Reigning world champion wins despite torrential rain

Current 24-hour solo world champion Jason English said he is on track to defend his world title this year after winning the JetBlack 24 hour Sydney race over the weekend. The 24-hour solo champion, along with 450 other riders, braved torrential rain at Wiseman's Ferry near Sydney, Australia. English completed 28 grueling laps despite organizers, Rocky Trail Entertainment, being forced to shorten the race to 12 hours.

English admitted to being relieved that the race was shortened after the blistering pace set by the lead riders during the first eight hours. The biggest threat came from another New South Wales rider John Blankenstein from Tathra.

"I thought I only had to worry about Shane (Taylor) from Canberra. Luckily he pulled out but John was breathing down my neck," said English.

Blankenstein showed his form uphill while English says he was able to reclaim time on the downhill. "I think having downhill bars just gave me crazy confidence," said English.

When the race was officially restarted on Saturday morning after being halted at 8:00 pm the night before, there were only four hours remaining. English was still not confident of taking the solo win.

"The big thing was that there was only a three minute gap," he explained. That created some pressure for English, whose sponsor was also the sponsor of the race.

With wet conditions, riders were getting grit in their brake pads forcing them to change pads frequently. For English, however, that was starting to look like a problem. "We were changing the pads about every four laps, so we had to get some more." English said only limited pads of the type he uses are available yet in Australia, so his team started ringing bike shops in search of more for him. "Finally they had to get me some sets from the warehouse," said English.

Even after winning the race, English admitted that this close finish was a wake-up call for him.

"John is trained by Mark Fenner. I really am now seriously thinking about getting a coach," he said.

Blankenstein finished second on equal 28 laps but was 18 minutes down on the winning time. Third place went to David Lodenia from Lawson in New South Wales on 25 laps.

The women's race victory was secured by Sydney based rider, Kim Stokeld with 18 laps. Second was Gill Lugg from Canberra with a total of 16 laps, and Phillippa Rostan from Queanbeyan claimed third with 11 laps.

Despite the deluge, teams were sent off in a mass restart on Sunday morning while solo riders were sent out according to their time gaps.

Overall winners were the hotly fancied team of Andrew Fellows and Sean Bekkers from Queensland's Sunshine Coast region with an impressive 29 laps. Second overall was a six rider men's team from Stanwell in New South Wales on equal laps while English recorded third place overall.

The 24-hour race was New South Wales only qualifying race for solo riders for entry into the 24-hour world solo mountain bike championships which will be held outside of the USA and Canada for the first time when they head to Canberra this October.

Australian riders have claimed the World 24-hour solo title only twice before with Craig Gordon in 2006 and James Williamson in 2008.

 

