Rowena Fry during an interview at the Australian National Championships (Image credit: Evan Jeffery / evanjeffery.blogspot.com)
Tasmania's top mountain bikers, including Rowena Fry and Ben Mather, will compete at the first of 10 events in the Forestry Tasmania Mountain Bike Series, to be held at Turners Beach in Tasmania's northwest on Sunday.
The series will involve five cross country and five downhill events statewide on Sundays between now and the end of February, with the championship finals to be held at the Tolosa Mountain Bike Park in Glenorchy on Saturday and Sunday March 20 and 21.
The events are being run by the Launceston Mountain Bike Club and the Hobart Wheelers and Dirt Devils. The Forestry Tasmania/Southern Cross Community Assist program is sponsoring them.
Launceston Mountain Bike Club President Ian Smith said it was the sixth year the championships had been held.
"The series attracts riders aged from age 11 to 70 across 18 categories, from beginners through to national contenders including Fry, Mather and Sid Taberlay when they can fit these events into their hectic racing schedules," said Smith.
"These events not only help raise the profile and participation in mountain biking in Tasmania, but also provide a pathway for juniors and elite riders to the national series."
"In the past 12 months, the we have worked hard to bring new people to the sport and have achieved a 100 percent increase in membership," he said. "We strive to create a friendly, fun and approachable environment at all of our events to encourage newcomers and beginners to participate."
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This year, the series has been boosted by a AUS$10,000 sponsorship and naming rights deal through the Pride of Tasmania category of the Community Assist program.
"We are excited about developing an even deeper relationship with Forestry Tasmania. The sponsorship will go a long way to develop the statewide series." Forestry Tasmania Mountain Bike Series cross country events
October 18: Turners Beach in the northwest
November 15: Clarence Mountain Bike Park in Clarence
November 22: Ben Lomond
December 6: Hollybank Adventure Forests
December 20: Kellevie in the southeast
Forestry Tasmania Mountain Bike Series downhill events
October 25: Wyena, near Hollybank in the north
November 15: Tolosa Mountain Bike Park in Glenorchy
December 6: Hollybank Adventure Forests in the north
February 28: Wyena
A venue and date to be announced
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Sue George is an editor at Cyclingnews. She coordinates all of the site's mountain bike race coverage and assists with the road, 'cross and track coverage.
