Some of Australia’s most popular mountain bike marathon events have joined forces to create a new MTB series. It has been announced that a new event series will launch to capture the essence of mountain biking and encourage participation at all levels from Elite riders to weekend warriors and juniors.
mav-‐er-‐ick: an Individual, who’s maybe a little unorthodox and doesn’t feel it necessary to conform; they’ll blaze their own trail and choose their own line. And we love them for it.
The name defines much of what the mountain biking culture is all about.
In 2014, four of the most popular and longest established MTB events in the country come together under the banner of The 2014 Maverick Marathon Series. The Series, which will attract over 6000 riders, includes:
• Capital Punishment, 15 March, ACT – Now in its 5th year Capital Punishment traverses a magical route across Canberra on iconic trails including Mount Stromlo and Kowen Forest
• The Giant Odyssey, 27 April, VIC – Taking place for the 8th time in 2014, the Giant Odyssey is Victoria’s premier mountain bike marathon looping a stunning and spectacular route starting and finishing on the renowned singletrack of Forrest in the Otway Ranges
• The Kowalski Classic, 21 September, ACT – In 2 short years the Kowalski has earned a reputation for endless singletrack in Kowen Forest and Sparrow Hill and has quickly established itself as one of the marathons not to miss
• The CamelBak Highland Fling, 9 November, NSW – 10 years old in 2014, The Fling is a MTB event that truly takes you on a journey through singletrack, farm, forest and villages in the stunning Southern Highlands. Long established as one of the big events on the MTB calendar
All four events offer challenging, fun courses in iconic locations and are presented by professional event organisers with an excellent track record for delivering quality events and a passion for the sport of mountain biking. Riders will be ranked based on their best results in 3 of the 4 events. Participants must ride in a minimum of 3 events.
Thankfully, this series isn’t creating extra events in an already crowded calendar. Australia doesn’t need more marathon (XCM) races. It does need quality events, and these races have a track history, and some of them are known ‘classics’ amongst new and experience mountain bikers. The Maverick series would appear to have been launched in direct competition to the Real Insurance XCM Series, which is a Cycling Australia sanctioned National Series. There are some key differences here for Elite racers, but less for the majority.
The Real Insurance XCM Series incorporates the Australian XCM National Championships, with a jersey awarded that is recognised the world over – with the UCI ranking points that accompany it. Having a cohesive National Series could secure greater media coverage, and perhaps even UCI ranking points in the future for select events. For Australian racers who want to qualify for the XCM World Championships, this is essential for a better start position.
The Maverick Series doesn’t have the same backing by Cycling Australia, but as it stands this has very little immediate impact for the majority of riders who attend and compete in races around Australia. The four races take place on proven trails, by organisers with trusted reputations. Dates are known, locations are known. And to an extent, the experience is known too. At this point of time, not all rounds of the Real Insurance XCM Series have their venues set.
The promoters of the events within The Maverick Marathon Series; AROCsport, Rapid Ascent, Self Propelled Enterprises and Wild Horizons are very excited to bring The Maverick Marathon Series to the great Australian mountain bike community.
Further details will be released in the New Year.
‘I feel the need. The need for speed.’ Maverick, Top Gun (1986) Who will be Top Gun in the 2014 Maverick Marathon Series?
See you on the trails!
www.maverickseries.com.au More details coming soon.