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What will your odyssey be? To win? Top two hundred? To finish? To just survive?
Will you, like our hero Homer, stand atop the Otway Ranges come February 18th, muddied but triumphant; a two wheeled warrior, conqueror of 100 kilometres of vertiginous climbs, thick swathes of forest and the odd mud monster clawing out from the ferns?
It’s a story only you will be able to tell after signing up for the Kona Odyssey, a marathon mountain bike journey like no other.
This is the one the mountain bike Gods look to, it’s the one they hold up as the biggest two wheel battlefield of all.
The Kona Odyssey. Ride your way into mountain bike mythology.
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Date Saturday, February 18th, 2012
Location Great Otway National Park, South-West Victoria
Format Kona Odyssey 100km - Apollo Bay to Forrest
Kona Shorty 50km - Forrest to Forrest
Kona Pioneer 15km - Forrest to Forrest
And of course, all good warriors back from battle deserve a good feast and festival – so stash the steed and enjoy plenty of food, entertainment, bike expos, live music and kids’ activities at the finish line.
NOTE: The new Kona Odyssey website is under construction and will be launched by October 21st. All the content on this (old) site is correct but new content, maps and other details will be uploaded soon.
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Starting on the Great Ocean Road in the picturesque town of Apollo Bay and finishing in the iconic MTB township of Forrest, the Otway Odyssey takes riders on an heroic 100km mountain bike journey through a range of wild landscapes in an Odyssey sent from the gods.
This is a race along roller coaster single track so much fun you’ll have a grin from ear to ear; it’s a race up hills so steep you’ll think your heart is going to leap from your chest; it’s a race down flowing fire roads and white knuckle double track that will put tears in your eyes and memories in your mind… and all this is amidst some of the most spectacular countryside you’ll ever see.
There are three course options ready to challenge any level of rider:
- The full 100km Otway Odyssey – starts at Apollo Bay and finishes at Forrest … providing ultimate bragging rights for all finishers!
- The 50km Otway Shorty – starts/finishes in Forrest that includes plenty of sweet single track (New course for 2010).
- The 15km Otway Pioneer – a fun event designed to give kids and beginners to the sport a taste of the action.
The 100km Otway Odyssey is undoubtedly one of Australia’s pinnacle MTB events providing riders with a supreme challenge, enjoyment and reward along some of the best trails in the land. Set yourself the benchmark and join us for a journey you will never forget.
Add to this a massive festival with plenty of food, entertainment, bike stands, live music and other activities at the finish line and this is the Ultimate MTB Marathon.
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World By Cycle project interviews John Jacoby(Posted 26/01/2012)
John Jacoby’s reputation for ultra endurance (both enduring and inflicting) is without question; after all, he has held multiple world titles in marathon kayaking, multisport and adventure racing.
So no wonder a new adventure and education initiative dubbed World By Cycle was keen to catch up with Rapid Ascent's director to talk about the project. Click here for full story ...
Extended field limit for the 50km Kona Shorty(Posted 23/01/2012)
Rapid Ascent is very happy to announce that we have extended the field limit for the 50km Kona Shorty from 600 riders to 800 riders to allow more riders to take part in this iconic event. Click here for full story ...
Kona Odyssey champ returns to battle for fourth title(Posted 17/01/2012)
Take a look back at the rap sheet - the one worth looking at in the form of the results record - and it's clear that Chris 'Jungleblood' Jongewaard is the man to beat on the Kona Odyssey course come 18th February. He's won every event he's entered on the Otway slopes (2008, 2009, 2011). The first year he didn't compete and 2010 he was unfortunately still legging it on the wind trainer in custody. Controversy surrounding Jungleblood has mostly abated as he's chased World Cup Click here for full story ...
Mandatory Equipment: an adventure racing insight(Posted 14/01/2012)
What happens when you take three women who haven't really dived into AR before, plus one bloke to go and get the coffee, and throw them into the bush to get dirty? Click here for full story ...
