QLD State Championships

It all started with Saturday practice - Sam Fraser was one of the first on track and looked pinned from the start. — It all started with Saturday practice – Sam Fraser was one of the first on track and looked
pinned from the start.

The 2015 Queensland State Championships were run by the Toowoomba Mountain Bike Club
along with the support of key sponsor Zelvy Carbon. Racers from all over South-East Queensland
congregated at Toowoomba on the 27th of September to put it all on the line for one chance at
becoming the State Champion for 2015. The track was different to anything the racers had faced
all year however the biggest obstacle wasna��t found on the trail. The hardest thing for the racers to
wrap their head around was how they were going to get enough practice laps in to gain a good
feeling for the track with shuttles taking up to and over thirty minutes to reach the top of the
mountain. Most riders took advantage of slightly faster self-shuttles on the Saturday before race
day in order to gain a better grasp of what they were up against. The culmination of good weather,
a decent-sized crowd, and the willingness of riders to hang it all out for the last race of the year led
to a fantastic event to finish off the 2015 Downhill Season.

There were plenty of U/15s shuttling endless mega-trains all Saturday: Caleb Rees sends it off a rock kicker with an endless landing. — There were plenty of U/15s shuttling endless mega-trains all Saturday: Caleb Rees sends it off
a rock kicker with an endless landing.

Warrick McNab about to duck into an endless section of switchbacks.

The mid-section of the track cuts a loose path of berms and jumps through the dry scrub.

Riders couldna��t let their concentration slip as they rode through a wide range of different surfaces: from loose shaley turns to hard-packed berms. — Riders couldna��t let their concentration slip as they rode through a wide range of different
surfaces: from loose shaley turns to hard-packed berms.

SEQDH Overall Series Champion Ben Power squeezed in plenty of runs on Saturday and was looking comfortable all day. — SEQDH Overall Series Champion Ben Power squeezed in plenty of runs on Saturday and was
looking comfortable all day.

Harry Bush fresh off some World Cup and World Champs experience.

Loose dust littered with rocks. Whata��s not to love?

Ben Powera��s usual tactics of hitting lines that no other riders even know are there didna��t go unnoticed. — Ben Powera��s usual tactics of hitting lines that no other riders even know are there didna��t go
unnoticed.

Kylie Jackson was looking quick throughout Saturday practice.

Alex Schoonder gapping over a few transitions near the top of the track.

Jake Mitchell ended Saturday practice with a trip to the hospital and came back on Sunday to make his way up the track in crutches to cheer on (heckle) those who made it through the day in one piece. — Jake Mitchell ended Saturday practice with a trip to the hospital and came back on Sunday to
make his way up the track in crutches to cheer on (heckle) those who made it through the day in one piece.

Jack Wright keeping low near the bottom of the track as he caps off Saturday practice.

Sam Fraser making a few bike setup changes prior to hitting the track for a few more practice runs on Sunday before the racing started. — Sam Fraser making a few bike setup changes prior to hitting the track for a few more practice
runs on Sunday before the racing started.

Luke Butcher styling it out on the final jump.

Michael Dopson didna��t end the day as planned - a big crash on the final jump has set him off the bike for quite some time. — Michael Dopson didna��t end the day as planned – a big crash on the final jump has set him off
the bike for quite some time.

Remy a�?Rem Dawga�� Morton nosing her in post-scrub.

Ben Power seamlessly carried his pace from Saturday practice over to Sunday practice and ultimately into race runs as well. — Ben Power seamlessly carried his pace from Saturday practice over to Sunday practice and
ultimately into race runs as well.

Harrison Reibelt aboard his Glory Advanced.

Tracey Knight ended up with 3rd on the day.

Graeme Reid had an extremely unusual race run. He caught the rider in front of him in the worst place possible and they both ended up on the ground at the bottom of possibly the most technical part of the track. — Graeme Reid had an extremely unusual race run. He caught the rider in front of him in the
worst place possible and they both ended up on the ground at the bottom of possibly the most
technical part of the track.

Max Warshawsky scanned the a�?rock gardena�� for at least 15 minutes on Sunday after a full day of practice on Saturday and it payed off with an extremely pinned exit on this practice run. — Max Warshawsky scanned the a�?rock gardena�� for at least 15 minutes on Sunday after a full day
of practice on Saturday and it payed off with an extremely pinned exit on this practice run.

With practice nearly over it was quicker to walk up to some of the more technical spots to find some last minute lines than to catch the long shuttle to the top. — With practice nearly over it was quicker to walk up to some of the more technical spots to find
some last minute lines than to catch the long shuttle to the top.

Jacob Reeves - full concentration. — Jacob Reeves – full concentration.

Daniel Neumann drifting towards the trees.

Max Warshawsky taking off in his seeding run.

Lisa Mathison was crowned 2015 State Champion for Elite Women/.

Tom Searle keeping it tight and low through a section of loose berms, — Tom Searle keeping it tight and low through a section of loose berms.

The rock garden was where the majority of spectators chose to watch race runs.

Off-camber and high speed - with tonnes of different lines available racers were able to tailor the track to meet their strengths. — Off-camber and high speed – with tonnes of different lines available racers were able to tailor
the track to meet their strengths.

Daniel Hallam swinging it out and scoping a spot to land.

Jacob Reeves on his a�?loosest run evera�?.

Sam Fraser ended up with 4th in Elite Men when it all counted.

Max Warshawsky sending it big in his final run of the day!

Ben Power claimed his plate number with a 2nd in Elite Men.

Almost as soon as the final rider crossed the line it started to rain and eventually hail prior to presentations. — Almost as soon as the final rider crossed the line it started to rain and eventually hail prior to
presentations.

2015 Zelvy Carbon Elite Men State Champ - Max Warshawksy. — 2015 Zelvy Carbon Elite Men State Champ – Max Warshawksy.

Images and report: Cooper Messery Photography (FacebookA�hereA�or Instagram @cooper_messery)

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