English wins solo category at Jet Black 24-hour race

Two time world champion, Jason English, returns to 24 hour racing during Sydney’s searing heat.

Two time world champion, Jason English, returns to 24 hour racing during Sydney’s searing heat. (Image credit: Tristan Cardew / Oliver Smith)

Despite Sydney suffering the hottest overnight temperature ever recorded, 350 mountain bike riders lined up at the start of the JetBlack 24 hour race at Wisemans Ferry over the weekend. Organizers added extra water stations with ice and sprays to keep the riders hydrated as temperatures rose over the 42 degrees Celsius mark.

The extremely hot conditions were not enough to stop two time World Champion solo rider, Jason English, from claiming his third consecutive 24-hr JetBlack title. English, from Port Macquarie, recorded 44 laps of the 9.8 km circuit at the Del Rio Resort. This race marked English's first 24-hour race after claiming the 2010 world title in Canberra in October.

This race turned into a a different sort of challenge to survive the searing heat. The Merida rider said he had never experienced such conditions and found himself changing his race plans.

"At one stage, I was drinking four bottles in an hour," said English, who was in second place overall after the first lap, but the four-man team of Czech riders, named "Bernard", was proving too strong.

"I was trying to race them for the first five hours," said English. "It was then I realized I had no chance.I thought I better be sensible."

A close race developed for the overall win. Four Czech riders Ondrej Slezak, Michal Kafka, Victor Svacek and Michal Burda were up against a team of two Canberra riders, Andrew Hall and Ed McDonald. The Canberra duo eventually finished one lap down and with 57 laps, putting them second overall.

The other solo men's podium places were decided in the early hours of the morning when Joe Johnston made a move which eventually gave him second. The Bowral rider recorded 40 laps, a remarkable result considering it was his first 24-hour race. Chris Mohen from Willoughby completed a respectable 38 laps and claimed third place.

The solo women's winner was Jac Kennett from Glenfield.

Full results

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Solo men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Jason English (Merida Racing)44laps
2Joe Johnston40Row 1 - Cell 3
3Chris Mohen38Row 2 - Cell 3
4Shane Taylor (Onya Merida)19Row 3 - Cell 3
5Jason Harrod4Row 4 - Cell 3
6Adrian Jones (Type 1)4Row 5 - Cell 3
7Gareth Stephens (Cunning Stunts)1Row 6 - Cell 3
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Solo women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Jac Kennett9laps
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Solo master men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Clayton Locke36laps
2David Whisker33Row 1 - Cell 3
3Trevor Fairhurst (InTrevenous)32Row 2 - Cell 3
4Ivan Chan (johnnielongpants)24Row 3 - Cell 3
5Tim Dobe11Row 4 - Cell 3
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Duo women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1SuperBeeros36laps
2Noodie and Crackers32Row 1 - Cell 3
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Duo men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Nerds on wheels57laps
2Cool for Cleats48Row 1 - Cell 3
3Team Mick Mock43Row 2 - Cell 3
4Mumbles Racing Team21Row 3 - Cell 3
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Duo mixed
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1The Looney Cells26laps
2Midnight Sun 213Row 1 - Cell 3
3Midnight Sun13Row 2 - Cell 3
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Triple women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Newy Cogheads Torque Talk Torque18laps
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Triple men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Dumplings36laps
2ASSORTI15Row 1 - Cell 3
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Four-women team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Lap Hogs40laps
2Newy Cogheads Talk Torque31Row 1 - Cell 3
3Newy Coghead Team Talk29Row 2 - Cell 3
4Newy Coghead Love 2 Torque23Row 3 - Cell 3
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Four-men team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Bernard Riders58laps
2Battered Savs55Row 1 - Cell 3
3Four Amigos54Row 2 - Cell 3
4The UGLies51Row 3 - Cell 3
5Cycling Central51Row 4 - Cell 3
6The Pool Cleaners45Row 5 - Cell 3
7Over the Hill44Row 6 - Cell 3
8ADCC43Row 7 - Cell 3
9Razorback acme Rockets42Row 8 - Cell 3
10SHAKE AND BAKE41Row 9 - Cell 3
11Putt Putt39Row 10 - Cell 3
12The Jackson 436Row 11 - Cell 3
13Mudgutz34Row 12 - Cell 3
143 men and a potato28Row 13 - Cell 3
15Hayes Brakes28Row 14 - Cell 3
16White Noise26Row 15 - Cell 3
17Marshalls Newy Cogheads23Row 16 - Cell 3
18Anti-Fitness19Row 17 - Cell 3
19Marshalls New Cogheads 217Row 18 - Cell 3
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Four-masters men team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Crankmeisters46laps
2GO 4 IT40Row 1 - Cell 3
3MoreCowbell9Row 2 - Cell 3
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Four-person mixed team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1Team Trihard48laps
2Suprisingly Slow40Row 1 - Cell 3
3The Puddings37Row 2 - Cell 3
4Mixed up Rolex36Row 3 - Cell 3
5The Dodgy Kebabs32Row 4 - Cell 3
6FatBastardRacing24Row 5 - Cell 3
7yeah yeah23Row 6 - Cell 3
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Four-juniors team
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResultHeader Cell - Column 3
1The Beaches Bike Shops45laps

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