The weekend saw the second round of the 2020 Queensland Fox Super Flow Series by Rocky Trail Entertainment take place at Castle Hill, Ipswich. Situated in Blackstone just to the West of Brisbane, Castle Hill trails are known for their rocky and fast natural trails. A smaller network with some fun trails, Castle Hill has long been a location to head to in wet weather and for those chasing some good old fashioned hand-built trails. Whilst the trails are short, the stoke is high and the Fox Super Flow race held on the weekend was certainly full of stoke!
Stages Set
The regular Fox Super Flow format was in play with 4 stages, up to 5 times each and your fastest time counts. There were plenty of racers taking full advantage of this with a multitude of runs improving their times, increasing the number of party trains and adding to the all-round stoke. It was great to see a lot of riders out there for their first mountain bike race, with each and everyone we spoke to having an awesome time on the bike with smiles as high as the sky.
The order for the weekend was loads of sun, with no shortage of dust and rocks; fast and loose conditions were had by all. ‘Rowies’ provided no shortage of rocky goodness and a new change to the track kept the riders on their toes. ‘World Cup’ was running super fast with plenty of two wheel drifts around the loose corners, ‘Inca’ provided the chance for the fittest riders to throw in some extra pedals and gain an advantage, whilst ‘Phils’ got looser as the weekend went on. The trails and course were a load of fun and overall the weekend ran well with a great atmosphere and plenty of chat amongst the riders.
Race Results
The business end of the day saw Ben Forbes take the top step in a heavily contested Elite Men’s field over Stu Cali and Noah Davidson. The Elite Women’s field had a shake up as well with the top three ladies putting down some fast times, Catherine O’Neill took the top step over Annelie Marquardt and Elle De Nooyar. Expert Men was won by Caleb Mallyon, Expert Women won by Elle Ward, Veterans (30+) Mens and womens were won by Bobby Blinco and Rebecca Poole respectively.
The under 19 Men saw Caleb Dodds take the top step, Hayley Parsons won U19 Womens, Joel and Deborah Dodds took out the U17 Mens and Womens categories. Under 15 Men was won by Thomas Waites and Sacha Mills took the top step in U15 Womens; Bailey Mills won U13 Men and Ashley Holley won the U13 Women’s category. Overall there were some super fast times in the juniors and a great showing of riders keeping the enthusiasm high and the atmosphere electric.
The Final Word
Approximately three hundred riders strapped on a race plate and tested their metal between the tape, with a massive junior and ladies showing for the second round of the Queensland Fox Super Flow Series. This format of racing has certainly been popular among racers in South East Queensland, something that has been popular in NSW and ACT for over a decade. The relaxed racing format, inclusive environment and supportive nature of the stage setup means that riders of all experience levels, age and gender can have a go at racing bikes.
The second round of the series was certainly a hit and probably one of the most enjoyable races I have had the pleasure of attending. Castle Hill has always been a load of fun on the bike and this weekend was no different, it was great to have a race out there and a great bunch of people having a great time on their bikes despite the current World problems. Rocky Trail Entertainment seem to have brought a winning recipe to the Queensland mountain bike scene and we certainly look forward to more of this type of racing format, bringing an inclusive and relaxed race environment to the masses so we can all have fun on our bikes, between the tape.
Unfortunately the Mackay round of the Fox Super Flow has been postponed due to the current situation but Townsville looks set to be a great event in the State’s North. Click the link below for entry and details, otherwise have a great week on the bike and see you on the trails!
