2009 Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships
Stromlo Forest Park, Canberra, Australia, from 1 to 6 September 2009
Aug 16, 2009
The 2009 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships will be held from 1 to 6 September 2009, at Stromlo Forest Park in Canberra, Australia’s National Capital. The massive six day event will see the world’s top riders battling for titles at the number one mountain biking destination in Australia which is also a world class mountain biking facility.
There are 530 MTB and 96 trials entrants from 41 nations. There are many of the world’s top male and female riders including world ranked number one riders Gee Atherton of Great Britain, Julien Adsalon of France and Irina Kalentieva of Russia. Australia’s 66 rider team including home grown favorites Jared Graves and Caroline Buchanan. The event will attract around 30,000 visitors from around 40 countries, and will be broadcast to an expected television audience worldwide of over 25 million people.
The Cross Country, Downhill, 4 Cross and Observed Trials Courses
The 7 kilometre cross-country track involves climbing and descending the eastern face of Mt Stromlo. It features ‘The Fang’ which includes a one and a half metre drop-off that then continues downhill, twisting and turning around tree stumps and rocks. The 2.2 kilometre mountain biking downhill course has had new jumps added that means riders will reach speeds of around 65 kilometres an hour. The “triple treat” section will allow riders to gain big air.
The 470 metre long 4X course is the largest in Australia and one of the largest in the world. Designed by Glen Jacobs the artificial hill makes use of more than 100,000 cubic metres of soil and has 7 straights and 6 major corners. The Observed Trials events will be held in and close to the event village where riders get a chance to show off their mountain biking skills, technique and daring.
Entertainment at the 2009 Mountain Bike World Championships
There will be plenty of entertainment beginning with Friday night (4 September) where DJ Kiz and 2Dogs will get the crowd pumped before the 4X finals. They will perform on a purpose built stage under the lights on the side of the four cross hill. From there spectators and participants can celebrate into the night with Kid Kenobi and MC Sureshock in the main bar in the event village.
On Saturday 5 September after the Cross Country finals, Pablo Disco Bar and Resin Dogs will play in the main bar in the Event Village. On Sunday the main bar will have live music as people wind down after the weekend. Throughout the weekend there will be roving entertainment in the event village including fire twirlers, the Rat Patrol and their wacky inventions, plus a Kids zone with jumping castle and face painting.
Further Information and Tickets for 2009 Mountain Bike World Championships
Information about the events and the courses can be found on the website. Admission is free from Tuesday to Thursday. Tickets can be bought in advance at a discounted rate via Ticketek or at the gate with single day, family passes or 3 day passes available. Included in the ticket price is bus transport from the Canberra City to Stromlo Forest Park, car parking at the venue and all day bus shuttles up and down the mountain during racing.
There will be breathtaking speed, hardcore endurance, finish line battles and nerve wrecking balancing acts as competitors challenge to become World Champions. It will be Australia’s biggest Mountain Biking event of the year, and international and local competitors have been preparing all year for it.
If you are interested in mountain biking you might like to read Mountain Biking Holidays in Morzine and Les Gets.
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