Full Results

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Solo men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Jason English (24:07:29)28pts
2John Blankenstein (24:25:40)28Row 1 - Cell 3
3Dave - Lifecycles (24:23:12)25Row 2 - Cell 3
4Jamie Bailey (24:11:17)24Row 3 - Cell 3
5Simon Ball (24:23:19)24Row 4 - Cell 3
6Total Rush (24:29:23)24Row 5 - Cell 3
7Scott The Edge (24:23:31)23Row 6 - Cell 3
8David Macdonald (24:30:10)23Row 7 - Cell 3
9Adam Mccabe (24:31:38)23Row 8 - Cell 3
10Bog Trotting Boogie Man (24:14:32)22Row 9 - Cell 3
11Anaconda (23:59:33)21Row 10 - Cell 3
12Sean Burke (24:02:44)21Row 11 - Cell 3
13Colin Thomsen (24:11:00)21Row 12 - Cell 3
14Damien Enderby (24:18:09)21Row 13 - Cell 3
15Enduro Pulse (24:20:34)21Row 14 - Cell 3
16Aaron Thomson (24:29:09)21Row 15 - Cell 3
17Scott Charton (24:35:24)21Row 16 - Cell 3
18North Shore Racing (24:02:23)20Row 17 - Cell 3
19Clayton Sparke (24:17:57)20Row 18 - Cell 3
20Potz (24:32:16)20Row 19 - Cell 3
21Bikecology (24:33:34)20Row 20 - Cell 3
22Clinton Leong (24:02:13)19Row 21 - Cell 3
23Dirk Riding (24:14:56)19Row 22 - Cell 3
24Chris Abell (24:24:04)19Row 23 - Cell 3
25Chris Lusty (24:25:12)19Row 24 - Cell 3
26Matthew Pellow (24:32:14)19Row 25 - Cell 3
27Shane Fraser (24:33:27)19Row 26 - Cell 3
28Checkmate (24:44:59)19Row 27 - Cell 3
29Fulcher's Bike Hub/Trek (21:58:15)18Row 28 - Cell 3
30Trent Morgan (24:27:45)18Row 29 - Cell 3
31The Conster (24:32:30)18Row 30 - Cell 3
32Josh Taylor (24:11:46)17Row 31 - Cell 3
33Stephen Chapman (24:12:13)17Row 32 - Cell 3
34Mark Mollenhagen (24:19:39)17Row 33 - Cell 3
35Matthew Hou (24:31:21)17Row 34 - Cell 3
36Timothy Aust (24:32:19)17Row 35 - Cell 3
37Shane Taylor (07:48:45)16Row 36 - Cell 3
38Hot Designs Racing (21:43:26)16Row 37 - Cell 3
3924Hour (24:36:35)16Row 38 - Cell 3
40Mg (23:24:21)15Row 39 - Cell 3
41On The Narrow Road (24:35:43)15Row 40 - Cell 3
42Hard Can't (07:31:18)14Row 41 - Cell 3
43Escape (23:13:51)11Row 42 - Cell 3
44Matt Nash (08:12:09)10Row 43 - Cell 3
45Richard Ferris (08:41:41)10Row 44 - Cell 3
46Jason Harrod (21:42:08)10Row 45 - Cell 3
47Schackattack (07:34:44)9Row 46 - Cell 3
48Team Go Fast Bits (Gfb) (08:13:30)9Row 47 - Cell 3
49Arse Is Busted (04:06:16)6Row 48 - Cell 3
50Bookbargains (04:17:48)5Row 49 - Cell 3
51John Osborn (07:29:05)4Row 50 - Cell 3
52Gumby (02:14:26)3Row 51 - Cell 3
53Jay Bailey (31:17)1Row 52 - Cell 3
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Solo men 40+
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1John Harris (24:25:09)24pts
2Sloan (24:25:46)24Row 1 - Cell 3
3Clayton Locke (24:27:52)23Row 2 - Cell 3
4Mike Israel (24:29:57)23Row 3 - Cell 3
5Stuart Maclachlan (24:02:51)20Row 4 - Cell 3
6Garry Rogers (24:06:47)20Row 5 - Cell 3
7Tegski (24:07:02)19Row 6 - Cell 3
8The Shopping Bike (24:23:15)19Row 7 - Cell 3
9Bob Akers (24:36:57)18Row 8 - Cell 3
10Kevin Boot (24:13:38)17Row 9 - Cell 3
11Rockhopper (24:25:07)17Row 10 - Cell 3
12Greg Pearsall (24:01:15)16Row 11 - Cell 3
13Ivan Chan (23:56:23)14Row 12 - Cell 3
14Jeff The Looney (05:16:51)9Row 13 - Cell 3
15Viagra Vet (05:35:20)5Row 14 - Cell 3
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Solo women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Ambc (23:35:37)18pts
2Gill Lugg (24:38:30)16Row 1 - Cell 3
3Super Flip (24:00:53)11Row 2 - Cell 3
4Super Something (24:00:49)8Row 3 - Cell 3
