NEWS and INFORMATION

 
Welcome to www.cairnsmtb.com!
 
Monday 22 August - In case you haven't noticed (and from the emails pouring in, I'd say you have noticed...) the full results of the H8H are not yet up. The good news is - I now have the computer back, and I hope to have the results up ASAP. It won't be Tuesday night, I've got other things to do, but it will be as soon thereafter as possible.
 
Also, we expect to have the results of the Paluma Push reworked to suit the Tri-Cities XC round that it became so that we can finish that one off very shortly - Townsville is putting that together for us now.
 
Don't forget the RRR this Sunday - info on the poster on the right --> There will be a separate trophy for the Ladies this year, too...
 
Here's a press release posted on the MTBA website today which concerns us very much - maybe we can come home soon:

Positive steps taken in securing tenure on Smithfield (Cairns, Qld)
Monday, August 22, 2005

Meetings were held between Cairns Mountain Bike club, MTBA and both Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service and representatives of James Cook University over the last 2 days. The meetings, arranged by Lesley Clarke the retiring Queensland State Parliament member for Baron, resulted in positive progress in developing long term management strategies of the Smithfield MTB Park in Cairns. These strategies will see an area within the Smithfield Conservation estate being leased to the club for both recreational and competition activities well into the future. Agreement was also reached on a dedicated access road being constructed to provide access to the site outside the JCU boundaries.

A draft lease agreement, developed by QPWS, was presented to the club and will be refined over the next few weeks. This agreement, the first of its kind for MTB activities in Queensland, will form the basis for the management of the Smithfield MTB area within the wider Smithfield Protected area.

A further meeting with JCU, which borders the Smithfield MTB area, went a long way to resolving some issues of concern from the University principally about access to the MTBA park. An agreement was reached that will see access being provided through JCU land in the short-term.

For the longer term, the club and both JCU and QPWS agreed that the gazetted road which is yet to be constructed but that bypasses JCU land and was designed to provide the access to the site into the future will be fast-tracked once the lease agreement is ratified by the club and QPWS. All parties agreed to work together to secure important funding for the road construction.

MTBA applauds the pro-active positions taken by both QPWS and JCU in working with the Cairns MTB club in ensuring that the fore-runner of other MTB parks in Australia can reach its full potential. We also thank Lesley Clark, who has been an avid supporter of MTB in the Cairns area for her efforts on behalf of the Cairns MTB club.

As a result of the positive shifts we can now see a great future for Smithfield and look forward to seeing it back on the national season calendar in the near future.

 

Tuesday 16 August - The photos from the Herberton 8-Hour are now online - all 270 of them...
 
Sunday 14 August - Woo hoo! The first Herberton 8-Hour has been run and won and what an event it was! From the overnight temperatures reported at -3C, icicles on the wheelie-bins and frost on the airstrip, it didn't take long for the action to hot up. Preliminary results are now available on the H8H page from the index on the left. Congratulations to all those involved in organising what should easily become an annual event. Photos? When I get them done...
 
Thursday 11 August - Some info on the RRR: Nominations on the day (at Vains Oval, Mt Molloy) will commence at 8.00am, and will finish at 9.30pm for a 10.00am race start. Please try not to be late, it only makes life very difficult for the organisers. The Elite guys should be into Port Douglas approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes after the start (the race record is 1 hour 18 or thereabouts). Post race, the awards session will be at the park behind the Surf Life Saving Club, cnr Mowbray St and the Esplanade, Port Douglas. It will commence after the last rider is home. Nomination fee is $25 for Race classes, or $10 for Social riders.
 
Monday 8 August - Couple of things:
1. Addition (Catering) to the Herberton 8-Hour page.
 
2. The funeral for James Grant was held this Thursday in Cairns.
Saturday 6 August - Got your nomination in for the Herberton 8 Hour yet? Forms available on the dedicated race page, accessible from the menu at the left.
 
Sunday 31 July - Well, if you were there you already know the El Arish downhill event got washed out, mainly due to a rainstorm at 4am that did the access road no good at all. Some of the riders said you couldn't even walk the track, it was so slippery. I didn't even take my things out of the car... As soon as Damian can figure a new date, we'll let you know, both here and in the Forum.
 
Wednesday 27 July - Hope you haven't forgotten that there is a Downhill race at El Arish this weekend...
 
Friday 22 July The Herberton 8 Hour XC Race now has it's own section, accessed from the menu on your left...
 
Monday 18 July - Race Calendar updated, should be the final one for the year. Rounds 2, 3 & 4 of the XC series got put in their proper places. There's a big gap between rounds 1 & 2 which is filled by the Herberton 8-hour and the RRR.
 
The gallery on the Forum is now open. Post your pics, maximum size 200K.
 
We are advised of the resignation of Marcia Eves as President of the Mackay Club, and would like to thank her for her cooperation in our events over the last several years. Marcia has decided it is time to hand over the reins to some of the newer members of the Club.
 
Sunday 17 July - Pics from yesterday are now up in the usual place...
 
While we are discussing pictures, if you have any pics that you would like posted here, please forward them to the info@cairnsmtb.com email address and we'll post them for you. Note that there will be restrictions: pictures must comply with common standards of decency, and must not show riders carrying out illegal or unsafe activities - no pics of jumping the Kuranda train, for example... Pictures should be accompanied by a brief description of who / what / where / when and probably why. We're also looking at making a gallery on the forum, too, in which case you'll be able to post there and discuss them - subject to the Moderators, of course.
 
Saturday 16 July - The first round of the XC series was held this afternoon at the Smithfield track (it was almost like coming home!) and the results and lap times are on the Results page. No photos yet, I've been as sick as a dog since I got home. Who infected me?
 
Wednesday 13 July - Just to advise that an MTBA Day Licence is now $15, not $10. This applies to all Club-level race meetings. The price went up earlier in the year and we sorta missed it. Documentation for the Herberton 8-Hour incorrectly states that it is $10.
 
Monday 11 July - Over there on the right you can click on the little poster and get the full size poster for the Herberton 8-Hour XC race, and if you click here you can get the entry form! (Right Click, Save Target As...)
 
Don't forget that Round One of the Club XC Championship takes place at Smithfield this Saturday, registration from 1.30pm and racing from 3.00pm, thanks to those who put the effort in to clean up the track!
 
Sunday 3 July - The final round of the Tri-City DH Challenge has been run and won, and the results are (where else?) on the Results page... This was also the first round of the Club Championships for 2005, so everyone who competed now has points in that as well. Thanks to Brad from Pump 'n Pedals for jumping in at the last minute with several hundred dollars worth of prizes! Photos will be up later tonight in the usual place (try the Photo Gallery link if all else fails :)
 

 
Everything from June 05 back to March 05 has now been archived here
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