This weekend will see the best of Victoria’s downhill mountain bikers racing down the Mt Taylor Downhill track in the final round of the 2023/24 Victorian Downhill Mountain Bike Series (VDHS).
This event was rescheduled after the original dates of December 2 and 3, 2023, were cancelled due to an extreme weather event during the days leading up.
This was a great disappointment to the volunteer event organisers, but thanks to the support of the vast majority of the businesses supplying goods and services for the event, it has been able to be rescheduled.
Around 300 competitors from across Victoria and interstate will gather to compete in the technically demanding and fast-paced event that was last held at Mt Taylor in 2016. The event will attract highly skilled riders from age 12 right through to the super masters 50+ categories.
The highlight of the weekend will be the racing on Sunday afternoon which concludes with the under 19 and elite categories. Local speedsters Hudson Tarling and Bailey Telfer are among the state’s fastest juniors and will be keen to take it to the best on their home track in the highly competitive under 19s.
Local club, Mountain Biking East Gippsland (MTBEG) is set to host the event, the largest event since its establishment in 2020. MTBEG volunteers have worked hard on making improvements to modernise the race track in advance of the event. The club is excited to bring such high level racing back to Mt Taylor. It is hoped that many of the club’s rapidly growing list of junior riders will get the opportunity to race at a state level competition by hosting an event locally.
Downhill MTB has grown in popularity dramatically over the past few years. VDHS events are now selling out within minutes of entries going on sale. The sport is extremely popular among young people with the vast majority of the riders competing in the junior categories.
Riders will spend their time practicing and memorising the race track on Saturday and early Sunday morning, with racing kicking off from 11.30am on Sunday, April 14.
The race is a time trial format where riders start at 30 second intervals and aim to ride down the course in the quickest time possible. There will be many track locations accessible to spectators, with the famous “Cabbage Patch” rock garden being one of the best vantage points on course.
MTBEG and VDHS will have a huge contingent of volunteers in action, with around 30 volunteers each day contributing their time and expertise to the smooth running of the race.
“The VDHS is very excited to be going back to Mt Taylor for the final round of the VDHS 23/24 series,” VDHS president Shane Currie said.
“We have had races there in the past, I was also involved with the national event which was the last time there was a DH event at Mt Taylor.
“The VDHS are looking forward to working with the MTBEG crew to again bring riders and their families back into the wonderful East Gippsland area and also look forward to riding the wonderful local trails.”
East Gippsland Shire mayor, Cr Tom Crook, called on mountain bike fans from across the state to line the downhill course to watch Victoria’s fastest downhillers in action.
“We’re ready to show the world what East Gippsland has to offer. Come on down and experience the thrill, then check out our towns, trails and tourism offerings,” Cr Crook said.
The countdown to the VDHS event at Mt Taylor has already commenced, with many local riders in full flight preparing for the race on their home track. A number of local riders are expected to race in the event, the majority of whom will be competing in their first state level competition.
