Husky100 A-Go (touch wood quickly!!)

[kerbs]

Hi Folks

Seems we have brushed our curse, or will continue our good form of running the Husky on its second scheduled date of each year. Things are looking very promising anyway.

So, we're looking for some ppl who know the tracks, and some that don't, to do some sweep riding, or lending other assistance at this years event, in return for entries into next years event.

Fairly basic but fun tasks such as handing out medals, and fruit salad and ice cream on the finish line, assistance with event rego or around the event centre, and pre and sweep course riding. The early morning pre-ride of a few sections of track will be crucial this year, with the event being on a Sunday, lots can go walk-about or be tampered with on the Saturday prior.

If you're around and can lend a little assistance, please email me at matt [at] iadventure.com.au

Ta muchly and seeya soon! Matt & Amanda.

[locky]

Copy of newspaper article

A large number of Shoalhaven mountain bike riders competed with distinction in the Stevens Bikes Husky 100 Marathon endurance races on the 27th October. Several local riders finished in top 10 positions in their respective age groups in the 50km and 100km events held in the forest between the Callala Beach, Worrigee and Falls Creek areas.
The Husky 100 is organised by iAdventure, which is an Australian Event Management company specialising in Adventure Racing and Mountain Bike Endurance Events.
The 2013 event was held in perfect conditions, with the local trails in the driest condition they have been in for the short history of the event, ensuring some very fast times on the day. Since commencing in 2010, the Stevens Bikes Husky 100 has gained wide spread accolades as the most enjoyable, laid-back and achievable marathon on the Australian MTB Endurance Calendar.
Over 700 riders competed on the day in distances of 15km, 50km and 100km. Age categories were: Junior (13-15), Open (16-29), Veterans (30-39), Masters (40-49), Super Masters (50-59), Grand Masters (60+) and Singlespeed (fixed gear).
Among the outstanding local results were 50km: Luke Harden 7th Open, David Bell 6th Veterans, Nick Smee 10th Masters, Warran McLachlan 33rd Masters, Matt Kidd 38th Masters, Geoff Lockhart 9th Super Masters, Trevor Bridge 10th Super Masters, Trevor Clark 35th Super Masters; 100km: Mark Astley 7th Veterans, Elvio Fernandes 19th Veterans, Andrew Mein 22nd Veterans, Duncan Miller 14th Masters, Michael Visser 28th Masters, Adrian Whitehead 86th Masters, Kevin Bristow 10th Singlespeed, Greg Lewis 11th Singlespeed.
In other endurance races coming up several members of the South Coast United Mountainbikers Club will be competing in Round 4 of the SRAM Singletrack Mind Series 7 hour race at Welby in the Southern Highlands on the 3rd of November and other riders will be racing at the Camelback Highland Fling (55km,110km & 100mile) on the 10th of November, also in the Southern Highlands at Bundanoon.

Geoff Lockhart

[mark]

Here is my race report for the race.

Husky 100

This was the first hit out on the bike since World Endurance Mountain Bike Organisation (WEMBO) which I had been a really toughro me at the time. So it was time to make amen’s for WEMBO. The last time I raced the Husky I didn’t seed myself very well at the start and got stuck behind a lot of slower riders. This year I made sure that I was up the front. I was off in the second group two minutes after the top guns, with everyone else going off in groups of 60 every couple of minutes after that to help with congestion. This is a great idea as your time doesn’t start until you ride over the start mat, and your finish position is work out from that time, so if you catch the group in front of you your are already two minutes up on them.
The goal for the race was not to be passed and see how many of the front group I could catch. Also to go sub 5hrs
The start was full throttle for about the first 3kms to get to the single track, when we got to the single track the pace backed off a bit which was good because I had been on the limit. I passed a few of the guys in my group and was now in the lead of our start group, now to catch the others. As we crossed Forrest Rd for the first time we took a sharp right in to some brand new single track the sweet the fun begins. I was slowly starting to reel in some of the leading riders every now and then and they kept giving me small goals get to the next rider up the track. As we got into Butter Fly, Superbowl and then Coondoo it was a blessing as this was my bread and butter I had raced and trained here lots through out the year and was now catching quite a few riders. Out of Coondoo and it is a straight run back to the finish line, I was feel really good and just went as hard as I could, I could see a group of 5 or so riders a long way up the track so the goal was to try and catch them. I was slowly catching them on the open fire trails and then lost sight of them, as I came out of a very technical rocky climb with about 10kms to go there they where all of them with in 50m. I tucked onto the back for a bit to recovery and they soon let me through. I put the hammer down again to try get a bit of a gap, with this I was riding a bit out side my ability. I ended up in the bottom of one of the big fire trail rut and as I tried to get out the front wheel stopped and over the handle bars I went, and all the guys I had just past went back. I managed to catch back up to them, and decided to wait for the last couple of kms where the track opens up on the Callalla golf club. The pace was smoking and I was frothing we dropped a couple of the guys form the group. There was still two riders left in front of me with 300m to go. Put the big sprint in got past and managed to hold them off to the line.
Had a great race, the track was in great condition no big bog holes out there this year. Achieved both my goals caught quite a few of the lead bunch and finished with a time of 4:30, a 40min PB for the Husky 100 for me.
Finished 7th in Veterans and 14th Overall. Very happy camper.