Adventure in the Garden of Eden(Posted 21/12/2011)
It’s like a gathering of the adventure gods – cough, strike that – a gathering of the adventure retirees, all too stubborn to let go of the rusty ice pick or the idea that they can still knock off a mountain or three. And so it is that a clan of mountain men – once rulers of adventure racing thrones in Australia and New Zealand – now gather annually to take on risky(ish) forays that still strike out into the field of adventure as much as bodies and minds weathered by decades of wild outdoors lif Click here for full story ...
Nutrition presentation for Kona Odyssey riders(Posted 17/12/2011)
Rapid Ascent is happy to partner with Next Level Nutrition to present a customised power point presentation on ‘How to manage your nutrition intake before and during the Kona Odyssey.’ Click here for full story ...
Wanna be a Kona Odyssey hero? Start praying...(Posted 13/12/2011)
Reckon you have what it takes to enter mountain biking mythology and finish the Kona Odyssey Mountain Bike Marathon on 18 February, 2012?
Entries are filling fast – there’s a 1000 rider limit on the 100km and 600 on the 50km – so if you want to be a mountain biking hero you’d better get in quickly. And then start praying to the mountain bike gods that you’ll make it. Click here for full story ...
Bike Buller MTB Festival ENTRIES OPEN(Posted 24/11/2011)
Entries have opened for the Bike Buller Mountain Bike Festival presented by Giant with a promise that this year's event will deliver more biking bang – not to mention festival fun – for your buck. Click here for full story ...
Bondi Rescue Boys surf into Lorne Anaconda adventure(Posted 23/11/2011)
Famous for lifesaving heroics on the Channel Ten television program Bondi Rescue, the Bondi Boys are headed south from their word-famous beach playground to tackle this year’s Anaconda Adventure race National Series finale in Lorne, Victoria, on 4 December. Click here for full story ...
Forrest Festival promises mountain biking magic(Posted 16/11/2011)
"Forrest is the greatest place on earth to ride your mountain bike!" So proclaims the organisers of the Forrest Festival (who as locals may be a little biased).
"Ok... well maybe there are other places, but we think Forrest is pretty cool and we know you do too."
What's undoubtedly uber cool is that Forrest has a BRAND NEW mountain biking event. Click here for full story ...
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Otway Odyssey familiarisation ride - 2012 date to be confirmed
The familiarisation day ride for the 2012 Otway Odyssey will be held on Saturday January 21st (this is a TENTATIVE DATE and will be confirmed nearer the time) and will be conducted by the Forrest Mountain Bike Club and is open to all riders to attend. The familiarisation day is conducted in a friendly, non competitive environment and provides the opportunity for riders to be lead over parts of the course used for either the 100km or 50km Otway Odyssey races. Members of the Forrest Mountain Bike Club will provide leadership for those attending the famil day and show you where the course goes and provide a few tips and ideas on how best to prepare for the race itself. There will be a $15 attendance fee per rider and that will go towards the Forrest MTB Club and will also cover the costs of a lunch time BBQ available to all famil riders once you have finished. All riders are asked to meet at the Forrest Brewery on the main street and be ready to ride at 8:45am when we will conduct a short briefing before departing on bikes at 9:00am. Please bring everything else you need to ride for 2-4 hours including water, food, spare tubes, pump and bike tools. Further details and an online registration form (so we have an idea of numbers) can be found on the Otway Odyssey event website here or call Norm Douglas for more info on (03) 5236-6424. MTBSkills.com will be running a MTB skills session on the Sunday following the familiarisation day (Jan 22nd) with Norm and Jess Douglas conducting a specialised clinic for up to 20 riders on how to ride the Odyssey trails with maximum efficiency and flow. Visit their website at www.MTBSkills.com.au for more details.
Please register if you think you will be attending by filling out the small registration box above and then we'll have an idea of who and how many people will be there on the day.
MTB Bike Skills Clinics
If you want a guided ride around the Forrest trails in your own time, added with some expert advice and riding skills sessions then look no further than MTB Bike Skills Clinics. Norm and Jess live locally in Forrest and know the trails inside out as well as how to pass on crucial skills for turning any rider into a confident / fast rider over any terrain. Check them out at www.mtbskills.com.au
Otway Expeditions Mountain Bike Tours
In addition, Otway Expeditions Mountain Bike Tours provide custom mountain bike tours out of Apollo Bay, e-mail Mike at otwayexpeditions@hotmail.com
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