenery of the Franschhoek valley."

Nguni Adventure Challenge 2008

Trekking, MTB'ing, Abseiling, Paddling, coasteering, navigation.

The terrain is forgiving. You will travel through a mix of sugar cane, grassland, riverine bush and coastline. There will be a number of transitions and your seconds will play an important role in the race. All transitions are car friendly and no 4 x 4's are needed.

Maps will be pre-marked. Waterproof map bags are a definite requirement.

Paddle craft - any paddle craft to carry your team will be adequate. All paddling is on flat water. There are no wide open stretches of water to be paddled.

Spur Adventure Race #1

The main event, this is a challenge for teams of 2/3 people, 12 yrs and older. Activities include a running/hiking/scrambling/kloofing leg of 5-7 km’s, including water crossings and natural obstacles, as well as a biking leg of 10-12 km’s.

Pyramid Logistics Winter Series R3

Yes at last its a race weekend ..

Well its looking good for the weekend, cold , but sunny and hopefully no or little wind for the "BIG AIR" comp on sunday sponsored by Profile Europe. The winner gets a new set of Profile cranks.

Its round 2 of the Pyramid Logistics winter series this sun 17th Feb as well and we have £100 up for grabs in the 16+ no clips open race.

All the normal age groups as well on sunday with medals in the novice classes.

go here for more info on the winter series

looks like loads of riders will be there, so looking good.

Hope to see you all there.

Marin Winter Enduro 4

Thetford MTB Racing specialises in endurance mountain biking events located in the Thetford Forest in Norfolk, England. From the 12-hour overnight Dusk 'til Dawn to the 2-lap Winter Series fun rides, our events offer something for everyone, from the beginning rider to the seasoned pro. Our riders say..."fantastic courses"..."memorable experiences of camaraderie"..."capitalising on the swoopy single track that Thetford is known for"..."hallucinogenic!"

Pirelli Big Buck

The Big Buck course presents the standard GNCC obstacles, everything from tight woods, to fields, creek crossings, rocks and hill climbs. It’s a fast, wide-open course, but it's definitely not easy! The field sections are fast, fast, fast, and they get chopped up and rough as the weekend goes on, so you need to have your suspension sorted for that.

Usually, course designers Jeff Russell and Buren Hamrick create a spectacular creek jump where the riders launched off of a bank and over the water (with a path around the jump for those who aren’t as comfortable with air time).

Maxxis General

Georgia’s distinctive red clay makes the General what it is. If there’s rain, the soil gets soft and builds deep ruts, so be very careful when approaching traffic and bottlenecks. But when it’s dry, this course gets hard and fast.

This course does offer a motocross track with some decent jumps at the Aonia Pass MX track, but if you’re not an aerialist, don’t worry, the jumps are tamed for the GNCC. Click to www.aonia-passmx.com to access the Aonia Pass MX website. The motocross track makes for a good passing spot if you can’t get around someone in the woods, but remember, you can only make up a few seconds out of the two-hour race there, so don’t take too many risks. Hill climbs aren't a big issue at the General. But getting clean may be, as that red Georgia clay is pretty tough to wash off of man and machine.


The GNCC track builders are usually full of energy at the beginning of the year, so look forward to some wild man-made obstacles—like the tractor tire triple jump last year (see photo above).

Kempfer Family Ranch near Melbourne, Florida

An all-new GNCC track about an hour south of the madness of Daytona Bike Week, the Triton GNCC moves from last year’s location in Vero Beach to Melbourne. While the location is new, the track is similar to previous GNCC races in the Sunshine state, with sand, sand and more sand. All that sand creates sand whoops, which will make this one of the roughest tracks on the tour. Luckily, the layout features plenty of woods and twisting trails to keep speeds down, as this track will be a little tighter than last year’s Vero Beach course. Also, there haven’t been any races held here in a long time, which should cut back on the rough factor just a bit.

Still, a GNCC in Florida is going to be rough. Be ready to get tired, and be careful not to beat up your hands too much, or you’ll be full of blisters before the next race in Georgia.

Melbourne is a fun town, and the track is just a few miles from the ocean. Enjoy the beach while you're escaping from winter at home!

