Stromlo Forest Park hosts SHIMANO MTB Grand Prix Finale

Canberra will host the final round of the SHIMANO MTB Grand Prix racing series this Saturday, 7 September.

AMB Magazine 03.09.2013

race-start

Canberra will host the final round of the SHIMANO MTB Grand Prix racing series this Saturday, 7 September. The successful endurance mountain biking racing series has attracted a huge crowd of mountain bikers over the past four races since April and for the final four and seven hour event the organisers from Rocky Trail Entertainment expect more than 300 riders at the popular Stromlo Forest Park venue. Newcastle’s Grant Webster has a massive lead in the seven hour elite male category and Canberran riders Ed McDonald and Jamie Ingram are expected to race for second and third place overall in the series.

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With Awaba, Ourimbah and Mount Annan, Rocky Trail’s four and seven hour series has taken riders to some of the most popular mountain bike venues in NSW and has again put a new venue on the map with James Estate in the Upper Hunter Valley. For its final round an 8-10 km loop will be the race track at Stromlo Forest Park in Canberra and riders from all over Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong regions as well as the ACT will compete in the four and seven hour competitions.

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After a consistent series with the SHIMANO MTB Grand Prix, former pro-road cyclist Grant Webster from Tea Gardens in Newcastle will take out the seven hour elite men’s overall series title. “The last round will be interesting as I don’t have to do a lot mathematically to win the series, basically finish top 20 and it’s mine. But I think it will also be the strongest field of the series and I’m keen to race those fast Canberran riders on their home track”, said Apollo Bicylces racer Webster who added that his endurance levels were solid from his road racing background, but that riders like Ed McDonald, who won the last round and currently is second in the series, still had the edge on him on the rougher mountain bike terrains.

Online registration will be open until Friday, 6th September at 5pm at www.rockytrailentertainment.com

Schedule for Saturday, 7 September:

9 am Race start for 4 and 7 hour competitors

1 pm Race finish for 4 hour racers

2.30 pm Est. ceremony for 4 hour race and series

4 pm Race finish for 7 hour racers

5.30 pm Est. ceremony for 7 hour race and series

Photos by Outer Image Collective / outerimage.com.au:

Grant Webster has held onto his lead in the SHIMANO MTB GP seven hour elite men’s series since Round 2 at James Estate in the Upper Hunter Valley – here at the race start with race #2.

Grant Webster, elite men’s series winner in the seven-hour SHIMANO MTB GP racing – leading the field with #1 at the last round at Mount Annan.

Ed McDonald – Canberra’s runner up in the SHIMANO MTB GP elite men’s series.