2006 VAUDE Highland Fling another great success
1100 mountain bikers were up for a Fling and enjoyed warm and generally cloudy conditions for the second running of the VAUDE Highland Fling MTB Marathon in the Southern Highlands of NSW last weekend.
The weekends feast of mountain biking kicked off with a Saturday evening Entree of the Bundanoon Dash. A 6km Sprint race starting in the middle of Bundanoon village and doing a loop into Morton National Park. It was a fast course excepting the final 300metres, a steep pull up Constitution Hill to the finish line. From 70 riders, Shaun Lewis took the line in 0:11:07, for him the start of a very succesful weekend, followed by Nick Both and Dennis Van Mil. Renee Fortunato took out the Womens race in 0:12:01 and 9th overall.
To the Main Course on Sunday, with over 700 riders for the 109km Full Fling, 350 for the Half Fling and 10 Flinging Threesomes relay teams sent off by the bagpipes. There were also 7 brave souls prepared to take the challenge of the severe time cut offs imposed in the 100Mile Fling.
The day dawned cool and ovecast with a blood red sky. With 30 degrees forecast it was to be a warm ride. The 45 Elite Full Flingers set off with the Half Flingers 30 minutes behind the main Full Fling pack and the chase was on to catch them during the 29km VAUDE Stage. This passed through paddocks and forest: up and down the Roller Coaster, through the Free Bike Wash and onto the Early Bath before Boags Draft and Pigs Fly into Wingello Village. At the Transition, Shaun Lewis, Matt Fleming, Aiden Lefman and the Fl(y)ing Dutchman, Dirk Van Der Walle were wheel to wheel.
The Full Flingers and 100Mile Flingers then headed onto the 50km Forests NSW Stage; a long, tough loop of Wingello State Forest including numerous fast, steep descents and climbs from fern lined gullies and fine singletrack. The Wall, Fern Gully, Tangles, Halfway Hill and The Kick all took their toll on many. Lewis, Fleming and Lefman pulled away from Van Der Walle but Lewis dropped Fleming on the grinding climb up The Kick. After 80km, back at Wingello Transition, Lewis had a lead of a minute or so over Fleming and plunged into the final 29km Specialized Stage determined to improve upon his 2nd place in 2005. A fast farmland descent into Penrose State Forest followed before heading to the steep, barely rideable Gauntlet and the enjoyable singletrack to follow. A climb up to the Yacht Club and a fast descent through the Little Sandy Desert and a steady climb through the Great Sandy Desert to Your Call. A choice between a steeper and shorter climb or a longer and leveller one. Lewis was now pulling futher away from Fleming who was being chased hard by Van Der Walle. A fast final 3km to the Finish saw Lewis victor in the 2006 VAUDE Highland Fling in 4:18:53 with Fleming in 2nd place on 4:23:23 and Van Der Walle marking a successful blooding in his first Australian race with a 3rd place in 4:27:24.
In the Womens Elite Full Fling, Katrin Van Der Spiegel (5:18:29) had a great race and took the $1000, finishing ahead of Renee Fortunato (5:23:37) and Kimberley Fleming (5:44:00).
In the Singlespeed category, Steve Fitchett rode away with the category in 5:09:34, finishing a hugely respectable 22nd Overall
Meanwhile only 3 riders remained in competition in the 100Mile Fling after the first 109km, with other riders having either pulled out or did not meet the 5.5hr cutoff time for the 109km. Dennis Van Mil had 15 minutes or so over Adam Socha and Andrew Mannings just made the cut-off. After an inspirational ride, Van Mil finished in 7:43:43 with Socha in 2nd place in 7:55:54. In a move that epitomised the community and fundraising aspects of the Fling, Van Mil donated his $600 winnings to the numerous community groups who use the Fling to raise much needed funds.
In the Half Fling, 05 winner Joey Esterhuyzen again blitzed the field winning with a huge 10 minute margin in 2:31:54 over Wade Carberry (2:41:52) and Hamish Gorman (2:42:47). Womens Half Fling winner, Janine Ridsdale (2:50:16), was also in 8th overall, a remarkable effort, with Claire Haugh and Christelle Van Niekirk in 2nd and 3rd.
The VAUDE Highland Fling offers all mountain bikers the chance to take their own personal challenge. To ride fast, to ride slow, to dress up in kilts, to see some of the finest MTB terrain in Australia, to win prizes for coming first, last or somewhere in the middle, for having a birthday, a stack, a story to tell. The Fling offered a creche facility and even the small fortune luxury of a banana for every rider! Participation is what such events are all about. Celebrating this the organizers will award the Australian MTB Marathon Championship green/gold tartan jersey to the Male and Female rider completing the average time! This currently sits at 7.15.49 for Women 7.07.00 for Men but may alter as final results are checked in the coming days.
The VAUDE Highland Fling is also a fundraiser for numerous community groups in the villages of Bundanoon, Penrose, Exeter and Wingello. Over $20,000 was raised over the weekend by these groups.
For more information on next year’s event go to… http://www.wildhorizons.com.au/