Jason English Claims Fourth JetBlack 24H Sydney Race
Botanic Garden Director Caz McCallum welcomed more than five hundred competitors from all over New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, as well as Queenslanders and racers from Victoria, who enjoyed the unique opportunity to race the first long distance mountain bike event ever be held in a botanic garden. The new MTB trail's “godfather”, Horticultural Manager, Dan Bishop and organisers Juliane and Martin from Rocky Trail then kicked off the race, with all eyes on the duel between 24H Solo double-world Champion Jason English from Port Macquarie and the up and coming endurance racer Ed McDonald from Canberra.
English amassed 37 laps in 20hr 22.37 min to claim the win on the 10 km track, which was praised by riders to be one of the most challenging yet fun to ride tracks ever offered up for a 24 H endurance race. The first lap times soon confirmed that Ed McDonald indeed was English's strongest challenger and they were close together until English made his move after five hours into the race which had started at noon on Saturday. McDonald managed also 37 laps to finish a respectable second despite competing on a bike with fixed gearing.
“All I knew was Ed (McDonald) would be there. I knew I would have to keep an eye on him,” admitted English. “We started riding for the first few laps together. He went hard up a few hills but I wanted to warm up and get to know the track.” Into the evening English had made a comfortable buffer between him and Mc Donald however by the early hours of Sunday morning McDonald started to pull back some ground.
“I tried to look after myself. I was feeling pretty busted at that time,” said English. Third overall was Benji Morris from Sydney’s northern beaches on 34 laps.
New format: 6+6 H race
Canberra’s Shane Taylor won the Mercedes-Benz Huntingwood 6+6 Hour race category, which was hosted in conjunction with the JetBlack 24 Hour event and cheekily dubbed the “endurance race with a pillow”. Taylor completed 22 laps in 24hr 15min to beat Hornsby rider, Dave Carter by 11 minutes. Third place getter was Phil Giles from Figtree on 19 laps.
Mel Hayes from The Junction won with two Canberra riders Karen Taylor and Shelley Dorey in second and third respectively.
Canberra women’s pair Claire Graydon and Karen Foat won the female two person team category with a remarkable 34 laps while Bathurst’s Ryan Sargent and Michael Buttsworth won the men’s two person team on the same laps just 23 minutes ahead of the women.
The JetBlack 24 hr overall winners were a team of four, Project 63 from Sydney, recording an impressive 48 laps with Ben Fillingham, True Swain, Stuart Binns and Tim Kerle.
Among all the JetBlack 24 Hour racers, the fastest lap time of 25.23 min was completed by a team of six rider, Troy Glennon from Sydney. Queenslander Robert Lewis claimed the fastest lap time in the 6+6 Hour competition with 22.59 min.
With the blended vibe of a chilled out music festival and a laid back mountain bike race it was an event that attracted some of the most talented MTB endurance athletes in the country. This second Sydney 24 Hour race for 2011 concludes race organiser Rocky Trail’s 2011 season.
The 2012 events calendar has already been confirmed and the kick-off race will be their MTB Cruise 100 at Stromlo Forest Park in Canberra on 25 February 2011. With race options including 100 miles, 100 km, as well as 60 km and 30 km, race organisers promise to put up the longest loop track ever ridden at Stromlo for the epic race.
For detailed race results, photos and event information, visit www.rockytrailentertainment.com
Photo: Marathon-Photos.com
• Marathon_1_English_JBYA0928.jpeg – Jason English racing to victory for the fourth consecutive time at the JetBlack 24H Sydney race.