This Sunday 14th April, many of Australia’s fastest, and most enthusiastic, marathon mountain bike racers will amass at Woodend, Victoria, for the Wombat 100 Marathon Mountain Bike race. Renowned for utilising many great sections of single track in the Macedon ranges, the Wombat 1oo has drawn a good field in 2013. While in 2012 the Wombat 100 was the second race in the Real Insurance XCM Series, this year it is a stand alone event.
Much has already been written about the changing face of Marathon racing and race series’ in Australia for 2013. And looking down the start sheet for the Wombat 100, it looks like only a few Elite riders have chosen to prioritise races that are closer to home.
The Elite women’s field rivals that of the Kona Odyssey and Highland Fling. XCM National Champion, Peta Mullens, is fresh of a highly successful Cape Epic where she and Jarrod Moroni placed 2nd overall in the competitive mixed category. With Jenny Fay, Jenni King, Rowena Fry, Mel Ansett and Subaru-MarathonMTB.com’s own Naomi Hansen racing, the competition will be stiff.
Peta Mullens rides through WP2 as her partner Jarrod Moroni collects water and food.
The men’s field is also impressive – but perhaps not as much as the women’s considering the difference in competitor numbers. Last years winner, Shaun Lewis, is returning to wear the number one plate. Combined with his Swell-Specialized (and current XCM National Champion) Andy Blair, these two are not only two potential race winners, but they are team mates with cards to play in the race. Last year, Adrian Jackson was only just pipped for the win by Lewis, and makes up part of the rest of the strong field along with Ben Mather, team mates James Downing and Andrew Hall, and newly crowned Queensland Elite Criterium Champion – Andy Fellows.
Shaun Lewis is in stunning shape in 2013 – and will be one to watch at just about everything he enters.
Race entries are open until 10th April, so if you hurry you can still be part of the action.
Names on a start list are one thing, but performances are another. It will be very hard to bet against a win coming from the Swell-Specialized duo of Blair/Lewis – but they will also need to keep their eyes on the strong team partnership of James Downing and Andrew Hall. Hall is fresh off success at the 6×6 race at the 24hr Solo National Championships, and should have the form to use coming into the next month of Marathon racing. Ben Mather’s presence alone on the start list should cause concern – he doesn’t enter races to sit around.
In the women’s race, there are three women coming off great recent performances. Peta Mullens had a great Cape Epic, Jenny Fay won the Capital Punishment marathon race, and Naomi Hansen won the Marathon Challenge at Avoca. Add in a lot of single track and Jenni King and Mel Ansett are also serious contenders. Especially King, as a previous Marathon Champion.
It is worth noting that the Australian National XCM Championships are only one week but about 4000km away. Whether this will change the racing or not remains to be seen.
Check back here for event results and highlights late on Sunday 14th April.