Goofy Vs. Regular - This Saturday Feb. 23

Goofy Vs. Regular - This Saturday Feb. 23
By Evan LeFebvre

Early Saturday morning, 8:00 am to be exact on February the 23rd, 2008, a battle of epic proportions will be waged between two teams—one of right foot dominance and one of left. Riders will shred to the death, or the end of the day, more than likely the end of the day, and one stance will ultimately ride away into the sunset the victor. And when we say sunset we mean the after party featuring Pretty Toney, a.k.a. Iron Man, a.k.a. Ghostini himself—yup, Ghostface Killah.


The battlegrounds? None other than the most famed all-mountain park in all the land--The Park at Bear Mountain, situated in the heart of Southern California. Yes we're talking about the inaugural snowboarding edition of the world famous GvR (Goofy Vs. Regular) contest series presented by etnies.


So all you willing and able shredders out there better be presented and accounted for to cheer on your stance! The Goofy team will be headed up by Fuel TV's John Stouffer, and the Regular team will be headed up by none other than Transworld SNOWboarding's braveheart leader, Kurt Hoy. Here are each teams Starting Five riders:


Regular Footers - Transworld SNOWboarding


Austin Smith

Joe Sexton

JP Walker

Markku Koski

JP Walker


Goofy Footers – Fuel TV

Kurt Wastell

Louie Vito

Ryan Thompson

Simon Chamberlain

Chris Bradshaw


Here's a breakdown of how the day will play out:

Goofy Vs. Regular - February 23, 2008
Bear Mountain, California

8:00 am –Open Qualifier

The Open Qualifier will lock down four spots on each team in the GvR Qualifier.


9:00 am – GvR Qualifier

The GvR Qualifier will decide the final spots on the Goofy and Regular teams. This will include thirty-two riders from each respective stance; 28 pre-seeded riders plus the four that moved on from the Open Qualifier. Riders will compete in a jam format to whittle the final team lists to eight riders on each team. Two of those will go to the top two women, and two wild card riders will be selected by the Goofy and Regular Team Captains. Those along with the Starting Five riders on each team, will bring each roster to a final fifteen shredders on each team.


1:00 pm – GvR Finals

Just after high noon on Saturday, cold steel edges will be sharpened and the will be underway. The toss of a coin will determine which team rides first in the two part Final.


3:00 pm – Ghostface Killah hits the stage to commence tearing the place down.


8:00 pm – the afterparty is made official. Drinks will flow, good times will ensue, and poor decisions might be made.

The event will be webcast live from the etnies GvR website at http://gvr.etniessnow.com

Fuel TV is producing a show around GvR. It airs on April 7, 2008 at 8 p.m.

Bear Mountain is located at 43101 Goldmine Dr in Big Bear Lake, California.

See you there!

Armstrong Peugeot Festival of Cycling

In just three years the Armstrong Peugeot Festival Of Cycling has become one of New Zealand's premier cycling events. But for local riders, Lyttelton's spectacular but challenging harbour bays have been the benchmark dating back to the very first time a bicycle was seen in this country.

In December every year the Armstrong Peugeot Festival Of Cycling sees more than 2000 riders taking on the feature 75 kilometre Harbour Ride. The route - from McCormack's Bay around the base of the Port Hills, over Gebbies Pass to the Lyttelton Harbour Bays before one final fling over Evans Pass and Sumner to finish back at McCormack's Bay - is an iconic tour with roots that hail right back to the earliest settlers and cyclists alike.

Hamilton Open

The Hamilton City Cycling Club offers competitive cycling in and around the Hamilton area. We hold regular club races and rides throughout the year as well as a number of larger annual events such as our challenging club Open and a fun ride. The club is affiliated with Cycling New Zealand (CNZ), the national cycling organisation and with the Waikato Bay of Plenty Centre. The club also offers coaching and advice for all new members

Yunca Junior Tour of Southland

After 25 year of sponsoring the Junior Tour of Southland, principal sponsor Yunca Heating and Gas, has decided to ramp-up its sponsorship to allow the organisers to grow the U17 Tour of Southland into what they hope will be the pre-eminent Junior Tour in Australasia.

Tour director Mike Cooper says the offer from Yunca to increase its commitment almost ten fold came out of the blue.

“Terry Young the CEO of Yunca just rang me up and said I want to make this the best junior tour in Australasia, how much is it going to cost?”

“Together we decided that the best way to ‘turn on the afterburners’ was to award scholarships to the top juniors in each region in New Zealand, and eventually overseas, and so that’s what we are going to do”.

Ten scholarships, one for each BikeNZ region will be awarded nationwide. The winner of the scholarship in each region has been left up to BikeNZ in consultation with each region. Scholarships will include flights, accommodation, entry and personal support.

Terry Young, a former stage winner of the senior Tour of Southland and CEO of Yunca says Yunca’s dealers nationwide are also getting behind the tour. “A Yunca representative from each region will travel with the juniors to Southland and follow each stage of the tour offering what ever support allowed,” he says. Terry goes on to say, “I believe if you are going to do something, do it right and so we are also working on bringing to New Zealand the top Australian and the top German rider here for the 2006 tour.”Terry says his offer to dramatically increase Yunca’s support for the tour comes from carefully looking at his businesses values.

“The Yunca U17 Tour of Southland is about setting goals, aiming high and working hard, then seizing the opportunities that hard work produces”, he says. “These are the same values I have installed in our business, and so the sponsorship is a very good fit.” Bruce Ross, head of Cycling Southland welcomed the new energy and emphasis being placed on the Yunca Tour and says some of the most prominent names in New Zealand cycling have competed in the Yunca Junior Tour of Southland.

“The tour has seen many up and coming cyclists go on to achieve at national and international level including the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics including Glenn McLeay, Matt Randall, and Glen Thompson. Bruce Ross says cycling generally is on the up and is going from strength to strength here in Southland. “Bringing the top names in Junior road cycling to Southland every year will increase participation and interest even further. ‘We have got some of the best roads in the country to cycle on, and Southlanders love of the both the Yunca U17 Tour and the senior tour means we are one of the few places left in New Zealand where we can safely host a road tours with the publics support.

South West Summer Series Round 5

The sport of BMX racing is structured to give all riders the opportunity to compete at Club, Regional or National level. For those riders that achieve success at Regional level the opportunity to compete at the British Championships and for those that achieve success at National level the opportunity to compete in International events and ultimately at the European or World Championships.

More importantly, the sports structure allows every competitor to participate at a level that matches their ability and availability. By being able to compete in this way a rider's self-confidence and believe is increased, leading them to even higher levels of the sport.

BMX racing also has one other exceptional quality - the ability to bring together riders and their families and guardians with a common bond - the safety and well-running of the sport requires a level of respect and consideration only normally found at the very top levels of other sports - BMX racing achieves this from the ground upwards.

Bulwell Winter Series Round 7

All you need is a BMX or Mountain Bike and some safety gear. See the Race Meeting article for more details. We hold regular weekly sessions at the track. Sometimes we run race meetings and sometimes practice sessions, called gate practice. Sometimes we travel to race meetings at other clubs. We also have occasional coaching sessions for when you want to get a bit more serious about developing good race techniques. See the club news and the events sections of this website for more details on current activities.

There are 25 different race categories in BMX, so whatever your age or experience, there’s something for everyone. BMX racing began twenty years ago in the USA, and after a lull, has regained it’s popularity. In fact, BMX makes it’s debut as an official Olympic sport at the 2008 Beijing games and again at the London olympics in 2012 - so who knows - we might end up seeing you on the telly!

The Cateye Moonride

The Cateye Moonride is an amazing mountain biking event held in New Zealand's MTB mecca - the Whakarewarewa Forest in Rotorua.

There are two event options, twelve or twenty four hours, for teams of 4 or 5, or solo riders. Both events ride the 8km (30 minute) circuit which has been designed to cater for all abilities.The Specialized 24 Hour event operates from 10pm on Friday May 9th, and the Avanti 12 Hour starts at 10am on Saturday May 10th.They both finish at 10pm Saturday. Get a team together and be a part of this amazing event!

The event will always be held on the second weekend in May each year.

Jamis Bicycles Day Night Thriller

Don't miss this unique, exhilarating Mountain Bike Relay event. This was the largest MTB event in New Zealand last year with over 3,000 riders.

Individuals, teams of two/three or four/five compete on an 8km, 30 minute circuit over 12 hours from 10.30am to 10.30pm or 6 hours from 10.30am to 4.30pm. Both grades ride the same circuit which has been specifically designed for the event to cater for all ability levels.

The track includes fast open park grounds, awesome downhill, pine needle covered forest tracks, challenging single tracks and magnificent scenery including the mighty Waikato River.

A popular option for kids is the Hell Pizza Little Devils Ride. An exciting 7km ride starting at 9.15am and riding one lap of the Day Night track through tent city to the finish line. This is an amazing experience open to little devils aged between 9-13 years. The ride is supervised by experienced mountain bike riders.

Avanti Novice Tour of Manawatu

Palmerston North Marist Cycling Club have announced the date for the 35th Avanti Novice Tour of Manawatu.

This event is a four stage one day event. Stage 1: six lap 18.6 km circuit race. Stage 2: 35.6 km road stage. Stage 3: 3 km up hill ITT. Stage 4: 49.5 km road stage.

Boys and girls have their own race.

The Run 79 Lake Tekapo Mountain Bike Pursuit

We cater to individuals and groups and can organize accommodation, travel, and equipment hire to suit your individual needs.

Tours are arranged on an individual basis so please contact us with your details so we can discuss arrangements.

Use the Contact Button to the left to get in touch with us for more information.
MTB Pursuit BIKE TOURS: – Privately Hosted “BIKE TOURS ”–

Mountain bike tours in and around Lake Tekapo - Email or Phone us to make a booking (use our Contact Page to get in touch).

LAKE FRONT TOUR: 2 hours
Take in the stunning views and scenery while cruising on easy trails $60.00*
MACKENZIE COUNTRY TOUR: half day - approx 4 hoursTake in some back country trails and scenery, for the more experienced rider $70.00*

AROUND LAKE TEKAPO: full dayChallenging 90km circuit of Lake Tekapo. Spectatcular ride for the fit MTBer $140.00*

* - Minimum numbers apply; children under 15 half price (if accompanied by an adult)Group discounts and tours made to suit are our speciality.

WE PROVIDE:Bike, Equipment, Expert Guides, Courtesy transport, Snack, Post ride refreshment.

YOU NEED:Clothes and shorts suitable for mountain bike riding, Strong footwear, Jacket, Fleece/Wool top, Sunblock to suit the conditions of the day.

5th World University Championship Cycling

Welcome to the World University Championship (WUC) Cycling 2008 website. From 19 to 26 May 2008 the city of Nijmegen, the Netherlands, will host the next WUC Cycling.

Le Race 2008

Be part of this fantastic event in 2008 either as an individual or in one of the team options – 100km of fast flats, challenging hill climbs and exhilarating downhills that take you from Christchurch, across an extinct volcano, to the French village of Akaroa.

Some small changes have been made to the 2008 race with the most exciting being the introduction of a new team option – Relais of Three!

The current standings for fastest man is held by Mark Bailey at a time of 2:44:37 and fastest woman Carla Ryan at 3:02:53. Huge times to beat!

Vans Cup Tahoe

The Vans Cup at Tahoe is a major snowboarding event that features Superpipe, Slopestyle, High Air, and Rail Jam competitions over the span of one weekend. TONS of top pros have been confirmed for the event.

Address

Northstar-At-Tahoe

100 Northstar Drive

Truckee, CA 96161

Volcom's Totally Crustaceous Surf Tour

Volcom's Totally Crustaceous Tour kicks off in July of 2007 and will conclude in May of 2008 with the VQS World Championships. The VQS will consist of separate qualifiers in regional areas from Hawaii, California, Texas, the East Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Canada and International locations. Each event will have four separate divisions to choose from: Girls (25 & under), Groms (14 and under), Juniors (15-17) and the Pro-Am. In the Pro-Am division, prize money will be awarded to finalists without having to pay an entry fee. All contests will have tons of prizes for finalists and giveaways, including surfboards, snowboards, skateboards, bicycles, motorcycles, and video games from Volcom and other supporting companies. All events will be point rated and have their own championship in each regional area. The top 5 finishers from each division in each area will qualify to compete in Volcom's Totally Crustaceous Tour VQS World Championships, to be held at 54th Street, Newport Beach, in May 2008.

