Kona Odyssey MOUTAIN BIKE marathon set for April 2014
Press Release / 29.05.2013
The legendary Kona Odyssey Mountain Bike Marathon is set for a new date in 2014, hitting the Forrest trails on Sunday 27th April, in Forrest, South-East Victoria after being held in February for the last seven years.
Event organisers’ Rapid Ascent have moved the Kona Odyssey to late April with the encouragement of the CFA and other emergency services to conduct the race out of peak fire season, and at a time more conducive to rider-friendly weather.
“With February getting hotter and hotter and the number of high fire danger days on the rise, the authorities have been asking us to move the race for a couple of years in case it generates, or is involved with a bushfire. Riders’ safety is our highest priority so we are happy to follow their request,” said Sam Maffett, Rapid Ascent General Manager.
“We also feel that the new April date will provide much more comfortable conditions for participants and avoid having another hot day like we had this year,” Maffett added.
First held in 2007, the Kona Odyssey is regarded as one of Australia’s most challenging and rewarding mountain bike marathons thanks to the mix of hills provided by the Otway Ranges, and the quality single track built in and around the township of Forrest.
Many of the nation’s top mountain bike riders form part of the 4,000 competitors and spectators who are annually attracted to the heroic race that contributed two million dollars to the local economy in 2013. The new date is not expected to impact the popularity of the race in future years.
Starting and finishing at the Forrest Football Oval in Forrest Victoria, the 100km mountain bike marathon will use the same course as 2013 which saw the inclusion of a new looped course that brought fast flowing single track and some new lung-busting hills to the race .
“The new 100km course flowed even better than the original course from Apollo Bay and allowed us to intersperse the single track, the hills and the atmosphere of the footy ground more equally across the full distance,” said Maffett.
In amongst the dirt and grime of the 100km race, the 50km Kona Shorty is back again, racing along shorter and slightly easier sections of Forrest single track, along with the 15km Kona Pioneer being available to kids and new comers.
Entries are set to open in October.
Date: Sunday 27 April, 2014
Location: Forrest, Otway National Park, Victoria
Distances: 100km Kona Odyssey
50km Kona Shorty
15km Kona Pioneer
Festival: Finish your quest with a feast at the bike, food and entertainment expo
Entries: To open in October at www.konaodyssey.com.au
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