Hunter Schools XCO Mountain Bike Championships – 21/09/18 – Sponsorship Opportunity

The Hunter Mountain Bike Association is pleased to be part of the Hunter Schools XCO Mountain Bike Championships in 2018. This event is scheduled for 21/09/18 and will only be made financially viable with sponsorship.

We are hoping to keep entries to just $25 per child but we want this to include:
– National Park fees (both per rider and event application fee)
– Toilet hire
– Event t-shirt
– Medals for podium positions
– Championship jersey for each age group
– Named number plates

Please click on the below link to download the attached PDF for details on how you can sponsor this event and support the development of junior Hunter riders into future Australian champions.

Hunter Schools Mountain Bike XCO Championships Sponsorship

Please note that we are also planning on having the first ever HMBA night mountain bike race at Glenrock on the evening of that same date – further details for this event will be posted in late August – this will be something else!

HMBA Update – a bright future for Awaba and beyond

Hunter Mountain Bike Association memberships continue to grow as the sport of mountain biking enjoys greater participation both locally and globally. With this popularity comes the opportunity to develop existing trails and facilities to better cater for core groups, attract new riders and entice visitors from other regions. Our elected representatives from local and state government agencies, along with awesome landowners like Forestry Corporation of NSW, have responded by providing development opportunities. This common goal caters for organic growth, prepares for the expected higher demand and provides recreational assets for a growing community accessible sport.

From its inception HMBA has always provided its members with exceptional representation, leadership and governance. It has a record of capitalising on opportunity and being on the front foot when changes in the sport affect the members – a reputation that the current committee strives to uphold. Recently the draft 10 year trail Master Plan was released and discussions with Lake Macquarie City Council and Forestry Corporation began to focus on a range of improvements to the Awaba MTB Park. These discussions included the establishment of the Road Gap Trail, the Flow Trail, the Intermediate level Down Hill Trail, an extension to the Adaptive Trail, upgrade of the access road and an upgrade of the car park. While all this potential development is pending, the club has been maintaining the existing trail network and continued to provide its members with racing opportunities throughout the Hunter region.

The club’s members are seen participating in the sport of mountain biking all over Australia and around the world, and in doing so bring back enthusiasm and ideas. On the back of this the club has now expanded its mountain bike advocacy to other local regions and community sectors. Club members are at the forefront with developments in the Port Stephens area (Gan Gan and Wallaroo), Kurri Kurri and Singleton; officiate at a senior level in MTBA and UCI sanctioned events; have gone into the community as coaches; advocate for the inclusion of people with a disability; and accept invitations from national bodies to take committee positions for the benefit of the sport.

Through its members the club is recognised by the sport’s peak national body, MTBA, and the Olney State Forest land owner, Forestry Corporation of NSW, as a model example for other MTB clubs to follow.  Aside from receiving the 2017 MTBA National “Friends of the Trail” Award and drawing up to 500 riders per week to the Park, this recognition provides an excellent platform to attract development funding from state based authorities and the private sector. On this front, the club has an expectation that it will be successful in being granted funds for the trail and car park development and will see those improvements completed in early 2019. On the back of this, discussions between Lake Macquarie City Council and Destination NSW have matured to the point where we also have an expectation of a tripartite agreement for funding large events at Awaba MTB Park over the next three years (2019 to 2021).

In addition to government based funding, the club has been liaising with Lake Macquarie City Council’s economic development company, Dantia, in collaboration with Forestry Corporation of NSW to facilitate potential for local businesses to benefit from what is expected to be an a new, State-significant, Outdoor Adventure hub. The Awaba MTB Park is located in a wilderness area that provides a range of outdoor activities including, but not limited to, abseiling, bush walking, trail running, orienteering, rock climbing, 4X4, and motorcycle trail riding. These activities attract commercial operators and investors. The potential for associated food and accommodation offerings is attracting interest from the private sector. Aside from being HMBA club members, you are all members of the private sector and these opportunities are available to us all.