Regional Events for 2007/2008 include: The Greatwhite Surf Series in Santa Cruz, the Goldfish in Central Cal, the Butterfish in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, the Seaslug Surf Series for L.A. County, the Starfish in Orange County, the Blowfish in San Diego County, the Bushfish in Texas, the Seacow in Florida, the Jellyfish in the North East, the Catfish in Puerto Rico, the Pufferfish in the Hawaiian Islands, the Beaverfish in Canada and select International locations around the world.

Thank you for supporting Volcom Stones Totally Crustaceous Tour and remember LET THE KIDS RIDE FREE...

21st Annual Consumer Scuba Show

Since 1988, the annual Southern California based SCUBA Show has developed a reputation as the most successful consumer dive show in North America.

What can you expect at SCUBA Show 2008?

• Over 75,000 square feet of scuba related exhibits including dive manufacturers, exotic dive locations, scuba retailers and more.

• More than 30 seminars by scuba diving experts including: Marty Snyderman, Jack & Sue Drafahl, Bruce Watkins, Dale Sheckler, Ken Kurtis, Ken Knezick, Divers Alert Network and others.

• A continuous underwater film festival to take place on a massive screen inside the exhibt hall.

• Saturday Night Casino Party to benefit California Ships to Reefs.

• Tons of other scuba enthusiasts who share a passion for the water.

Asia Dive Expo (ADEX) 2008

Asia Dive Expo is Asia's largest and longest running exhibition for the dive industry and related businesses. Returning to Singapore in 2008, ADEX brings you 14 years of successful marketing for businesses that want to talk to the buyers and consumers that count. Firmly established as ‘THE’ premier platform to do business if you are in the dive industry, Asia Dive Expo is the only true International dive show which brings together the very best in the dive industry.

Asia Dive Expo delivers you the buyers you want to meet – both trade and consumers. With more than 2000 trade visitors and 8000 consumers expected to visit ADEX, your investment in Asia Dive Expo allows you to leverage your marketing message on a marketing and publicity plan worth more than $400,000.

Being one of the fastest growing markets in the world, Asia continues to offer a wealth of business opportunities for new, expanding and established dive related companies. At Asia Dive Expo, exhibitors have direct access to a rich cross section of discerning and affluent consumers who visit the show to purchase as well as gain education and updates on the hot issues affecting divers today.

With a Year-on-year increase of trade visitors to the show, exhibitors can capitalise on the prospect of networking and finding suitable distributors for their products and services. Special hosted buyer programmes ensure that your dive destination is marketed to real dive travel buyers. Asia Dive Expo is supported by an ensemble of the all the key dive industry stakeholders, such as marine conservationists, equipment manufacturers, distributors and suppliers; training agencies; dive travel specialists; safety organizations; retailers; tourism bodies; liveaboard operators and more, all contributing to a unique business proposition for attendees.

Catering to a wide audience, Asia Dive Expo is complemented by an array of exciting and informative activities and special events such as the Asia Scuba Tour free dive try outs, a series of educational seminars that cover hot industry topics and product demonstrations to showcase the latest equipment. Everyone is provided with the opportunity to update themselves on what is new whilst getting to grips with new skills or touching up on old ones!

The benefits and advantages of exhibiting at Asia Dive Expo are vast, and with 14 years of experience, this exhibition has the expertise, the knowledge and the understanding of the dive industry to fully accommodate the needs of both the industry professional and the diving consumer.

Ocean Spirit SuperX Finals

The date for the SuperX finals has been set and we are looking forward to a massive showdown between the two dominant figures in the series. One a Chuck Yeager and the other a Bomfunk MC...

