It’s not called Club Mud for nothing. Round 1 of the King of Ballarat was truly a Club Mud event with over 20mm of rain hitting the clay packed Open Cut Trail. Saturday’s unofficial practice was a mixed day, with a number of soles braving the sub 10 degree temps and harsh winds to get on track and work out the fastest and safest lines in the buttery mess that was in some of the sections of the track. With the official sponsor, Trials Bike, running shuttles in the afternoon, riders started to find their lines and put together their runs for the following day.
As the sun set, the rain came with showers through out the night and the early morning. As the track started to fill up with more and more water, the riders started to rethink their lines. Particularly in the flatter sections where keeping your speed meant keeping the mud out of your gearing and drive train, but did nothing for your clothes, helmets and goggles. Key highlights on track would have to be the new top rock garden which now offered riders a choice of 3 lines in this section. This took a few of the riders eye as a lack speed into the gap left a few bent (or broken) rear rims, plus some of the riders just “like it rough”. The new 40 foot table top was not an option as riders used a variance of techniques on both the A and B lines to keep speed into and use the downside to get up through the iconic wall ride and into the bottom section.
Once racing started, the rain backed off and riders enjoyed the looseness of the track in front of them. The track help up well considering and this is down to the tireless work, done by the Club Mud team lead by President Jason Weston and treasurer (and senior track builder) Graeme Coutts. Trent Piribouer sat in the top spot for both runs, and eventually took the overall in the men’s Elite from an injury returned Trant Beacom, and young pinner Lauchlan Gibson. Tori Bilney braved all the elements to be the only woman rave enough to tackle the track, and take out the women’s Elite. It should also be said that for the first time since… forever, a Coutts rider didn’t make the top 3 but being locals, no doubt all three will be out for revenge come round 2.
Racing was tight in the other categories too, with Angus Penton (u15’s), Jesse Plumridge (Over 35’s), Brandon Kidd (DGrade), Christopher Richards (CGrade), Liam Thomas (BGrade) all coming away with victories.
All in all, people were having fun with over 70+ people attending to race in the very Ballarat-esk Wintery conditions. The event was also extremely well managed as riders got ample runs in practice time before lunch, and racing was proficient in getting riders through both race runs quickly and safely. Big thanks to the Club Mud team for a great start to the series, also thanks to City of Ballarat, Tourisum Ballarat, Major Sponsor TrailsBike.com.au, and Track X for all the support.
RESULTS:
Women: Tori Bilney
Under-15: 3rd, Jay Cottrell, 2nd, Adam Treveyan, 1st, Angus Penton
Over-35: 3rd, Andrew Barlow, 2nd, Justin Romanowicz, 1st, Jesse Plumridge
D-grade: 3rd, Jarryd Adaway, 2nd, Jack Reid, 1st, Brandon Kidd
C-grade: 3rd, James Climas, 2nd, Jack Webster, 1st, Christopher Richards
B-grade: 3rd, Hugh Jones, 2nd, Nick Van Lier, 1st, Liam Thomas
A-grade: 3rd, Lachlan Gibson, 2nd, Trant Beacom, 1st, Trent Piribouer
We will be at round 2, see you then!
Words:A�James Tamanika
Images:A�Harry Harwig (ALH Visual)
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