Australia isn’t shy of a 3, 4 6, 7, 8, 12 or 24hr event. The race calendar is full of them! But there are certain ones that stand out. The JetBlack 12 Hour Mountain Bike event is the largest 12hr race in NSW and has moved to the trail network at the James Estate Winery in the Upper Hunter Valley near Denman. Racing is on 12 July 2014, and World 24hr Champion Jason English from Port Macquarie has confirmed to his participation to defend the elite men’s title in the Rocky Trail event, which he has held since 2009.
The James Estate Winery is not only well-known for its delicious wines, but also for the beautiful location. Visitors to the Cellar Door at Baerami can not only explore the property on a ridge walk, which takes them to a magnificent lookout high above the vineyards, but they can also ride their mountain bikes on custom-built trails.
Jason English will race at the JetBlack 12 Hour to defend his elite men’s title. Photo: Outerimage
Rocky Trail Entertainment have held two races at James Estate already and are now bringing their JetBlack 12 Hour to the popular venue, which is one of their largest endurance MTB competitions, expecting close to 400 competitors. The race start will be at 10 am to allow for a more relaxed start into the day. A change has also been announced for the official prize ceremony, says Event Manager Juliane Wisata, “The race will finish quite late, so we’ll hold a flower ceremony at night. As a lot of riders and visitors will be camping on-site or stay in close-by towns, we’ll have a big brunch together on the Sunday with the official prize ceremony and then everyone will still have plenty of time to explore the winery and the surrounding Upper Hunter Valley.”
Jason English will be at the start to defend his elite men’s title. Last year’s runner up Andrew Lloyd from Newcastle, one of the most promising new talents on the Australian MTB endurance racing scene, is believed to be English’s strongest contender. But Jason has had plenty of challengers through the Shimano MTB GP Series in the 7hr category – so he will have to watch more than just one rider.
Photo: Outerimage
The race track will feature about 11 km through vineyards and bush land in and around the winery and participants can race solo or in relay-style teams of up to six riders.
“The trails are fantastic and absolutely ideal for multi-lap racing, with a good mix of flowing singletrack and fast fire road”, says Race Director Martin Wisata.
Every race participant will receive a complimentary a bottle of James Estate Wine and all visitors and spectators will be treated to culinary treats from the region. Free kids races and activities will keep young visitors busy and entry for spectators is free. The James Estate cellar door will be open all day.
For more information visit: www.rockytrailentertainment.com