Cannonball MTB Festival Day Two: Flow, Slalom and Full Gas Racing in Thredbo
Day two of the Cannonball MTB Festival in Thredbo delivered hero dirt, tight margins and one very smoked left-hand corner
Photography by Clancy Kelly
Up first was the Fox Flow Motion Cup, the biggest event of the week by participation and easily one of the fan favourites. Less technical than the All-Mountain Enduro but just as demanding on the body, the top-to-bottom run down Kosciuszko Flow always produces tight racing across every category.
Overnight rain left the track in prime condition, with hero dirt setting the stage for fast times.
After dominating earlier in the week, Ryan Gilchrist was the pick for the day but was pipped by Daniel Scobie by nearly a second. As a Thredbo staff member who rides Kosciuszko Flow most days, Scobie was stoked to take it to some of the world’s best on his home track. Tom Locke continued his consistent form, rounding out the Men’s podium in third.
In the Women’s field, Zana Evans backed up her second place from the All-Mountain to take the win by 1.39 seconds over Sian A’Hern, with Elleni Turkovic not far behind. With two events remaining, all three riders are firmly in the conversation for Queen of Cannonball.
Schralp-Off Chaos
Before the gates dropped for Dual Slalom, Jack Moir and Eddie Masters’ Unofficial Official Schralp-Off World Champs stole the show.
A pack of groms threw themselves and their rear wheels into the freshly built left-hander, chasing a cool $1000 prize. The corner didn’t stand a chance. The crowd packed in, the dirt flew, and for a few minutes the festival felt less like a race and more like what bike culture is really about.
Moments like that are what make Cannonball special.
Maxxis Dual Slalom Delivers
The revamped Maxxis Dual Slalom course mixed things up this year, featuring kickers, wall rides and whoops alongside the regular flat grass turns. It rewarded sharp starts and clean timing, with riders from a BMX background clearly comfortable out of the gate.
Fastest qualifiers were Ryan Gilchrist and Sabina Kosarkova of the Czech Republic, both former Pump Track World Champions, translating that explosive power perfectly into the slalom format.
Both riders went on to win their finals, with Gilchrist battling Jack Druery and Kosarkova taking on Amelia Freeman to claim victory.
With more racing still to come, Cannonball MTB Festival is building serious momentum in Thredbo, and if day two proved anything, it’s that the pace isn’t dropping anytime soon.
