MTB at Manna Park

The MP Loop

Manna Park has a challenging 6.5km course for mountain bike racing, designed and built by Jake Iskov of Tathra Beach and Bike. The track has been featured in "Australian Mountain Bike" magazine (Issue 102, September 2009, p.108).
Talk about non-stop action! There's swooping S-bends, plunging drops onto narrow bridges, jumps, tricky hill climbs and fast downhill sections.
For a map of the course click here
See helmet-cam footage here: Cyclerides

The Manna Park Track joins another 10km of Mountain Biking tracks at Mandeni, who also offer bike hire at $14/day

The Short Course

It began with a vision. We walked the course, test rode the route, marked it out and then called in the Bobcat.

The concept for the new Short Course was that spectators can see all the action from a comfortable vantage point. It'll be easy enough for Juniors to pedal around safely, but damn hard for the pros to do it fast. As you can see in the above pictures, the finished course realised our vision.

Manna Park Mission

The Wilderness Coast & Snowy Mountains Bike Club presented a weekend of Mountain Bike racing at Manna Park, on Saturday March 6th and Sunday March 7th.

Race Report

MAN ON A MISSION - LUKE FETCH CLAIMS VICTORY AT MOUNTAIN BIKE SHOWDOWN

Canberra's rising mountain bike star Luke Fetch hinted at his true potential when he edged out Australian Cross Country Champion Dan McConnell in the Manna Park Mission Enduro over the weekend.
Local rider John Blankenstein was a gallant third in the four hour enduro, which was one of three races held on Manna Park Mountain bike circuit outside Merimbula.
Over sixty riders aged from four to sixty tested their stamina and skills over the weekend, in an event that drew high praise from the professional team riders.
Eager to give the professionals a real race in Sunday's Enduro, Blankenstein rocketed off the start line and had healthy lead until the two and a half hour mark, when a dropped chain and some mechanical issues saw him surrender the lead.
Despite a courageous fight, he was unable to bridge the gap to the Torq team riders of Fetch and Olympian McConnell who went neck and neck over their 10 laps of the 7km single track loop.
The pair diced for the lead, as they swooped through the course's narrow gullies and climbs, with late burst of speed securing the win for Australian junior representative, Fetch.
The victory made up for Saturday, when McConnell showed his explosive power winning the Short Course sprint and Time trial events, relegating Fetch to second place.
"It's always good to get one over Dan," said 20-year-old-Fetch. "As the Australian champion he's always the one to beat."
Blankenstein was philosophical about his fortunes. "There's no shame in losing to Luke and Dan - they are the best cross country riders in the country," said the 24hr riding specialist.
The Tathra plumber said it was always his game plan to go out hard. "I went out hard at the start because I wanted to see what the other guys had in them," he said. "I wanted to set the pace and see how long it would take them to track me down.
"I knew 100 per cent that they were going to catch me eventually. I was just hoping to hold out longer. But the race was a good measure of where I am at with my training. I am very happy with the result."
In the women's solo event Australian Under-23 champion Rebecca Henderson was dominant taking first place.
Locals however featured on the podium in the mixed pairs event with Bermagui's Josh Humphries and Nicole Holley taking victory. Stephen Todd and Bailey George of Tathra won the men's over 40s pairs.
Tura's father and son combination of Todd and Brent Whiter were second in the Open Men's Pairs, and Bega's Bob Britten second in the Over 40s men.
In the Short Course, Tathra's Lewis McCartney proved unbeatable in the Under 15s over the 10minute sprint format, accounting for Roly Stewart and Max Harris. Charlie Todd won the under 10 division.
Charlie Todd then teamed up with his eight-year-old Tathra school mate Jai McCabe to take on the Manna Park Mission - with the pair notching up seven laps in their four hours in the saddle.
In a boost for race organisers Fetch, O'Connell and Henderson rated the Manna Park circuit as one of the best single track loops in the country. "The Short Course track is better than any track we race on in the National Series," Fetch said. "It was really good because it had all the element s- good berms, jumps, single track and some climbs.
"The main loop was also awesome with its sweeping descents, creeks and superfast fire roads."
Henderson also praised the main single track loop: "The single track was great for any level of rider. If you want to make it harder you just go faster."

Race Results

Saturday
Time Trial Results
Short Track XC Results
Sunday; 4 hour Enduro
Overall Results
Podiums
Lap Splits / Times
Fastest Laps - Female
Fastest Laps - Male

Race sponsored by:

Video Clips:

Building the Short Course:

Racing at Manna Park: