This is classic cross-country lap racing at its best!
This is cross-country endurance lap racing at its best! From the first time between the tape to people that have spent a lifetime training for power output, we have you covered when you line up at the Rocky Trail start line!
Race for four (GP4) or six (GP6) hours solo or in relay pairs. There are age-group and eBike categories. Expect less of a winners-only-focused competition, but a positive and inclusive experience for all racers. 👇 Find more details about the event format, categories and entry fees in the drop-down menus and scroll down for track maps and destination information!
The Shimano MTB GP’s events are all about ‘seriously fun racing’! Podium chasers can line up with Australia’s elites and experienced amateur endurance racers plus casual racers will have a blast, all feeling safe and part of an inspiring community. If you haven’t raced a Shimano MTB GP and you are about to have you’re first #rockytrailracer experience… it won’t be your last, we’re sure!
With support from the Kempsey Shire Council this race will take you to one of those hidden gems on the NSW North Coast, the Kalateenee MTB Trails, home of the Macleay Valley Mountain Bikers. These guys are serious about trail building and we’ve raced there with our Superflow riders – think fast and flowy trails with plenty of fun features in the so typical bushland just off the Coast.
What is Shimano MTB GP racing?
Racing is a matter of spirit not strength.
This is cross-country racing at its best!
What’s the challenge? These cross-country events are normally run on an 8-10km circuit for solo racers, pairs and in teams of three and offer four or seven hour options. The solo rider or relay team in their respective categories/age groups with the most amount of laps completed in the least amount of time within the racing window, wins.
These events aim to reward as many riders as possible with prizes at each event and across the series. There are age-group and eBike category podiums. Racers receive a placing in their age category and in an online General Classification (GC).
Who can race it?
GP racing
Less of a winners-only-focused competition, but a positive and inclusive experience for all racers.
Podium chasers
Line up with Australia’s elites and experienced endurance racers – we’ll put you to the test!
Casual racers
Catch the racing bug with us – slapping on a Rocky Trail race plate can be addictive!
What are the racing options? To re-start the season in 2020 we are implementing COVID-19 risk mitigating measures that will change the format slightly. Please check the events portal for the latest updates!
How does it work?
All Shimano MTB GP’s are stand-alone races and all riders are welcome. You can also collect points for an overall series ranking throughout the season – details will be sent out via the Rider Briefing ahead of each race.
About the series
At the core of all our efforts to put together the annual racing calendar have and will always be the trails. We are working very closely with property managers and organisations, local councils and clubs and our aim is to deliver a versatile selection of terrain, regions and mountain bike trails.
There are quite a few regional trail networks on the calendar for 2020 – this will give more #rockytrailracers the chance to race at their local trails and let visiting riders compete with the growing Rocky Trail community, discovering favourite and brand new trails.
We use a state-of-the art live timing system that will allow you to check results instantly and remotely.
Why you will love it!
We created Rocky Trail Entertainment so that you can RACE THE WAY YOU RIDE!
We want our events to spark and feed your love for racing. With the Shimano MTB GP’s we deliver events where podium chasers can line up with Australia’s elites and experienced amateur endurance racers and were casual racers have a blast, all feeling safe and part of our community.
The SHIMANO MTB Grand Prix Series is in its twelfth year in 2020. Under the patronage of SHIMANO Cycling Australia and with its host of major sponsors and supporters it has grown to one of the major cross-country endurance racing series in Australia.
Our GP events are less of an elite- and winnersonly-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!
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.
Included in each entry: $60 race photo package from the crew at OuterImage.com.au – competitors can download their photos from an online portal after each event.
Double-header weekend – why two NSW GP’s on one weekend?
This race is a double header event together with Jolly Nose MTB Park. This means you can race at Jolly Nose on the one and in Kempsey on the other day of that weekend.
Each race has one race day and the Jolly Nose MTB Park and Kempsey venues are only about 50 min drive apart with Port Macquarie in the middle. So we thought racers who do Jolly Nose on Saturday can drive up and do Kempsey on Sunday and vice versa, plus stay with their families in beautiful Port Mac for the whole weekend… Both venues are a bit out of the way especially for Sydney and Canberran racers (a big proportion of our current rider base), so that way we thought we can offer them both venue experiences at the same time!
Location
Kalateenee MTB Trails – 330 Macleay Valley Way, South Kempsey NSW 2440
Event centre & parking: Located at Kempsey Golf Course, follow signs and crew instructions when you arrive.
Camping: we cannot camp right at the event centre at the golf course, however, you can camp at the adjacent NSW State Forest, this is where we will race. The closest Motel is the Kempsey Motor Inn right next to the golf course and the Kempsey Tourist Village caravan park is across the road.
Race track information:
- The event village will utilise a section of the Kempsey golf club and driving range .
- The first single track will be the “Pistol Track”. Enjoy this fast and flowy track because after just less than 2km riders will be faced with the “Stairway to Heaven” and much of the laps climbing (45m over 1.2km).
- Riders will pass through the 5ways for the first time (an excellent place to spectate) before continuing up “Fatsos” and hooking onto “Gary’s”.
- The course joins “Cross Cut” for some flat out peddling through this open forest presents some passing opportunities before a new section called “Y Not” will bring riders back to the Grass Tree Fire Rd.
- Crossing the fire road riders will hit up sections of “Billy Mav”, “Grasstree” and “Time Trial” before passing again the heckle zone at the 5ways.
- Some fun will be had in sections of “Rocky Ridge”, “Sydney Harbour” and “Tim’s Carlton Dry” before another chance to pass will be available on the West End fire Rd, and the “Club Run” takes riders back to the golf course and the end of the lap.
- The lap is 10.1km long and has only 180m of climbing in total.
Schedule
This race is a double header event together with Jolly Nose MTB Park. Meaning you can choose to race in Jollynose on Saturday and in Kempsey on Sunday.
Saturday
All day The track is marked and you can practice on it but we won’t have any services (marshalls, first aid) in place.
Sunday
7:30-8:45am Registration open to pick up your number plate.
8:50am Rider call up, be race ready. The official rider briefing be available online before the race.
9:00am Race start
approx. 11:00am Kids race
1:00pm Race finish – GP4
2:00pm Podium ceremony – GP4
3:00pm Race finish – GP6
4:00pm Podium ceremony – GP6
4:30pm Event finish
Destination & Plan your trip
What is there to do in a coastal region when the weather turns chilly? The answer is, plenty, especially when winter in the Macleay is mostly blue clear skies and crisp, cooler days – perfect racing conditions and so many things to do off the track too! You’ve been dreaming…now’s the time to drop in – find out the top nine ways to enjoy winter on the Macleay Valley Coast!
Macleay Valley fun fact: Did you know that this stretch of the North Coast is one of the best places to spot migrating whales and August is the ideal time to observe these beautiful creatures as they migrate south with their calves! According to the locals the top five hot spots are (1) Trial Bay Gaol, (2) Horseshoe Bay, (3) Grassy Head, (4) Stuarts Point and (5) Crescent Head. – The Rocky Trail crew can confirm that, it’s just magnificent! Find out more!
For more information on accommodation options and what else is on, visit the Macleay Valley Visitor Information site.
We would like to thank the Kempsey Shire Council for their event support.
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Fantastic, well run events with character!
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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!)