MOUNTAIN BIKE AUSTRALIA 20ANNUAL15 REPORT PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY 2 MOUNTAIN BIKE AUSTRALIA ANNUAL REPORT 2015 © Ripe Designs 2015 - www.ripedesigns.com.au TABLE OF CONTENTS PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 04 - 06 CEO’S REPORT 08 - 10 SECRETARY’S REPORT 12 - 13 TREASURER’S REPORT 14 PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY FINANCIAL REPORT 15 - 25 2015 JAYCO CYCLIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS 26 - 27 ACT REP REPORT 28 NSW REPORT 29 QLD REPORT 31 VIC REPORT 32 - 33 WA REPORT 34 - 35 MTBA MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE 36 MTBA STAFF 37 RESULTS 38 - 52 MTBA COMMISSAIRES 54 - 55 MTBA COACHES 56 2015 MEMBER STATS 57 - 58 MTBA CLUBS & PROMOTERS BY STATE 59 PHOTOGRAPHY CREDIT Russell Baker © Ripe Designs 2015 - www.ripedesigns.com.au PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE YEAR IN FOCUS This is my sixth annual The increased involvement of commercial entities in report to you as mountain biking shows that our sport is growing and President. that businesses see opportunities. Governments are also becoming more involved as they have increased YOUR SPORT their support for adventure tourism. Our National XC Marathon Championships were held in Derby, The choice of where Tasmania, in 2015 and are a perfect example of to ride, what to ride, Government investment in mountain biking – and and whether it is for how it can pay off in the rejuvenation of a town fun with your mates or and the surrounding areas. at an organized event or race, continues to be great for Mountain Bikers in When I look back several years, there have never Australia. We all celebrate the achievements of our been as many clubs, private promoters and best mountain bikers, but it is the everyday riding professional trail building companies in Australia that we all do that is special and that MTBA will as there are now. The same goes for the number of continue to service for you. events and other riding opportunities for you all. I am proud that MTBA has been able to lay the solid There have been questions raised throughout the foundation on which all these endeavours have been year about whether racing is ‘dying’ in Australia. built. I see MTBA’s role as an enabler in these areas MTBA monitors race entries and analysis shows continuing into the future. that the total number of people entering events is growing at about 11% per year – but that entries per Your National Series has expanded to cover a whole event are dropping. Put simply, the rate of growth in new range of disciplines. MTBA conducted a round events is greater than the rate of growth of people of a National Series in every State and Territory in doing events. We have seen many new events appear Australia – the first time we have done so. This on the scene, including the growth in Gravity Enduro provides riders of all skill levels with the opportunity and Cyclocross. One reason that numbers per-event to participate in national competition and it brings are dropping is that there is now so much choice for our sport to all of Australia. MTBA also ran our first mountain bikers. On any weekend you can probably National Gravity Enduro Championships in Cairns, find three events within easy distance, so the need based out of Palm Cove, with Chris Panozzo and Em to congregate at one big event is less. We have also Parkes crowned our inaugural national champions – seen the end of some long-established events too. Em’s 3rd national champions’ jersey for 2015! These are market place corrections and our sport will stabilise, as it always has, in a new form which THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE continues to provide the excitement and challenges National and international achievement represents that are mountain biking. a very small portion of the activity of MTBA, and One challenge for MTBA in this area is to ensure that of you as mountain bikers. However it is what your clubs continue to succeed in this environment. gets us visibility with Governments and ultimately Your clubs are important as a focus for the sport our international performances affect the level and to conduct many of the development activities of Government support we receive to run other important for our future riders. To survive, your clubs programs for you. And, lets face it, we all love it need your support. Club activities include specific when our riders do well on the international stage. areas such as Junior Development, Women’s Programs Oceania Championships. Held in Toowoomba in and Schools Events. (The ACT Schools Championships 2015, this was a great event and showcased the best this year had 547 riders from 37 schools.) MTBA is regional riders. These alternate between Australia working to improve support to clubs by providing and New Zealand, although it would be great to be guides and other documentation to assist their able to have other Oceania Nations as a location in regular activities. We have also created two staff future. We are going back to the Toowoomba region positions in MTBA for Development and these are in early 2016 for a national series round. taking up some of the load from the clubs. 