An Iconic Mountain Biking Experience

3rd March 2017

Convict 100

Saturday 6th May, 2017
St Albans, NSW

Have you experienced the iconic Convict 100 mountain bike race? Thought about signing up in the past but never got around to it? Haven’t done a proper large scale mountain bike event before but thinking you should? If so make 2017 your year to experience a real mountain bike adventure.

The Convict 100 harks back to the age of the 26″ wheel, where riders don’t shave their legs, where the course isn’t some groomed super smooth cruise, where you don’t just complete endless loops of the same small stretch of track over and over and over again. This is mountain biking at it’s purest, on trails carved from the earth by convicts many moons ago, on a course that is a journey, taking you out into the wild. Letting you capture the feeling of having experienced something truly special when you finally return to the finish line in St Albans after completing the 44, 68 or 100km course.

Sure, there are challenges awaiting all riders, hills to climb, rocky sections to negotiate, but you need them to earn the smile that will be spread wide as you tackle the down hill runs and take in the stunning views over the MacDonald Valley and beyond. The infamous kayak bridge will be there as well, waiting to catch out the unwary but revamped in recent years to make access easier so everyone can stay on the bike…hopefully.

It’s not only the riding that makes the Convict 100 such an experience. It’s the feeling of being surrounded by hundreds of fellow riders, all facing the same journey. It’s seeing the sleepy little community of St Albans transformed into the centre of Australian mountain biking for one weekend of the year. Of swapping tales of triumph and past tragedies with fellow riders in the front bar of the Settlers Arms Inn, the third oldest pub in NSW. Those wanting the full experience come up on the Friday, pitch a tent alongside the river, catch up with old riding buddies and make some new ones. St Albans is still close enough to Sydney to make travelling up on event morning possible for those that enjoy the comfort of their own bed the night before a race.

Entries are open in all 3 course distances (44km, 68km, and 100km). Event day is fast approaching so now is the time to sign up and prepare to experience an iconic mountain biking event!

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday 10th February 2024
Max Adventure Race Series
Cams Wharf, Lake Macquarie, NSW

Saturday 18th May 2024
The Great Adventure Challenge
Within 3 hours of Sydney, NSW

VIEW CALENDAR

Entries Open

Paddy Pallin Adventure Series
Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th May, 2017
Royal National Park, NSW

The Paddy Pallin Adventure Race is comprised of four core disciplines; mountain biking, running/trekking, flat water kayaking (boats provided), and navigation across a variety of different and challenging terrains.

Created for teams of two, the races are fast, furious, and ultimately a whole lot of fun, especially with the support of a teammate. The next event in the series will be hosted by the Royal National Park, an hour South of Sydney and the most popular of the series.

It is the perfect venue for an adventure race combining sweet single track riding, flat water paddling along the Hacking River and a multitude of running tracks to choose from.

Held on two separate days with the same Classic course on offer on both days and the Novice course on Sunday (half the length of the Classic course), you can choose which day to race.

So what are you waiting for? Grab a team mate and have a real adventure this weekend!

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Obstacles, Obstacles, Obstacles

Tough Bloke Challenge
Saturday 24th June, 2017
Appin, NSW

You know what we love about Obstacle Racing? I’ll give you a hint, the answer is in the name! Obstacles!

Walls, tunnels, nets, mud pits, monkey bars! We love them all (some less than others of course) but all obstacles are there to be embraced and conquered. Designed to challenge us and take us out of our comfort zone. Running, nah, no thanks I’m here for the obstacles! The less time slogging it out on foot the better we reckon. That’s why at the Tough Bloke Challenge we give you obstacles, lots of obstacles, obstacles that test strength, stamina, dexterity and get your adrenaline glands tingling. We also give you the grand daddy of obstacles, Hell’s Gate.

Last year we gave you 28 obstacles on the 8km course, this year we are planning even more new obstacles to test all Tough Blokes and Tough Chicks. That’s more than 3 obstacles per kilometre! No running for over a kilometre to do one obstacle than back to running another kilometre. We know what you want, obstacles! So what do we give you? Obstacles!

To sign up and claim your free finishers medal and the right to call yourself a Tough Bloke or Tough Chick of the highest order simply click on the link below. Tickets are available from only $70 and are available across a range of start times. $70 for 28 obstacles? That’s under three bucks an obstacle! What are you waiting for…

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Event Wrap Up

Paddy Pallin Adventure Series
Saturday 11th February, 2017
Lake Macquarie, NSW

Race Report by Dave Casey from Paddy Pallin

The first round of the Paddy Pallin Adventure Series was run on Saturday 11th February at Lake Macquarie’s Cams Wharf. Due to forecasts extreme temperatures pushing into the 40’s the decision was made to pull the start times a hour earlier which proved to be a great move as all races were finished before the expected hot temperatures hit in the afternoon.

The course consisted of a great mixture of trail running, mountain biking and plenty of kayaking (which gave the racers a chance to cool off with a splash of water). With over $3500 in prizes from Paddy Pallin, and new supporting sponsor Osprey Packs up for grabs the competition was fierce.

The Classic Course had some tight racing in the men’s category, Andrew Lloyd & Tim Doman came in 1st followed by a dead heat with Chad Armstrong & Ryan Armstrong, Llew Scott & David Corbett and Anthony Schnabel & Luke McArdle all finishing together in second. Damien Enderby & Jennifer Enderby continued their good form with a win in the mixed and Jane Senior & Vinia Venrooy taking out the women’s race.

Full Article Available HERE