Kona Mawson MTB Marathon - "It was an awesome race, we had a great time,
bikesa did a fantastic job." Jason, 2010
RIDE INFO
You've taken the brave decision to leave your comfort zone and join Bicycle SA for the marathon of a lifetime!
The Kona Mawson MTB Marathon is a true test of physical capacity, commitment and skill. The test is to ride the Mawson Trail from its northern most outpost (the Blinman Hotel) to Melrose in the Southern Flinders Ranges, over 350km away.
The net result is downhill, but only just, and there are plenty of ups to go with the downs. Combined with the Triple Peak Challenge - climbs on foot up St.Mary's Peak, Mount Brown and Mount Remarkable - the Kona Mawson MTB Marathon is the ultimate enduro.
Many of the riders will take on the challenge in measured stages, overnighting in Rawnsley Park, Hawker and Quorn. But the holy grail of challenges is for those who take it all on in one go, non-stop. For riders in pairs there is the opportunity, once the flag goes down in Blinman, to simply race all the way to finish to be the inaugural Kona Mawson MTB Marathon champion ... or at least to gain a place on the podium.
While the target for some is to be first across the line, the Kona Mawson MTB Marathon is designed to have you, your support crew and spectators enjoying themselves as you put yourself to the test, beyond what you thought you could achieve.
Read more
If you're here simply for the personal challenge and the general camaraderie, you can still support the others who are riding non-stop. Your calls of encouragement are sometimes all that keeps them going; that and the thought of being on the podium and walking away with a portion of the huge prize pool.
There are many great locations along the Mawson Trail, perfect to view theaction and enjoy the spectacular scenery. The Staging Posts are in busy towns (or in the case of Rawnsley Park, a busy tourism operation), where there's plenty to keep you occupied and nourished. Apart from the essentials (first aid and shelter), there'll be a great atmosphere with a few tunes and plenty of buzz. There may even be the occasional handful of jelly beans to grab as you pass through. Anything and everything to keep your legs pumping.
Come up with a unique theme and dress your team and support crew in some stand-out garb and reap the respect of your fellow riders and maybe earn yourself an award for bravery. Outfits that challenge the principals of streamlining also earn a special mention. Everything from the brightest clothing to reindeer suits, Little Red Riding Hood,Wedding clothes, Pyjamas and togas have been seen on the trails in thepast to great effect. It may be we're even graced with the presence ofthe Mawson Man, the mythical mountain biker sometimes seen in these parts, most often at dusk, riding in the distance just off the Mawson Trail wearing nothing but an Australian Standards bicycle helmet. You have been warned.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO READ
Information you might want to
read well before the event to ensure you and your bike are ready for the
marathon:
- IMPORTANT UPDATES TO READ, click
HERE. Posted 28 May 2010.
Download
the full 2010 KONA MAWSON MTB MARATHON Ride Guide HERE. Posted 28 May 2010.
Download the Mawson Trail
Route notes here. Posted 28 May 2010.
UPDATE: There will be set Opening
and Closing times for specific sections of the route each day. You'll
need to plan your day so you ensure you stay within these time limits.
Click Here for
more details.
- Triple Peak Maps available for download! Posted 05 June 2010
Download St Marys Track here
Download Mt Remarkable Track here
- What you need to know about your bike's needs:
My_bike.pdf
- Gear up! A handy checklist
to pack your bags: My_gear.pdf
- Information
on the trail, how to ride on and respect the soil, and the Mountain
Bike Code of Practice: My_ride.pdf
- In
case you don't quite know what to expect from your body, here are some
suggested training tips to prepare your muscles for this epic ride:
My_Training.pdf
MAWSON TRAIL MAPS FOR
SUPPORT CREW
These
Rider Support Crew maps show where Support Crews can drive along the
Mawson Trail and where they must take a detour. Use these in conjunction
with the hard copy Mawson Trail maps riders receive as part of their
entry. These Rider Support Crew maps are large files because they have a
lot of detail.
- The purple line shows the Mawson Trail
- The green line shows sections of the Mawson Trail
where Support Crews can follow the route (as per protocol detailed in
the Ride Guide)
- The orange line
shows where Support Crews must take a detour to the next location where
they can intersect with the Mawson Trail
- The black circles mark
where Bicycle SA will operate a refreshment or food point
The sections of the Mawson
Trail not marked in green cannot be travelled by Support Crews. Some are
sections of rougher road / track only accessible to bike or 4WD. The
limitations placed on Support Crews accessing the Mawson Trail are
primarily to ensure rider safety.
The order of the maps, following the race direction is:
(click to view)
NOTE: If the map has downloaded but is not showing properly,
try scrolling down and clicking on the map or view it at 50% or 75%, it
should come up then!
Black_Gap_to_Blinman_2.pdf Black_Gap_to_Blinman_1.pdf
Wilsons_Rd_to_Black_Gap_2.pdf
Wilsons_Rd_to_Black_Gap_1.pdf
Quorn_to_Wilsons_Rd_2.pdf
Quorn_to_Wilsons_Rd_1.pdf
Laura_to_Quorn_2.pdf
Laura_to_Quorn_1.pdf
NUTRITION
TORQ are offering a 10% discount to all entrants of the Kona Mawson MTB Marathon on any orders over $50, placed by 4th of June 2010. Just send an email with your order to genevieve@torqaustralia.com.au and mention this website. Orders can be sent prior to the event, or collected from the TORQ van when you register.
Hydration will be key during this event so make sure you have TORQ energy at the ready with all 5 electrolytes and all the carbohydrates you need.
TORQ Performance nutrition is already known as one of the top sports nutrition products available in Australia. Supplying all the energy you need from pre exercise right through to recovery. Mountain Biking is as grueling an endurance sport as any other. Our products are used by elite-level Cross Country racers, Downhillers and 24-hour soloists and we sponsor and manage our own Mountain Bike Race Team. The principles of sports nutrition hold true for any branch of endurance sport - if you have an endurance goal, TORQ is there to help you achieve it.
ROUTE LINKS TO THE FLINDERS RANGES
Sealed roads Blinman - Wilpena - Rawnsley Park - Hawker - Quorn - Melrose:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/2010-Kona-Mawson-MTB-Marathon
Route from Adelaide to Blinman
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/2010-Kona-Mawson-MTB-Marathon413738
Route from Adelaide to Melrose
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/2010-Kona-Mawson-MTB-Marathon413740
CUSTOM DESIGNED CLOTHING
Note from Body Torque:
"You're all living on the edge, pushing to your limits and exploring the unknown. But no cliché is ever going to sum up you and your team, so you don't want to look like one either. While you know how to burn up the single track, we know how to make you look like the gun team you are. Put eight or ten heads together, brainstorm some ideas and drop us a line. Our designers will get their creative juices flowing and you'll end up with the best looking kit this side of the black diamonds. When your legs are screaming and batteries fading, your Custom designed Body Torque team kit will still be going strong." Click here to go to their homepage.
