Welcome to the Shimano MTB Grand Prix 4-hour cross-country event at the GP QLD Series 2022 at Sugar Bag MTB Park on the Sunshine Coast!
Make this a smashfest, show off your sponsor logos, re-kindle your love for XC racing or catch the racing bug with us!
Virtual Briefing
Full Briefing
The Sugarbag Mountain Bike Trails right in the middle of Caloundra are the perfect GP venue: an amazing array of trails, a dedicated local club with the Coloundra Off Road Cycling Association (CORCA) plus a council committed to ongoing investment into the sport of Mountain Biking – you will love it as much as we do, we’re sure! We would like to thank the Sunshine Coast Council for their support.
We are in for a cracking weekend of racing with some cool course changes and perfect clear skies.
We can’t wait to see you smashing it! Remember, your race photos are included in your entry. Be sure to download them after the race and share your stories using:
#rockytrailracer
#shimanomtbgp
sponsored by:
ABOUT the venue
Venue
Sugar Bag MTB Trails – Sugar Bag Rd, Caloundra West QLD 4551
Sugarbag Mountain Bike Park is located on Sugarbag Road in the middle of suburban Caloundra. The venue has fantastic features but sadly minimal parking. Therefore we need you to plan your trip and allow enough time to arrive, park and be ready for racing.
Important information about parking at Sugar Bag
Sugar Bag has had an amazing upgrade with lots of flora and landscaping going in over the past few weeks and days. Currently, minimal onsite parking is available.
PARKING INFO:
A dedicated drop and go zone has been established onsite for all to use.
NO parking along Sugarbag Road – traffic officers will be monitoring the area.
A list of offsite parking is available below.
Offsite parking is available at the following locations:
- Powerline easement – Mark Road East (access from the industrial area at the base of the park).
- Caloundra High School and sporting fields in Bower Street – a bike path connects venue to parking.
- Local residential streets, please ensure you keep driveways clear.
Race map:
Weather information
Perfect clear skies low of 10c top of 23c.
Event Format
Solo racers and pairs teams race for 4 hours and receive a placing across age categories for adults and junior shredders and in the General Classification (GC).
- 9am mass start for all riders
- Complete as many laps as you can in 4 hours.
- You may start your last lap by 12:59pm (the 3:59 hour mark) and that lap still counts.
- Solos – you keep going round and round.
- Teams – this is a pairs relay. Only one of you may be out on the race track at any time. There are now strict rules on how many laps each pairs racer must complete. As soon as the team records one lap you’re in the results.
As with all disciplines of riding, GP/XC has changed, and we are aligning with those changes. The Olympics saw much shorter, punchier short course and marathon has trended toward faster courses.
Schedule – for all participants
Friday
8:30am-2:30pm Rocky Trail Academy schools event – ALL TRACKS CLOSED.
From 3pm Track marking underway for XC event and you can practice on it but we won’t have any services (marshals, first aid) in place.
Saturday
7:30-8:45 am Registration open to pick up your number plate.
8.45 am Rider call up, be race ready.
9 am Race start
1.00 pm Race finish – you finish the lap you are on but can’t start a new one.
approx. 1.45pm Last Rider and Sweeper across the line and event finishes.
2.00 pm Ceremony
Sunday
From 8am Singlespeed Nationals
Timing:
Race plates with passive timing chips, automatic race timing and LIVE results online all day.
Event Facilities & Services:
- Event centre: Construction has just finished and the large centre grass area is now open BUT NO BIKES ALLOWED on the grass. We will have ground mats positioned for racing and marquee setup. Team marquees are welcome but no spikes are allowed, please bring weights or sandbags to secure.
- Coffee: Johnno from Groupset will be on site all day. Please support those who support us.
- Food: Mexican Cantina will be operating for lunch and after racing eats.
- Tech Support: Dean from Hitbikes will have those last minute spares.
- Toilets: Eight unisex toilets on site.
- Water: Drinking water taps are on site.
- MEDICAL: On site in the event centre and roaming out on track. The Race Director mobile number is available on your race plate for any issues out on track.
- TEAM TENTS – Are welcome – no spikes allowed – need weights/sand/water containers
Rider List and Results
All weekend you can find links to Rider List and LIVE Results via the drop-down menu from the event page on our website! Before the race day the page will display the RIDER LIST and from the race start onwards it will switch to LIVE then on Sunday after the race to final results. You can check these now and throughout the weekend via your mobile devices – to reduce touch points we will not have any public display computers on-site.
Emergency contacts:
Race Director – Bob Morris 0458 299 558
Event Manager Jo Parker 0424 955 332
GP: What you’re racing for
Each race offers official winners race plates, which is a set of special additional classifications:
- KOM/QOM with a polka dot race plate,
- Junior Sprint Winner (male/female U18 fastest lap time) in white,
- Best Sprinter for the fastest adult lap time (male/female) in green and a
- Solo GC Winner plate in yellow for male and female outright solo winners.
Racing the series
We will deliver the most expansive 4-Hour XC Series with events in NSW, ACT, QLD and VIC. Here is the the way we will calculate points:
- You will get points against your name in the category you are racing in. Meaning that if you swap teams, which is likely to happen with such a big line up of events, you will not lose your hard earned points but keep accumulating them.
- Each event offers a stand-alone race and race winners in the age categories are awarded with trophy number plates and accolade plaques, which can be collected and displayed on the number plates.
- Each race also offers the opportunity to accumulate points to go into the overall series ranking and the new points classification across all Rocky Trail events, which will form the “league of extraordinary #rockytrailracers.”
- Each race result and the relevant points count towards a rider’s series rankings.
- The series will be split into: NSW/ACT, Queensland, Victoria and additionally we will crown the overall Australian Shimano MTB GP Champions.
- Riders need to complete at least 2 races in one category to be eligible for an individual series podium ranking. Every race counts.
Insurance
You don’t need to be a member of any cycling association to race with Rocky Trail. Some offer great insurance packages which are worthwhile checking out and you are in charge of your own health insurance when racing with us.
Rocky Trail Merchandise:
- Rocky Trail Jerseys designed by Dharco ($75-$85)
- New in: Rocky Trail X Sendy Hoodies $65 and T-shirts $35
- Socks $15
- Mudguards $20
- Rocky Trail hats made from recycled materials “eco-choice” – $30
- Available from the Rocky Trail rego desk all weekend!
Rocky Trail X Dharco Jerseys
Rocky Trail X Sendy Hoodies & T-shirts
General Merch:
Event Photos:
Outer Image Collective photographers will be on site to snap that action photo you have been dreaming about.
Volunteers welcome
Rocky Trail is always looking for crew to support the riders. If you can lend a hand, complete our online form https://rockytrailentertainment.com/home/volunteering/ or contact Jo at jo@rockytrailentertainment.com to be part of the team. Riders luv seeing supporters at our events.
Event updates during the race / weekend:
We always announce any major updates including any new COVID restriction announcements mainly via the FB event page, as well as our news blog and email newsletters. Please feel comfortable to register knowing we will refund or transfer your entry if QLD tips upside down like the other states.
COVID-specific Event Guidelines
Rocky Trail Entertainment has all required Covid Safety plans and requirements in place.
We ask that if If you are showing any signs of the cold or flu or have a fever, that you please NOT come to the race. Please contact us immediately and we will transfer or refund your entry.
Now, get ready!
Do you have any questions?
Talk to us via our online chat – click on the orange circle symbol on your bottom right screen corner and we’ll be right with you! (We always love talking bikes, racing and riding!)
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