We are excited to kick off the 2019 Shimano MTB GP Series with a venue very close to our hearts at Stromlo Forest Park! It will be the 10-year anniversary of Rocky Trail events in Canberra! With thanks to our major sponsor, Shimano Cycling Australia and our destination partner Events ACT, here is the rider briefing for the 2019 event.
Registration
Online registration will be open until the Friday before the race.
**new: Rocky Trail Kids MTB Fair***
For the first time, we will host the Rocky Trail Kids MTB Fair – thanks to the support from ACT Events, we are inviting all #rockytrailshredders and juniors to join in the fun at Stromlo Forest Park – together with the local crew from Dynamic Motivation we will have some entertaining ‘activity stations’ with fun challenges for kids – all free.
It’s the beginning of school holidays, so we want to encourage our #rockytrailracers to bring their ‘fambam’ along to the race and for the interstate racers to make it a MTB weekend getaway!
Location
Stromlo Forest Park: it’s an awesome place to RIDE – discover with us how much fun it is to RACE!
More information about Stromlo Forest Park can be found here: www.stromloforestpark.com.au
It is a public MTB track and you can ride it in the lead up to the race. You can camp at the Stromlo car park and event centre on the Friday night.
>> Race track preview Round 1 Shimano MTB GP 2019 at Stromlo Forest Park
>> Gallery – Stromlo: awesome to ride, an experience to race with Rocky Trail!
Race information
Our GP philosophy: With this series we deliver a set of events that is less of an elite- and winners-only-focused competition, but a positive and inclusive experience for all participants – on awesome trails at fun and exciting destinations that will make it worthwhile for your whole group of riding mates and for taking the family to! Race on Saturday, explore on Sunday! Every race is a stand-alone event and offers points for a series ranking.
What you race for:
Prizes are handed out before the race start via the ‘Rocky Trail Bazaar’ – a selection of major prizes is raffled off and the remaining sponsored and local products are spread across the entire racing field. Included in each entry: all race photos from the crew at OuterImage.com.au – riders cand download their photos from an online portal after each event FOR FREE.
- GC podium places will receive a special race plate
- Category podium places will receive a certificate
Series rewards:
- Series GC podium places will receive a special trophy and certificate
- Series Category podium places will receive a special trophy and certificate
Racing options
We will again bring you the popular 4-hour “FAST” and the “FURIOUS” 7-hour racing options across all five series races. Race “fast” for half a day or “furiously” for a full day, but have a little bit more time to pack up and get home safely.
FAST GP – the popular 4 Hour endurance race if you only have time for or want to spend half the day on your bike.
FURIOUS GP – 7 Hour race duration for all the endurance enthusiasts out there.
Race format and who wins
The race is a relay-style race. Team riders of the first lap (who start the race for their teams) can after 1 lap hand over to the next team member or keep riding – that’s up to the teams to decide. As soon as you ride 1 lap per solo rider, respectively per team, your time counts and is valid in the final results.
Mixed male/female teams: each team needs to record at least one female AND one male lap to be in the results.
The rider in the solo categories / the team with most laps (and shortest time thereafter) wins. If there are riders/teams in a category with the same number of laps, the fastest total lap time determines the ranking.
Racing the whole series
To qualify for overall series points & wins, riders need to complete at least 2 races in their category. After the second round we will publish the teams with the accumulated points. You must race under the same team name in all the races. If you are in a team of 2 or 3 riders at least 1 original member must be in all races riding under that team name. The best 4 out of the 5 races will count towards the overall series title. Points scored in one category can’t be transferred to another.
Schedule Stromlo
Friday
All day The track is marked and you can practice on it but we won’t have any services (marshalls, first aid) in place
Saturday
7:00-8:00 am Registration open to pick up your number plate.
8:45am Rider briefing, be race ready.