Ocean Spirit's Gilbert Preston is making a serious challenge against the ace freestyler from Cape Sports Centre, Charl Van Tonder, who has led the series since the second round.... it can only be said that Speedfreak Master Preston and Jedi Freestyler Van Tonder, certainly demonstrate the balance between the two great forces in superX.

While the race for the crown looks like it could all be sealed up, a string of riders can still make the final place on the podium. Dark horse Theo V.T. missed the last round of the series, but with his current form at the fun day in Langebaan, the likes of Steve, Don and Toby better watch out.

Since this is the final round, the open entry fee has been dropped to that of the student fee... R50 + free SuperX T-shirt for all competitors. It's also the first week back at varsity, so expect a hoard of screaming onlookers.

Ocean Fest Dive & Adventure Sports Expo

Join us at Ocean Fest 2008 as we celebrate diving and adventure sports in the fabulous outdoor location of Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

In addition to boasting the most comprehensive artificial reef system in the United States, Broward County and Ft. Lauderdale have one of the only living reefs in the Continental United States that is accessible from shore. Ft. Lauderdale is world-reknown for its beaches and waterways, as well as a youthful population that enjoys an active lifestyle.

This event will feature over 1500 dive and adventure sports related exhibits under giant tents at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. In addition to the dive exhibits, there will be food vendors, beverage vendors, music, fashion shows, free seminars and thousands of dollars in prizes and raffles!

In an effort to introduce the sport to new participants, there will be scuba introductory courses taught at the DEMA Pool. An underwater treasure hunt will be held on Saturday for dive boats, and again on Sunday for shore diving. Thousands of dollars in prizes will be given away. The main prize will be announced in the near future.

A portion of the proceeds from Ocean Fest will benefit numerous non-profit and environmental organizations.
Location

Ft. Lauderdale Beach, just south of Las Olas Blvd. near the Yankee Clipper Hotel and the Bahia Mar Resort and Yacht Club.
Accommodations

There is a delightful variety of accommodations in the immediate area starting from $76.00 per night. Most are within walking distance of show location. Book early to receive the discounted show rate. Visit http://www.oceanfest.com/OceanFestHome.html for more information.

ScubaFest 2008 and Banquet Ball

hosted by the ohio council of skin and scuba divers (ocssd), this event promises to provide a weekend of fun, social gathering, underwater photography & video competition, exhibits, presentations and saturday night banquet with keynote speaker.

plus psi visual inspection workshops, travel seminars, door prizes, silent auction, dan oxygen provider classes and more!

weekend pass: $65 (includes banquet) weekend seminar only pass: $25 daily pass: $15 banquet only: $43 exhibits free

banquet attendees have an opportunity to win a trip for two to cobalt coast/divetech in grand cayman.

SURF EXPO (Annual Industry Trade Show)

This 13-year-old surf and skate shop, located on Duval Street in Key West’s historic Old Town shopping district, manages to pack plenty of fresh product into just 1,000 square feet of space—all without sacrificing industry cred or personal service.

“The idea was to have a real surf shop,” explains co-owner Skip Fleet, who learned to surf during the early 1960s in Miami’s South Beach. “It’s got the look and feel of an old-school shop”—all the hardgoods and repair components like leashes, pads, and ding repair . “Ditto on the skate stuff,” he says. “The only thing missing is the beach across the street.”

And Fleet should know. After opening his first surf shop in 1965 (in Clinton, Connecticut) and years as an apparel industry consultant, Fleet instinctively recognized a void in the retail marketplace.
“You can blindfold a customer, drop him or her into a mall, and they don’t know whether they’re in West Virginia or Montana,” he explains. “But if you’re on vacation, you want something different.”

Shopping-as-adventure has become a shrinking commodity, which no doubt helps explain Shirley Can’t Surf’s success—especially given Key West’s ever-changing customer base, including first-time tourists, repeat visitors, rotating Coast Guard and Navy personnel, as well as local residents who move on after high school.produced twice annually, surf expo draws buyers from across the u.s., the caribbean and around the world. whether you are an industry manufacturer or specialty retailer, surf expo is your marketplace.