March 13, 2011 will mark the inaugural James Williamson Enduro Challenge, with rider of all ages encouraged to challenge themselves to a day of marathon racing at Wingello State Forest in New South Wales, Australia.
The event is a joint initiative between the Southern Highlands Cycling Club and Canberra Off-Road Cyclists and will act as a memorial to James Williamson, the 2008 World and 2006 Australian MTB 24 Hour champion. A well-known and highly respected member of the world mountain-bike community, ‘Willo’ passed away on March 23, 2010 while he was participating in the Cape Epic Mountain Bike Race in South Africa.
The Enduro Challenge named in his honour will be open to a huge range of riders and abilities, with organisers describing the event as “a ride for those who love mountain biking, and a race for those who love to ride hard.”
Proceeds from the event will go the the James Williamson Fund, which was set up with the goal of developing young mountain bike riders in New South Wales and the ACT. The fund provides an annual training camp for young riders, as well as assistance packages to help them get the most out of their sport.
Categories at the James Williamson Enduro Challenge will include:
– Open Male & Female – 75, 50 and 25 kilometre courses
– Under 19 – 25 and 50 kilometres
– Under 17 – 13 and 25 kilometres
– Under 15 – 13 kilometre event
Registration for the event is already open. All participants who register before December 1st will receive a specially designed “Willo T-shirt” as part of their entry fee. Numbers will be limited to 600 riders, and registrations will be on a first-come-first-serve basis.
More information and registration for this event can be found at the Southern Highlands Cycling Club website.