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Scott Australian 24 Hour Mountain Bike Championships – Live Blog

Scott 24hr race briefing

The Scott 24 Hour Australian Mountain Bike Championships are being run over Saturday and Sunday 27-28 September, from midday to midday, at Stromlo Forest Park in Canberra, and NowUC has four final year journalism students covering the event from start to finish. Updated on the hour, every hour, this live blog will cover all of the essential facts and excitement as the event progresses. If you’re in need of further information throughout the event, check out tweets from Hannah, Pat, Andrew, and Jeremy, and say hi.

At the Scott 24hr, there are various subtypes of rider: 6+6 riders race from midday to 6:00PM on Saturday, and then 6:00AM to midday on Sunday. The 24 hour solo riders and teams ride from start to finish.

Sunday, 28 September

12:30PM:
That’s a wrap! The Scott Australian 24 Hour Mountain Bike Championships are by and large finished for the year. You can view the current results here and keep an eye on CORC’s Facebook page for the final official list of rankings later. Signing off for NowUC – Hannah, Andrew, Pat, and Jeremy.

12:00PM:
Temperature: 19.8°C
Conditions: Perfect blue skies
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: The gate from the track to the transition area has officially been closed. No riders will be allowed to start a lap from this point on. Those riders who got through before 11:59AM will push hard to finish their final lap.

11:00AM:
Temperature: 18.3°C
Conditions: No cloud cover. Quite warm and still a slight breeze.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: We’re entering the final hour of the race – anyone finishing a lap now has locked themselves or their team in with a valid finish. Riders are still pushing hard through the course and changing over at transition, trying to get as many laps in as possible.

10:00AM:
Temperature: 16.5°C
Conditions: Warm. Breeze picking up a bit, but overall, quite comfortable.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: Many of the riders seem exhausted, but you’d be hard-pressed to find someone not smiling. Solo riders are still pushing through those tough last laps, and many team riders are heading out for their final runs.

9:00AM:
Temperature: 12.4°C
Conditions: Still warm. Very slight breeze.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: Hot air balloons were seen over the city skyline this morning, and riders are still going strong as the day warms up. Only 3 hours to go!

Hot air balloons

8:00AM:
Temperature: 7.9°C
Conditions: Definitely warming up. Not much wind at all.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: Beautiful morning out here – must surely be a welcome change for the overnight riders who have braved the cold. The transition area is definitely livening up and people are buzzing about.

Transition area - Scott 24hr

7:00AM:
Temperature: 3.7°C
Conditions: Slight breeze but barely felt as the two degree temperature jump is welcomed.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: Quick bacon and egg roll, quick coffee, and all the 6+6 riders are back on the mountain.

6:00AM:
Temperature: 1.7°C
Conditions: Cold, but the sun is gradually warming Stromlo.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: The sun has risen and breathed life back into Stromlo. The 6+6 riders are getting ready to start their second shift, running through to race end at midday today.

Byj_WtMCMAA4UfY.jpg-large

5:00AM:
Temperature: 2°C
Conditions: It’s still very, very cold, but the sun is peeking up over the horizon.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: A lot of the riders will be feeling it right now, but apparently the sight of the sun is a boost of energy to most people. Almost there!

4:00AM: 
Temperature: 2.9°C
Conditions: The fog is forming from the ground up, and partially responsible for the dewy moisture in the air.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: These are the darkest hours for riders, fuelled solely by quick energy fixes of Red Bull and Gu – the chemical reactions occurring in their bodies is unenviable.

3:00AM:
Temperature: 3.0°C
Conditions: Still and quiet on the Criterium track
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: With just over three hours until the sun reappears, we are within reach of daylight. Some riders are still braving the cold out on the track, waiting for the warmth of the sun.

2:00AM: 
Temperature: 4.4°C
Conditions: Shivering cold at the criterium, but the riders are keeping warm as they push on through to the morning.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: Lethargy is well and truly setting in among riders and volunteers, but no amount of tiredness will kill their positivity and passion.

1:00AM:
Temperature: 5.4°C
Conditions: It’s still cold, and it’s still dark, but it’s all downhill from here.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: Jessica Douglas is exerting all of her effort to maintain her impressive lead in the solo female race. The mountain biking champion is currently on her 16th lap(208km). Her fastest lap was an incredible 39 minutes and 29 seconds.