4 MOUNTAIN BIKE AUSTRALIA ANNUAL REPORT 2015 World Cups. A large number of Aussies took part World Masters MTB Championships. Held the week in the circuit this year, with some very good results before the UCI World Championships, and in the same happening along the way, along with some valuable location, this event saw Craig Peacock 4th, Donnal Dall lessons and development opportunities. MTBA invested 5th, Karen Evans 5th and Brad Clarke 16th in their in supporting some riders on the World Cup circuit, as age-groups. Great results for Australia. a means of improving our national ranking leading up Enduro World Series. Jared Graves continues to stamp to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Our Downhillers his class and authority in Gravity Enduro with a win in led the way with series rankings, with Troy Brosnan the final round. Jared was on the podium in two other 3rd and Tracey Hannah 4th in the Elites, and Andrew rounds and was never outside the top-10 in the races he Crimmins 2nd in the Juniors. Dan McConnell 14th and entered. This style of event is increasing in popularity Bec Henderson 25th were our highest ranked Elite XCO and it provides a good mix of exciting racing plus the riders, having peaked early in the season to ensure opportunity for rider interaction. Olympic selection. Tour de Timor. An interesting and challenging UCI World Champs. Our team returned home from Stage Race held by our northern neighbor who are Andorra with Janine Jungfels as the World Champion still developing their mountain biking. Aussies Craig in Observed Trials, with Tracey Hannah (Elite Women) Cooke won the men’s title after coming back strong on and Jackson Frew (Junior Men) our Bronze Medalists in the final day with Gina Ricardo placed second in the the Downhill. We had 3 Aussies in the top 10 of the women’s race, behind Portugal’s Celine Carpinteiro. Elite Men Downhill with Troy Brosnan best placed at 6th. Janine is Australia’s only Trials medallist and this World Solo 24Hr Championships. Jason English win was a great reward for her hard work since taking took the Elite Men’s win at WEMBO 2015 in bronze a couple of years ago. Em Parkes placed 9th in Weaverville, California to claim his 6th successive world the Elite Women XC Eliminator. The performance of championships. He is now the equal record holder our team is a good indication of future potential at the for the greatest number of World Solo 24Hr MTB World Championships and I am confident in some great Championships. Kate Penglase was on the podium with results at Cairns. I would particularly like to thank 4th in Elite Women. Other Australian winners were; Peter Dowse and the staff for their work with the Peter Arch in 23-29 Men and Scott Nicholas in Men’s Australian Team. Single Speed (with Brett Bellchambers 2nd). 5 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE YEAR IN FOCUS YOUR MTBA WHAT IS ON THE HORIZON FOR MTBA MTBA is in a sound financial position and well placed The Australian national cycling body, Cycling Australia, to meet the future challenges of our sport. We has a new Board and Management. The formation of continue to work with the Australian Sports a single unified Australian cycling body is still delayed Commission to achieve National Sporting Organisation by the issues that CA had to deal with, and I expect status, which will provide additional support to us. discussions to re-commence soon. It remains my opinion We have moved our offices to the Gold Coast and will that a new unified cycling body represents the greatest be established there ready for our 2015 AGM. potential for improving our sport. But I will not be This move was caused, to some extent, by the closure recommending it to you unless the interests of mountain of the Sydney Cycling Australia offices where MTBA biking are fully addressed and ultimately integration will has operated for several years. The move to the Gold not happen unless you vote in favour of it. We are also Coast is a lot more than just an office re-location. working to move MTBA to becoming a Company Limited We are partnering with Bond University to provide by Guarantee. Again, this will not happen unless the sports science and research opportunities for our members vote in favour of it, but it will place MTBA in a athletes and we will establish a Centre of Excellence for better position when negotiating with State and Federal Mountain Biking there.