With over 350 competitors on course across the weekend, the first 2020 Fox Superflow sealed by Stans race in Queensland was held at Nerang on the Gold Coast on 18+19 July 2020.
Men’s classification
Three NSW racers top the rankings in the Elite Men: Gravity powerhouse Jack Moir repeats his Elite win from the previous NSW racing weekend at Awaba and his time of 11:16.9 from Saturday wasn’t beat all weekend, the outright fastest of th event. Young Ryan Gilchrist comes in second in Elites ahead of Jake Newell. Brisbane racers Andy Fellows and Dylan Cooper come in fourth and fifth.
The most competitive category of the weekend was the Master (40+) classification with almost 60 competitors. Internationally acclaimed mountain bike racer and local shredder Michael Rønning from Ashmore took the title in 12:20.4 ahead of Julien Redmond and Deon Beier. With close to 40 racer, strong line-up of Veterans (30+) – Bobby Blinco wins in 11:55.8.
Michael Rønning, who is the owner of the local Giant Nerang bike shop, said that the increase of bike sales had been amazing and that a lot of people had been getting into mountain biking in the last few months. “Here at Nerang on the weekends you can’t even get a car park and the line-up of riders at this event just proofs how popular bike riding – and racing – is”, he said and that it was so good to be back racing again.
As one of the first racers to give the Rocky Trail Fox Superflow format a go years ago, he said that he enjoyed the format, “You just see so many people out their smiling and we have a really good community around our shop and there are so many different groups of riders out here today – locals and groups of friends and families with kids all riding together, it’s unreal.”
Over a third of the racing field was under 19 years old across male and female age groups. In the girls, young Bella St Pierre from Mount Nathan wins the U17’s Female title in 15:06.7 and is the fastest female junior on course. Kiana Botfield from North Lakes wins the U19’s in 15:56.9 for a runner up.
With a time of 11:35.6 Darcy Harris from Tweed Heads is the fastest Junior at Nerang in the Fox Superflow, winning the U19’s Male classification. The U17’s winner Luke Sedgman is second overall in the juniors in 12:07.2 with local racer Tobi Thompson in overall third and second in the U19’s (12:012.1).
Strikingly, 29 racers competed on electric mountain bikes in the eBike classifications. Christine McKay from Mount Gravatt wins in the women’s in 18:03.06 and Stuart Cali from Brisbane takes the men’s title in 11:24.2.
Women’s classification
In the strong women’s field of 37 competitors, four Elites lead the overall results – Lisa Mathison clocks in the fastest female time of the weekend with 12:57.1. The Olympian and 2x Junior World XC Champion is now establishing herself on the gravity scene. Holly Lubcke finishes in second with Hayley Oakes in third. Anna Beck finishes in fourth outright ahead of Masters winner Michelle Gane. Sharon Heap, the local legend, finishes in 7th in the females overall, winnning the SuperMaster category.
An awesome racing weekend, thanks to all #rockytrailracers and supporters, as well as the Gold Coast MTB Club Inc.. Big shout-out to our headline sponsor Ride FOX- Australia and sponsors Stans NoTubes, Lazer Sport Australia, owayo and Shimano-MTB with Race Face Performance Products as well as JetBlack Products Australia.
#rockytrailracer
#foxsuperflow
Virtual Podium Ceremony.
Congratulations to all podium getters and a huge THANK YOU to all #rockytrailracers and supporters for all your enthusiasm for this sport.
Next events:
The Fox Superflow events are described as “your mountain biking life with the volume turned up!” It is all about exploring trails at high speed, beating time, meeting other riders and enjoying life, and the 2020 season is proving hugely popular with riders and their families, driving up demand for the series in QLD and across NSW and the ACT.
Juliane Wisata, one of the founders and spokesperson for Rocky Trail Entertainment said that all efforts had been put into adapting and making changes to operational procedures for the re-launch of events, “In order to bring our riders and spectators the racing action that they love, we are have been introducing new rules and regulations which make sure we all adhere to social distancing and gathering laws currently in place.”
“We still have very conservative self-imposed event participation limits in place, which are well below the Government and State Health authority regulations. As those laws tend to change quickly across the States and Territories we will be constantly screening any developments – our racing rules will be a constant work in progress, and we will keep adapting them over the weeks and months.”
Juliane Wisata about Rocky Trail’s Covid-19 Response
Queensland-based team driving Rocky Trail expansion
Rocky Trail Entertainment has been operating in NSW and the ACT since 2008. With Jo Parker and Bob Morris the promoter is introducing a highly experienced local Outdoor Events Management team, who have been driving the expansion into Queensland.
“We are proud to lead the charge in Queensland for Rocky Trail Entertainment”, says Morris. “In these events you can race the way you ride: this is friendly enduro racing without a tight schedule. Our racers ride to the starts un-timed and can pick the order in which to tackle the race stages, which makes this event social and action-packed at the same time! They can do up to five runs on each stage, the fastest one counts and there are no start orders, which means whatever category you’re in, you can ride together and still lock your own best race run in!”
Morris pointed out that with temporary COVID-19 event rules active, there was a participant limit in place and specific event health and safety regulations were available via the event website.
The next Fox Superflow event will be held at the Castle Hill MTB Park, supported by Ipswich Council on the weekend of 22 August.
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