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Rocky Trail announces 100th event: JetBlack 24 Hour Open for Online Registration

Wednesday 14 August 2013, 1:05PM

By Rocky Trail Media

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Chris Hanson, winner JetBlack 24 Hour Elite Men's in 2012.
Chris Hanson, winner JetBlack 24 Hour Elite Men's in 2012. Credit: Marathon-Photos
Jason English out on the JetBlack 24 Hour morning lap at The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan in 2011.
Jason English out on the JetBlack 24 Hour morning lap at The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan in 2011. Credit: The Roost
Martin and Juliane Wisata from Rocky Trail Entertainment about to celebrate their 100th event with Tony Simmonds from JetBlack Cycling (centre), major sponsor of the JetBlack 24 Hour since 2009.
Martin and Juliane Wisata from Rocky Trail Entertainment about to celebrate their 100th event with Tony Simmonds from JetBlack Cycling (centre), major sponsor of the JetBlack 24 Hour since 2009. Credit: OuterImage.com.au
Event centre at the JetBlack 24 Hour at its home at The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, near Campbelltown.
Event centre at the JetBlack 24 Hour at its home at The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, near Campbelltown. Credit: OuterImage.com.au

For the third time the JetBlack 24 Hour mountain bike endurance race will be held at The Australian Botanic Garden at Mount Annan on 30 November and 1 December 2013. Organisers anticipate more than 600 riders to race in the Solo and Team categories at the popular 10 km trail near Campbelltown less than an hour south of Sydney.

“We expect some of the best endurance mountain bikers in Australia to start at the JetBlack 24 Hour event”, said race organiser Martin Wisata. Fittingly, the grand finale of their 2013 racing season, the JetBlack 24 Hour will be the 100th event for the Rocky Trail Entertainment crew who are hosting 18 cross-country endurance, downhill and enduro gravity events a year in NSW and ACT. Jason English, the reigning 24 Hour Solo World Champion from Port Macquarie was one of the clear elite male favourites Wisata added. English had claimed four consecutive JetBlack 24 Hour race wins between 2009 and 2011 and last year couldn’t be at the start line due to injury.

During a heat wave that struck Sydney right on the event weekend, it was Chris Hanson from Darwin who took out the race win in 2012. The endurance athlete from the Northern Territory was able to cope with the tough conditions well, strategically pacing himself during the first afternoon of racing. Second was Benjy Morris from the Central Coast ahead of Kevin Pullen from South Australia, Andrew Wells from Sydney and Tom Morris from Springwood in the Blue Mountains.

Online registration is open now on www.rockytrailentertainment.com

 

Additional event information

Racing options
Riders can participate in teams or challenge themselves to a solo 24-hour race around the Enduro Trail. The race track will be around 10 km in length per lap for the event.

Race start is on Saturday at midday and the popular “social” 6+6-hour racing option will be offered also, where team and solo riders have a break overnight after 6 hours of racing, before finishing with the endurance racers on the Sunday with another 6 hours of riding until 12pm.

Event support program
At the fully catered event an entertainment program for spectators will be offered with live music, giveaways and kids races. The Rocky Trail Kids Club will keep young visitors busy all weekend long. Special accommodation packages and rates have been arranged with the Rydges in Campbelltown (about 5 min drive from event centre) and camping will be available on-site at the event venue. Entry for spectators and to kids races and activities is free.

About The Australian Botanic Garden, Mt Annan
The Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan is a place to enjoy the beautiful surrounds of the Australian bushlands and it is unique in its variety of plants and animals. Visitors are encouraged to explore the botanic garden walking through the meadows, hiking across the ridges and cycling on the paths around our ponds or mountain biking off the beaten tracks on the newest MTB track in Sydney, the Enduro Trail, which attracts hundreds of riders from near and far every week.