Is it mid-season, or just the beginning? If you are a pure XC racer, you should be hitting some kind of peak for Nationals or Oceanias. If you race a lot of lap based Enduro’s, then you have had a few to while away the summer. But if you’re a Marathon racer – you may well be going stir crazy. There have been some events on, but nothing really big. Nothing that makes you take time off work to travel. Not something you consult a coach about. Not races that you would necessarily mark on your palmares.
Enter the Kona Odyssey. It started in 2007, and is a classic adventure in the Otway Ranges. The first running threw numerous challenges at riders (and probably organisers as well) with last minute access problems causing a change of course. Still, the feeling of taking off down the Great Ocean Road with the sports best, and straight up into the ranges with buzzing helicopters overhead was nothing short of spectacular.
This Saturday sees the sixth running of the event. Anyone who has raced it will know it can be wet or dry. Both are hard. There are no easy options at the Odyssey. Everyone hurts, everyone suffers. The climbing is unrelenting in the first third of the race, and it is decisive. Passing an eye over the start list the usual suspects are present in the Open Male event. Chris Jongewaard took the win last year, and some of his strongest competition will come from previous Merida-Flight Cnetre team mates Adrian Jackson and Jason English. Matt Fleming is more than likely to ‘go up the road’ at some point, and strong Victorians such as Ashley Hayat could make a big impact. Murray Spink took the inaugural win. Can he come good again? Lachie Norris was there in 2007, and returns time and time again. Perhaps 2012 is his year?
In the Open Women field it is likely the win will come from either Peta Mullens, Jess Douglas, Naomi Williams, Rebecca Locke or Subaru-MarathonMTB.com rider Naomi Hansen. The 50km and 15km options will offer fantastic racing – with something available for everyone who can ride singletrack.
New for 2012 is live rider tracking. The top seeded mens and womens riders can be tracked for the whole race, and every rider will have their splits updated online. This can all be seen on the event homepage.