5Tails Too (05:54:41)7Row 4 - Cell 3
6The Foxinater (04:05:06)5Row 5 - Cell 3
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Solo men singlespeed
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Wings Of Pastrami (24:12:59)22pts
2Ssdave (24:15:22)22Row 1 - Cell 3
3Fezi (24:06:38)20Row 2 - Cell 3
4Woody (22:59:30)16Row 3 - Cell 3
5Shawn Sabre (24:01:17)16Row 4 - Cell 3
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Duo men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Ayup-Lights.Com/Tomac (24:09:14)29pts
2Cool For Cleats (24:04:40)27Row 1 - Cell 3
3Stray Dogs (24:00:47)24Row 2 - Cell 3
42 Drunks (24:15:44)24Row 3 - Cell 3
5Boris And Bullwinkle (24:22:14)22Row 4 - Cell 3
6Bush Bashers (24:27:37)19Row 5 - Cell 3
7The Barry Way (23:31:22)18Row 6 - Cell 3
8Lap 4 Lap (23:26:55)16Row 7 - Cell 3
9Team Ganda (08:13:23)13Row 8 - Cell 3
10Makin Trax (07:52:56)10Row 9 - Cell 3
11Joy Riders (07:47:39)7Row 10 - Cell 3
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Duo mixed team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Classy Cleats (24:08:35)22pts
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Three-person men's team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Dusty Clusters (24:22:30)26pts
2Rogue Downhillers On Epo (24:12:06)25Row 1 - Cell 3
3Jetblack Cycling 1 (24:21:03)25Row 2 - Cell 3
4Shake 'N Bake (24:21:40)25Row 3 - Cell 3
5Cunning Stunts (24:09:59)24Row 4 - Cell 3
6Frasers Cycles (24:08:25)22Row 5 - Cell 3
7Triple M (24:22:13)22Row 6 - Cell 3
8Navel Grazers (08:26:30)15Row 7 - Cell 3
9Storm (06:37:57)10Row 8 - Cell 3
10Team Proud Helmet (01:09:13)2Row 9 - Cell 3
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Three-person mixed team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Crankin Butterbean (24:27:50)25pts
2Team Liquidswim (24:31:55)17Row 1 - Cell 3
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Four-person men's team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Synergy (24:14:47)27pts
2Walkom Wheel Estate 4 (24:13:49)25Row 1 - Cell 3
3Hmtr (24:18:06)25Row 2 - Cell 3
4Where's The Dead Wood (24:22:51)25Row 3 - Cell 3
5Cyclecentral (24:03:09)24Row 4 - Cell 3
6Has-Beens And Wanna-Bees (24:18:56)24Row 5 - Cell 3
7Wise Weekend 4 4 Men (24:23:05)24Row 6 - Cell 3
8Toolbags Anonymous (24:01:52)23Row 7 - Cell 3
9Please Explain Again (24:08:58)23Row 8 - Cell 3
10Wacky Racers (24:27:05)23Row 9 - Cell 3
11Team 24H Virgins (24:14:54)22Row 10 - Cell 3
12Are We Nuts (22:27:35)18Row 11 - Cell 3
13Bourbon Cycles (22:17:01)16Row 12 - Cell 3
14Itchy Freckle (21:17:53)14Row 13 - Cell 3
15Team Skidmarks (06:14:59)11Row 14 - Cell 3
168 Saw Nutz (08:39:05)11Row 15 - Cell 3
17Has A Itchy Freckle (18:28:18)10Row 16 - Cell 3
18Under Construction (06:41:45)9Row 17 - Cell 3
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Four person women's team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Nonstop Chatter (24:32:38)25pts
2Girls Of Bikeworx (23:21:05)21Row 1 - Cell 3
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Four person men's team 40+
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Salty Nuts (24:22:48)28pts
2Farncliffe (24:15:03)26Row 1 - Cell 3
3Not Knox Grammar Skool Dads (24:02:28)20Row 2 - Cell 3
4Master Baiters (24:31:18)20Row 3 - Cell 3
