I have a dream...

[ldrcycles]

Of running a MTB race in my home town of Kin Kin, Queensland. Putting aside all the insignificant details (like exactly what trails to use, actually organising it etc) i reckon the first thing i should do is do a bit of research as to what people want from a race, and if they know of Kin Kin, would they be happy to travel out here for a race. Any thoughts?

[brentono]

Martin Luther Kin Kin.

[ldrcycles]

LMAO!! Best laugh i've had all week .

[zero]

Wingello is just as far away from Sydney as Kin Kin is from Brisbane. Midwinter Wingello race, wild horizons sells 650 places, its a sport that people expect to have to travel to participate.

Organising requires - 2wd accessible trailhead, campground, electronic timing, toilets, food and most importantly coffee, mechanic, marshals (including out on track - they radioed back passing rider numbers so they had a reasonable log of riders actually reaching the far points of the course), some sort of emergency services on standby, insurance. Probably difficult to be successful first year out.

As far as a race goes, I personally prefer the multi different loop approach wild horizons use. They run you through the transition area a couple of times, but each loop is 99% different track. Short loops lapped 10 times can get badly chopped out and the "traffic" never really eases. With a full field even after 2 hours, I still had many riders around me (I think when I finished, 5 or so people were finished within the same minute), but obviously the field gets pace ordered, and it becomes non chaotic, and you get baulked less and less. Peoples preferences will vary wildly on this though, because you can be a lot further away from the trailhead than you will be repeatedly lapping a 10km loop.

[trailgumby]

+1 to zero's sentiments.

Back Yamma Bigfoot uses 2 x 25km loops lapped twice for its 100, and it was nicely spread out. Mid-point of the two loops was about 50m away from transition, so easy to set up drinks top-ups etc. For much of the ride it was me time-trialling by myself, with occasional glimpses of the rider in front, and keeping an eye out for crash-tackling kangaroos (the furry variety, not the losers we send up your way every 12 months dressed in blue to get the stuffing knocked out of them at State of Origin).

That's a six-hour drive from Sydney. Half my regular riding mates turned up for that one. Looks like the other half are coming this year!

Then there's The Mont 24. 3,000 cyclists turned up for that one, despite being 4 hours from Sydney. 18km circuit did get a bit crowded at times, got stuck off-trail a few times more than I'd have liked letting trains of faster riders through, but still the event was an enormous hoot. Singletrack glowworm trains snaking through the forest at night - w00t!

I have a dream...

Martin Luther Kin Kin.

There's fertile ground for a catchy event name right there How about the Angry Abbott (after the original Martin Luther), or the Barmy Baptist? Might upset a few americans, but they never had a sense of humour worth speaking of anyway

[silentbutdeadly]

There's fertile ground for a catchy event name right there How about the Angry Abbott, or the Barmy Baptist? Might upset a few Liberals, but they never had a sense of humour worth speaking of anyway

Fixed it for you....

By the by......reckon Zero is on the right track too.

As for the name......Kin Kin Kan Kan?

[trailgumby]

... Good score on the first one. Struck out on the second though, he's Catholic not Protestant IIRC.

[ldrcycles]

Wow some great ideas there. Even though i've lived here all my life i only know of one legitimate trail, a loop round the district of i think 14k (but a few sections are on the road which would probably render it inappropriate for a race), with some exploring i should be able to find more. What is the most popular form of race atm? I personally like short races that i can smash at 100% the whole way (the 25k freedom marathon down near mullumbimby being my favourite). Definitely not a fan of the current trend towards week long races like the mountains to beach, who has the time?

[trailgumby]

My suggestion would be to do a few events, focussing on the ones that have the best reputation for participant enjoyment, and then volunteer at a few others to see what you can learn about their organisation and promotion.

[ldrcycles]

So that would be anything BUT the dirt works vic, did that last year and it was HELL, first 20k was through pine forestry on brand new tracks that were the roughest i've ever been on, with plenty of time on fire trails that had just had 'gravel' the size of a fist spread all over it, then a poorly signed trail leading to several utterly unrideable and almost impassable gullies. I'd had enough by that stage and pulled out.