Manly Dam Video

Got an hour or two? Make a few laps around Manly Dam and some of its fun challenges.

The 2013 Ginja Ninja 250 Video

Ginja Ninja Pictures and Data

Big Dog front and centre

Riders skirt through transition on the short start loop

A very large number of the bikes present were 29ers, though suspension was optional

Ginja Ninja 250

I don’t get enough chances to ride the trails of Orange and when the calendar flashed up with the annual Ginja Ninja 250, I was keen to return.

The 250 minute event is enthusiastically supported by the Central West Off Road Bicycling Club and the Orange community. This makes for a friendly vibe both around transition and on the trail.

Speaking of the trail, a sweet selection of the available Kinross trails were made, keeping everyone happy and hooting through the forest. Winding climbs, marked A and B technical sections and our favourite, fast on-camber traverses and descents. Oh-yeah.

Solo ninja Paul Schroder tussled with Andrew Lloyd during the first few hours but Paul’s super consistency paid dividends and he was able to get out for an extra lap. On the third step on the strong Solo male podium was Olivier Vallee.

There was a close battle in the Solo Female category with the three podium finishers completing seven laps. Kate Haynes built a lead during the later stages to finish before Danielle Pollock and Elise Buriss, second and third respectively.

With just pride (and possibly beers) on the line there were two teams in the male pairs category who were in their own duel. The teams of Bikeminded/Specialized and Vote 1 J. Raymond Miss Universe averaged lap times within two seconds of each other over the four hour ten minute event. It was a great skirmish to watch as both teams had an equally strong rider who went out on the opposing lap. The Bikeminded/Specialized team of Sascha Lotz and Jasen Raymond edged out Brian Price and Albury Hill by a mere 15 seconds, they placed fourth and fifth in Male Pairs.

This close racing, friendliness both on and off the trail, hot food, demo bikes, give-aways, all run on the enjoyable trails of Kinross will continue to make the Ginja Ninja 250 a hit with us all.

Sessions at Yellomundi

FLOW Rollercoaster Ourimbah Video

From CrummyMTB.

FLOW Rollercoaster Ourimbah

I've never been so on the edge as much as I was on my ASR-C. Especially with the top DH section I feel I was very close to the limit. My modified ASR-C now a 96er, slack geometry perfect, big rolling front wheel perfect, long wheelbase perfect. Sub 100mm travel, XC tread and integrated seatpost, not the wisest decision. All-n-all, great day out, sweet riding with shuttles to the top. I did test the ride up ones, just for laughs, and I know why I was the only one to do so.

With the success of the 2012 Rollercoaster Series and Championships, Rocky Trail have not rested on their laurels. For 2013, Rocky Trail have upped the anti with twice as many races on four separate trail locations, Ourimbah , Del Rio , Thredbo and Stromlo. In partnership with NSWMTB and local clubs, they have created a competition worthy of the All-mountain/Super D NSW State Series title.

More mountainbikers becoming aware of All-mountain riding, the fun fusion of gravity assisted trails with plenty of flow and a small amount of climbing. It really shows when you turn up to an event like this, where there is a wide range of mountainbikes and diverse levels of riding experience. What connects the competitors is the thrill of watching other riders kicking off the start line, the cries of encouragement and the buzz themselves knowing they are in for the same treatment.

Ourimbah was the first round of the FLOW Rollercoaster 2013 and the trail selected was a mixture of aggressive downhill and rolling XC trails. Rain during the week had left the trail mostly damp with patchy puddles especially in the lower sections. A hundred and thirty riders had turned up for the event, this kept the shuttle buses busy ferrying riders and their bikes to the top of the hill.

After all the adventures practising the set course in the morning all the riders gathered at the start shute for their timed runs. Hopped up on free energy drinks and banana bread riders were set off on the challenging course at 30 second intervals. In the Elite male category it was the intimate local knowledge and skilful ability of Brad Kelly that shone through. Brad easily trumped all-rounder Jon Odams and downhill champion Michael Ronning, placing second and third consecutively. In the Elite female category the racing was even closer than their male counterparts. Genevieve McKew pipped Vanessa Thompson by just four seconds, with Lauren Mackertich placing third.

Yellomundee Sessions

Trek/Anytime Fitness rider Sean Bekkers visited Western Sydney and was keen to hit the trails. After Sean and I made the quick entry just days before the event to ride as a pair at the Scott 24 2012, Sean has been blasting the trails where ever he goes. Some how I kept up him on what was his first visit to Yellomundee.