It is at this point where we can now provide our members with opportunity to voluntarily and commercially participate in, and benefit from, the expansion of Awaba and the Outdoor Adventure Hub.  We would like to accept expressions of interest from active club members who may be able to offer the skills required to assist with the development of Awaba – the skills required include land clearing, earth moving, road building, bridge building, power and water supply, social media, engineering, survey, tree lopping, mulching, landscaping, building supplies, sign writing, bus hire, amenities (Dunny) hire, Solar power, general building and of course, opportunity for all to ‘carry heavy things’. Some of these skills and services will also be required for other developments in the area and in this regard the club can facilitate advertising and is always open to sponsorship from those members whose businesses would benefit from some exposure and association with outdoor adventure types.  Please use the website contact page or send an email to presidenthmba@gmail.com

So, from the current HMBA committee we extend our thanks to those who have gone before us and the members who are with us today for making this club the awesome entity it is. We look forward to working with you all, and welcoming new members to share these exciting times.

See you on the trails.

HMBA XC Race Results – 22/7/18

Well after a very chilly start to the day that included a nice frost, we were finally greeted with some sunshine for Round 6 of the HMBA Club XC Series. This was also the first time using the club’s new XC timing system. Club President Clint had his “L” plates on for his first go at registration using the new Race Results timing software, thankfully he overcame his lack of typing skills and poor spelling to get everyone registered without incident and before the race started, a miracle some may say!
At this point the Club would like to send a massive thank you out to Martin Wisata of Rocky Trail Entertainment for his help setting up the new timing system and assisting with registrations, while also giving driving lessons on the new system.
This month’s race saw our usual track setting guru Dean away on a well deserved family holiday, so we had his understudy Joel step up and set what was by all accounts an amazing course. It took in all the best bits of the track with none of the hills (Dean please take note it can be done !) and ended up being 5.5km of awesome Awaba single track.
We had 58 riders registered today, and let’s just say the racing was fast and furious from the outset – with anyone suffering from the cold quickly suffering from the pace of racing and forgetting the lack of feeling in their extremities.
Male winner for the day was Mitch Lozinski, with the fastest female being Emily Dreaper, Congratulations for your well deserved wins.
Thank you to all the riders that made the effort to brave the cold and come racing today, we hope to see everyone again at Round 7 of the HMBA Club XC series on 19/8/18.

For the full results please click here:

https://my3.raceresult.com/103083/#0_5B2D98

HMBA Kids Bike Skills Day Thurs 19th July

This Thursday the 19th will be running at Awaba MTB park kids skills day. For children from beginners to intermediate to gain confidence on their bikes and on trail. Learn or better their bikes skills. This also gives children a chance to have a look at the trails we ride on our club race ride days.

Where Awaba Mtb Park
Sign on form to fill in 8.30am – main car park, trailhead container.
Pick up 3.00pm
Cost $50.00
Junior MTBA members please bring your licence, if you do not have a MTBA licence you can sign up free here https://www.mtba.org.au/join, social day licence will be available.

“What you need to bring”
Appropriate comfortable riding clothing, closed toe shoes
https://hmba.asn.au/riding-with-hmba/
Australian certified helmet or one that has been certified by an International Standard organisation.
Bike- working condition, with working front & rear brakes.
Food & Drink, Snacks, Lunch. (Water will be available to top up)
Back pack & or ride pack
Sunscreen ( will be available)
Please bring any medications if needed ( must see coach )

The day will be run by our qualified MTBA & PMBI coaches so your children will be in experienced company.
Coleen Our HMBA Downhill Coordinator & Sarah both Aust National Downhill/Gravity Champions. Paula & Alicia our Kids race Coordinators & both accomplished XC endurance riders.
Come and meet our HMBA Crew, make new friends and most of all have some fun on your bike 🙂
Mum And Dad if you child is going to join us can you indicated Going on the FB event page Or send us a message, Good to know possible numbers 🙂

https://www.facebook.com/events/256322014967347/

 

HMBA Club XC and DH Races – 22/07/18

A quick reminder that our next club races are coming up on Sunday 22nd July at the home trails of Awaba Mountain Bike Park.

We are hopeful of having our new XC timing system up and running for this event – please bring along your number plate if you have one – make sure that the back is all shiny and clean, ready for your new RFID chip. Automated lap timing is coming to HMBA…..

Full event details for both XC and Downhill to be posted soon, although it will be basically the same as every other race weekend we have at home 🙂