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Six-person men's team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Call For Back ,Up There's 6 Ofem (24:17:26)29pts
2Bernard Riders 1 (24:10:27)27Row 1 - Cell 3
3Fireflys (24:10:38)26Row 2 - Cell 3
4Smellaton (24:30:43)25Row 3 - Cell 3
5Team A-Line (24:12:27)24Row 4 - Cell 3
6Grumpy And The Gang (23:59:23)23Row 5 - Cell 3
7Walkom Wheel Estate 6 (24:03:54)23Row 6 - Cell 3
8Toyota Fleet Management (24:17:13)23Row 7 - Cell 3
9Jetblack Cycling 2 (24:09:34)21Row 8 - Cell 3
10Livin On Lactic - 6 And Out (24:07:08)20Row 9 - Cell 3
11Ups And Downers (24:13:44)20Row 10 - Cell 3
12Dirty Half Dozen (24:26:05)20Row 11 - Cell 3
13Rusty Demons (24:32:46)19Row 12 - Cell 3
14Banmock (22:38:41)17Row 13 - Cell 3
15Disqualified (23:17:20)17Row 14 - Cell 3
16Flogged Cogs (08:30:35)13Row 15 - Cell 3
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Six-person mixed team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Pissed And Pedalling (24:32:34)24pts
2Blue Mountains Turgid 6 (24:04:29)22Row 1 - Cell 3
3On The Juice (24:18:30)22Row 2 - Cell 3
4Chop (24:34:38)22Row 3 - Cell 3
5Great Odin's Raven (22:03:41)16Row 4 - Cell 3
6Bernard Riders 2 (08:49:16)14Row 5 - Cell 3
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Six-person junior men's team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Not Knox Grammar Skool (24:11:49)24pts
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GP solo male
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Another Pomie Bastart (04:25:55)10pts
2Rodney Farrell (04:07:12)9Row 1 - Cell 3
3Tim Curry (04:09:25)9Row 2 - Cell 3
4Frs/Bikes At The Basin (04:19:26)9Row 3 - Cell 3
5Matthew Perry (04:18:39)8Row 4 - Cell 3
6Craig Scott (04:19:21)8Row 5 - Cell 3
7Scotta Keep Going (04:29:06)8Row 6 - Cell 3
8Peter Krauss (03:47:50)7Row 7 - Cell 3
9Richard Searle (03:59:09)7Row 8 - Cell 3
10Andrew Scarman (04:10:00)7Row 9 - Cell 3
11Footpath Racer (04:23:13)7Row 10 - Cell 3
12Ian Anderson (04:25:23)7Row 11 - Cell 3
13Kevin Mahr (04:28:23)7Row 12 - Cell 3
14Camokaizi (03:59:16)6Row 13 - Cell 3
15Peter Harkness (04:01:17)6Row 14 - Cell 3
16Jimbo Perry (04:04:58)6Row 15 - Cell 3
17Beroccaboy (04:33:36)6Row 16 - Cell 3
18Peter Holyfield (02:41:55)5Row 17 - Cell 3
19Ndorfin (03:33:27)5Row 18 - Cell 3
20Rob Wensing (02:29:17)4Row 19 - Cell 3
21Hugo Pereira (02:13:01)3Row 20 - Cell 3
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GP Solo female
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Kathryn Cox (04:32:25)7pts
2Kathleen (03:27:52)5Row 1 - Cell 3
3Witcombe (03:37:53)5Row 2 - Cell 3
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GP 2-person men's team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Newie Cogheads (04:01:23)9pts
2Wake Up Jeff (04:13:54)9Row 1 - Cell 3
3Have A Crack (04:07:52)8Row 2 - Cell 3
4Fraser Mtb Team (04:19:11)8Row 3 - Cell 3
5Team Colonel (04:28:01)8Row 4 - Cell 3
6Joy Division (04:32:27)8Row 5 - Cell 3
7Gravelrash (04:10:03)7Row 6 - Cell 3
8Valhalla (03:54:28)6Row 7 - Cell 3
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GP 2-person mixed team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Torc Pair (02:23:45)5pts
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GP 3-person men's team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Fobs (04:45:03)7pts

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