9:00am Race start – FAST GP + FURIOUS GP
9:30-10am Sign-up for free Rocky Trail Kids MTB Fair
1:00pm Race finish – FAST GP
2:00pm Ceremony – FAST GP
4:00pm Race finish – FURIOUS GP
5:00pm Ceremony – FURIOUS GP
Venue information
Race on Saturday, explore on Sunday! Ring in Rocky Trail’s 2nd decade of Stromlo races with this Season Opener, the inaugural series event in 2019, supported by Events ACT. Note that this is a stand-alone event and also offers points for a series ranking – everyone is welcome! We’ll get some local intell to put together an awesome racing circuit with some of the most popular trail sections and always aim to feature some hidden gems that will make any mountain biker’s heart skip a beat! Bring the family along for a perfect long weekend autumn riding getaway in the Capital!
Destination: Canberra
Stromlo Forest Park is located just 15 minutes outside the City Centre of Canberra and why not make it a weekend getaway to the Capital? There are so many things to see and do off the race track, how about a ‘48-hour summer itinerary‘ for some ideas? Or why not go on a hunt for the perfect ‘Instagram Moment‘? Check out what other events are on that weekend here and follow our event blog for more ideas!
>> Blog: Destination information – Canberra & Stromlo Forest Park
Accommodation offer
Canberra Park opened 18 months ago and they are offering a special MTB rate to Rocky Trail racers – you get 20% off the regular room rates. The property has been purpose built to accommodate both school and sporting groups visiting Canberra and is located next to EPIC showground, just 6 k’s from Canberra city. There are three types of rooms:
- Coach driver rooms- king single bed, en-suite and tea making facilities.
- Teachers rooms- 2 single beds, en-suite and tea making facilities and
- Student rooms, 2 sets single beds and ensuite
We thought we’d pass the offer on, it might just suit some of you. Give them a call – there also a dining hall offering buffet-style catering.
Facilities at Stromlo Forest Park
Pop-up exhibition by Lazer Helmets Australia
Our new helmet partners for 2019 will be showcasing their range at Stromlo Forest Park!
MITAS Australia
The local MITAS team will be on-site – have a chat to them about their range of European tyres that were designed to withstand the tough Aussie conditions.
Camping
Is allowed on Fri night for free.
Showers, bathrooms
There is a big pavillion with amenities, including hot showers.
Tech support
Will be provided by the local crew from Fizo Cycling
Food & drinks
The new Handlebar Cafe at Stromlo Forest Park will look after us – the local riders have been raving about their coffee!
Water
There are several water taps all around the event centre and also out on track. They will be marked.
Playgrounds
There is a fenced playground with fun little bike trails for the little kids and several skills areas for the bigger kids – we will utilise some of those for the Rocky Trail Kids MTB Fair on the Saturday.
CORC XC Race at Stromlo on Sunday, 14 April 2019
Back up the Stromlo Shimano MTB GP with a local clubbie on the Sunday!
Shimano MTB GP race line-up 2019
We have six events that will be spread across half a year with one race per month including the grand finale with the first ever Shimano MTB GP Championship event! Find out all about it here!
Rocky Trail events in the ACT in 2019
With the Shimano MTB Grand Prixa classic cross-country lap race will ring in the second decade of Rocky Trail races at Stromlo Forest Park on 13 April 2019 – we’ve had quite the love affair with this venue: did you know that the Rocky Trail founders got engaged here? We love the ever-expanding and evolving trail network and putting together our favourite trail combinations for our events, always inspired by input from our local racers!
The Fox Superflow, sealed by Stan’s on 2 June 2019 will increase the heart rates of those who are keen to take on an endurance challenge of a different kind! Spend all day together, whatever category you’re in – perfect for families, groups of mates and couples of different ages and riding preferences! Who’s going to clock in the fastest time?
The AMB100 Marathon will complete the Capital trifecta on 29 September 2019 – celebrate the start of Spring with a weekend in Canberra! Riding, racing and exploring the Capital – did you know that Floriade is on? Possibly the perfect family weekend getaway?
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