12:00AM:
Temperature: 5.6°C
Conditions: Quiet, still and blisteringly cold.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: The Scott is officially half over. The 6+6 riders have 6 hours of sleep left and the 24hr solo and teams have 12 hours left to ride.

Saturday, 27 September:

11:00PM:
Temperature: 6.3°C
Conditions: Winds have calmed and the air is becoming chillier.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: The camp has quietened but the race is pushing on. Jason English is dominating the solo male riders, having just clocked onto his 17th lap, the furthest of anyone in the competition (over 221km so far).

10:00PM:
Temperature: 7.4°C
Conditions: Slight breeze and frosty air.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: Despite the temperature, positivity remains high in the camp as the 24hr riders continue to power on. The 6+6 riders are enjoying a well earned rest.

9:00PM:
Temperature: 11.2°C
Conditions: Still and crisp.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: Cyclists are treated to the spectacle of fairy lights up at Wombat junction as the Scott 24hr radio station provides a soundtrack to their ride.

8:00PM:
Temperature: 11.5°C
Conditions: The temperature is quickly declining, but the wind that has been present for most of the day is also fortunately dying off.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: Nighttime is here to stay. Teams have settled into their tents and are having dinner by bike light. The constant stream of lights down the hill into the transition area suggests many people are sticking it out through the night.

7:00PM:
Temperature: 11.9°C
Conditions: Cold temperatures are settling in, and the sun is gone. It’s all night conditions from here.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: There’s a sociable atmosphere at the base, as camps are starting to organise their dinners. Around the mountain, the solo and team riders are turning on their lights and preparing for hours of darkness.

6:00PM:
Temperature: 14.7°C
Conditions: The sun has left us, only brushing the tops of the mountains.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: The 6+6 riders are finishing their duties for today, ready to set off again in 12 hours time. For those doing the full 24hrs, it’s another lonely ride into the ever darkening wilderness of Stromlo.

5:00PM:
Temperature: 17.1°C
Conditions: Clouds cleared up. Getting a bit windier.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: A few minor falls, but nothing too serious so far. Light is starting to fade and riders are putting their lights on from here on in.

Stromlo hills

4:00PM:
Temperature: 16.6°C
Conditions: Overcast with a persistent wind.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: The mountain has cast a shadow over the criterium, adding a slight chill to the air, but the atmosphere is unaffected as riders soar down to the end of the lap at transition.

3:00PM:
Temperature: 17.2°C
Conditions: Wind has picked up, pushing some ominous clouds over the mountain – but the sun refuses to hide.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: There’s an immense sense of camaraderie among riders as they wait in transition. The friendly, laid-back and sociable culture of mountain bike racing is evident in the feel of today.

2:00PM:
Temperature: 17.8°C
Conditions: Sunny and warm still, little cloud cover. Bit windy.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: Killer tunes coming in from the Scott 24hr Radio. Bloc Party, Jezebels, Florence – they’re keeping everyone entertained.

1:00PM:
Temperature: 17.6°C
Conditions: Sunny and warm, little cloud cover in the distance. Slight wind but nothing heavy.
Team placings: View current results here.
Comments: One hour into the race – there’s a relaxed and social vibe around the criterium as racers head through transition.

12:00PM:
Temperature: 15.3°C
Conditions: Sunny and warm, little cloud cover.
Team placings: n/a
Comments: And they are off! The Scott 24hr has officially started. 24hr solos, teams, and 6+6 riders have started their ride. Take a look at some footage of the start.

11:00AM:
Temperature: 15.5°C
Conditions: Sunny and warm, little cloud cover.
Team placings: n/a
Comments: Race briefing has just started, here is an updated version of the course map.

 

Recent Comments

2

24hr solos - ride alone for 24hrs, alone often non stop, certifiable nutters. 24hr teams - ride with friends in teams of 2/3/4/6/8 6+6 - ride 6 hrs at start, go home and sleep. come back in the morning to race remaining 6 hrs. Good if you are afraid of the dark :-)

Hey what are the different race types (24hr solos, teams, and 6+6 riders)?

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