KONA Dirty Dozen is an official associated event of the 2010 SRAM MTBA Australian Championships, riding from 5:30pm-9:30pm Saturday 16 January, Eagle Mountain Bike Park.
The Kona Dirty Dozen is a new event for mountain bikers everywhere. Riding the same Olympic Cross Country track as the professional competitors, only minutes after they've finished racing, you get four hours to complete as many laps as you can ... or as you feel like!
The concept is simple. The flag goes down at 5:30pm and you start riding, not stopping until the 9:30pm cut off or when you've simply had enough (no new laps can be started after 9:10pm).
This is a fun challenge to not only find the fastest and most enduring mountain bikers, but also to let everyone have some fun at Adelaide's premier mountain bike venue - Eagle MTB Park.
Young and not so young are welcome to participate in the Kona Dirty Dozen, the first people's event of 2010! The course is around 8km of flowing single track, perfect not only for hard-core MTB riders but also regular peeps who can handle some fat tyres. Sure, it might be a track designed for competing professionals, but anyone moderately competent will have a ball. The top dudes might cut a lap in just over 20 minutes, but you can take as long as you like. Whether you take 25 or 45 minutes to loop the loop, that's fine by us.
Bicycle SA will record individual lap times. You can ride solo or with your mates. You can even ride relay, if you think one lap at a time is tops for you. It doesn't really matter; everyone is in this together, sharing the XCO track for four glorious hours.
All you need is a mountain bike in good nick and a bike helmet. There'll be some neutral bike maintenance support if it goes pear-shaped.
It's only $30 to register ($40 for non Bicycle SA members) and this includes a 3-day spectator pass for the SRAM MTBA Australian Championships 15-17 January (valued at $10). Registering online is quick and easy at www.bikesa.asn.au or get to us a completed hard copy of the reg form, which you can download from the website or pick up from the Bicycle SA office. You can even register during the SRAM MTBA Australian Championships, where we'll have some forms at the Bicycle SA tent in the heart of the Event Village.
There are plenty of Kona goodies to spread around during the event... prizes for most laps, fastest laps and outrageous outfits. We're keen to reward pretty much every rider with some Kona bling - Kona clothing and water bottles plus Pedro's levers and lubes. Everyone's a winner at the Kona Dirty Dozen! Prizes will be awarded from 9:30pm-9:45pm, on top of the spot prizes we give away during the gig.
Something special will be riding as the sun disappears over Adelaide's coastline. You'll get the perfect view from Eagle MTB Park. Because you'll be riding after sunset, front and rear lights will be required from 8:30pm. Our good friends NiteFLUX will be on hand providing lighting support. They'll also have a bunch of the latest 2010 NiteFLUX high-powered front light demo sets to try out. You will be able to ride at full speed with these. See David at the NiteFLUX desk or email info@niteflux.com to book (or purchase) a set in advance. Of course, if NiteFLUX can't sort you out and you don't have your own set, you can still participate, riding up to 8:30pm before packing up your kit and sticking around to cheer the other mob around the track.
There'll be some tunes too pumping out from the Event Village, spurring you on each time you pass through the Lap Recording and Transition Zone.
Car parking will be outside the main gates of Eagle MTB Park, on Old Mount Barker Road (near the Eagle on the Hill) only 20 minutes from Adelaide CBD. From 3pm to 5:30pm Bicycle SA will run a free passenger and bike shuttle service from the main gate to the Event Village; and then a return shuttle service from 9:30pm onwards. Our target is to be clear and off site by 10pm.
I guess the only remaining question that remains to be answered is what's ?dozen' about the Kona Dirty Dozen? To find out, you'll just have to rock up and ride.
See you on the 16th!
