Media release, 11 August 2014

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SHIMANO Mountain Bike Series announces two equal series leaders: McNamara and Richardson for GP7 hr

 

Paris Basson, comfortable GP4-hour elite men's lead after Round 4

 

 

Paris Basson and Brooke Rowlands are the GP4-hour elite winners of the SHIMANO Mountain Bike Grand Prix Round 4 at The Australian Botanic Garden, Mt Annan. In the GP7-hour competition turned out to be a nail-biter: Canberra's EdMcDonald persisted on the challenging track and won ahead of Quantum racers Michal Kafka and Ondrej Slezak. But it was Callum McNamara that attacked Max Richardson's series lead early on and with a fourth place ahead of the final series event on his home track at Stromlo Forest Park on 13 September, McNamara now draws level with Richardson taking over the series lead ex aequo with the newcomer from the Central Coast.

Organisers Rocky Trail Entertainment summoned a record field of riders to the SHIMANO Mountain Bike Grand Prix race at The Australian Botanic Garden, Mt Annan. Almost 350 riders competed in the four and seven hour competitions and with his second victory Paris Basson further increased his series lead in the GP4-hour elite men's category. Dominating a tight race among a field of more than 100 solo racers he managed to squeeze in 9 laps in 3:59:23 for yet another successful race with the birth of his first child imminent. Mike Cameron from Maroubra came in second with a gap of 6  minutes ahead of last year's winner Daniel McDonald from Campbelltown.

Detailed results from the Mount Annan event and online registration for Round 5 are now live on www.rockytrailentertainment.com

Shimano MTB Grand Prix series

Round 4:

Magellan duo takes out line honours

 

Sydney-siders Paris Basson and James Lamb from Magellan Racing dominated the overall field all day and were the only team to complete 23 laps in the elite pairs division, taking the line honours. “I’ve been racing almost every Rocky Trail event this year and they just keep getting better”, said Paris Basson. “The atmosphere is just phenomenal! We heard the music on most parts of the track and the event centre was so well arranged, great food, great company – an awesome weekend out!” Team mate and solo endurance racer James Lamb agreed, “This was one of the best races I’ve ever been to. And this team racing thing is quite a challenge, man, you push each other to race as hard as you can, it’s actually tougher that I thought it would be.”

 

 

Overall winners and line honours: 

Team 2 Male Elite // Magellan Racing // Paris Basson, James Lamb / 23 laps in 12:05:18

Round 3:

Four-time World Enduro Motor Cross Champion Stefan Merriman took out the four-hour Elite Men’s race at the SHIMANO Mountain Bike Grand Prix (MTB GP) near Wyong on the weekend, winning against series leader Paris Basson. With 14 completed laps Jason English won the seven-hour competition ahead of Andrew Lloyd and Max Richardson from Wamberal, who takes over the reigns as new series leader in that division. In the women’s competition, Lana Moy further increases her series lead in the four-hour event, whilst Kirby Knowles held onto her seven-hour series lead finishing second behind a dominant Laura Renshaw, the Elite Women’s winner of round three.

The depth of field was impressive as almost 350 riders gathered at the start line at Ourimbah MTB Park for the third round of the SHIMANO Mountain Bike Grand Prix Series. Multiple National Champions and the 24-Hour World Champion Jason English were at the start line, as well as one of Australia’s biggest names in motor cross racing: Stefan Merriman. After a win in the 40+ master category in round one with Rocky Trail earlier this year at Awaba, the 41-year old from Port Stephens showed that his talent for two-wheeled sports also extends into mountain biking and won in the elite male category with 8 laps completed in 4:01:13, putting none other than series leader Paris Basson in second ahead of Qantum racer Michal Kafka who came third.