The Otway Odyssey Mountain Bike Marathon lived up to expectations with the closest finish of its history in an exciting race that attracted one of the best line-ups in an Australian event. The sell-out field of star studded World Champs, Olympians and Aussie Title holders accompanied by excited weekend warriors grouped at Apollo Bay on the scenic Great Ocean Road as the sun rose to great fanfare provided by a 10 piece brass band. The race itself for competitors didn’t disappoint nor the competitors for spectators. Adrian Jackson from Melbourne was the surprise winner of the men after being seeded 8th behind far more accomplished men and German star, Judith Arndt, proved that road riders can make the transition to off-road by taking out the women’s 100km marathon.
The rainforest canopy of the Otway Ranges shielded riders from the 34 degree scorcher and the tracks were nice and soft from recent rain providing competitors with good conditions. 1000 riders competed in the 100km race, 500 people in the 50km Shorty and over 200 in the 15km Pioneer maintaining the Otway Odyssey’s reputation as the biggest mountain bike race in Victoria and second largest in Australia. This year there was an added quirk to the event with cheerleaders loudly encouraging riders with pompoms and dancing at the Busty Road peak. And the brass band popped up again amongst the tall trees in the middle of no-where providing entertainment to weary riders and probably causing many to think that they had become delirious during the renowned tough event.
Adrian Jackson finally had his dream run having competed in all four Otway Odyssey races. With a DNF in ‘07, a 5th in ‘08 and 4th last year, he’s gradually been climbing the podium and perfecting the course in preparation for today. Taking the lead in the single track of the Yaugher State Forest ‘Shotz Super Loop’ he never looked back with his good knowledge of the tracks helping him stretch his lead, finally winning in 4 hours 44 mins, 2 minutes ahead of Lachlan Norris and 3 minutes ahead of Craig Gordon. Struggling to find his form this season, a light headed and exhausted Jackson could only manage a weary smile and admitted he had to deal with cramps over the last 20km but was stoked with the top spot. A seasoned XC and multi-day racer, he managed to hold off former and current World 24 Hour champs, Gordon and Jason English who were finishing fast in what was a sprint for them, while in contrast, Norris, a road specialist was willing the finish line come as soon as possible. Norris, from Castlemaine in Victoria credited Jackson saying, “he’s a tough man. He was flying on the single track”. A member of the Drapac Porsche cycling team he and his teammates favour mountain biking to improve power. With a beach house at Apollo Bay, Norris is also familiar with the tracks of Forrest but will leave them next week to compete in the Tour of Langkawi after a successful few weeks of mountain biking behind him that include a win at Thredbo on the XC circuit.
In the women there was no denying Judith Arndt the win after she powered off right from the start. The Road Race and Pursuit Olympic medalist was too good in the initial hills and had a 5-minute lead going into the single tracks of the last 30km. With an amazing resume, Arndt proved that her mountain bike skills were formidable after not allowing last year’s winner and second place getter, Katherine O’Shea, to chip away at her lead in her preferred part of the course. The surprise of the day was Peta Mullens who placed 3rd overall in the womens category in a time of 6:01:27. Arndt confessed to being quite worried about the fact that she wouldn’t have a support vehicle behind her to help if she had a mechanical like she was used to in her usual races and in a modest demeanor claimed that, “I think I suck on the single track”. The results speak for themselves though and without help she played out her race plan by leaving a little for the last two climbs and brought it home in 5 hours 49 minutes. Arndt spends her off-season with partner in Victoria and the European season in Germany with team HTC Columbia. A regular in a team at the Anaconda Adventure Race in Lorne she loves being an adventure junkie in the off-season and says that, “mountain bikers are really positive people and nice when they pass”, which is one reason she enjoys racing here. O’Shea was thrilled to be runner-up after an emotional few months from the passing of her mother in December.
With a pre-race reputation of being tougher than the 100km course the new 50km Shorty got the thumbs up with several people saying it was the best course they’d ever ridden. Race winner, Grant Suckling, from Geelong used the event as training for the Anaconda Adventure Race in New Zealand in April where he hopes to stake claim as Series leader. A first timer at the Otway Odyssey, Suckling said it had been on his list of events to notch up but hadn’t found the time in the past to do it, or any other straight mountain bike race for that matter within his heavy adventure race schedule.
Tales of mechanical miracles and feats of strength resonated around the Forrest football field at the finish line where riders enjoyed a free brew post race. Entertainment and presentations capped off a great Otway Odyssey Mountain Bike Marathon for another year.
1520hrs Monday update: I’ve just heard that Otway Odyssey winner Adrian Jackson is being interviewed on SEN radio FM 1116 (Melb) at 9:40pm tonight. Might be worth listening to.