Great Karri Ride

The Great Karri Ride is a 105 km mountain bike race set around the tiny town of Northcliffe in the far south west of Australia. The day is split into 5 stages. Stages 1, 3 and 5 are timed races, with the aggregate time counting to the award of the Karri Cup. Stages 2 and 4 are transition stages, still offroad but more a cruise through some majestic scenery.

For more details and entry forms go to the Medibank Great Karri Ride website.

Here is how I got on in my first race in Australia in March 2007.

Stage 1 Gloucester Ridge Winery Romp (21km)

Finishing Stage 1 at Gloucester Ridge Winery

The race started at the Gloucester Ridge Winery just outside of Pemberton. Breakfast was served at a very chilly dawn and at 8:30 we set off on a mass warm up lap of the town. During this lap we passed a peleton of road cyclists doing their own warm up lap for the Pemberton Classic. Good natured banter ensued.

At the official start line I felt somewhat out of place in the first group; the solo men. My baggy shorts and hairy legs were not de rigueur. I would have felt much happier with the teams starting at the back, on their Malvern Star bikes some with pannier racks, reflectors and, merciful heavens, even kick stands.

Lingering near the rear of the pack I didn’t see the steep-ish climb to get us started. During the climb I made my way up the field to the middle somewhere and then regretted it on the absolutely mental descent that followed. This was dead straight, fast and only just wide enough for 2 bikes side by side. To add to the fun there were lots of overhanging branches and the floor was littered in sticks just waiting to flip you over the bars (which they did to one poor soul, resulting in a broken collar bone) or rip a rear mech off (which ended one of the leading ladies’ race very early).

The rest of the stage was a series of fast loose trails. Nothing too technical but plenty hilly enough and typical WA lack of traction. During this period I made a few more places up the field.

The stage ended with a beast of a 1.8 km tarmac hill (the only road in the whole race) back to the winery.

Stage 2 Warren Bend (22km)

The lunch stop at Warren Bend Farm

After some quick refreshments and the application of loads of sun cream, I hurried onto the first cruise section, eager to get to lunch early and have a rest.

After spinning along fire roads for a while with an ominous lack of signs, I came across 20 or so fellow competitors equally lost. I was the only one to have brought the excellent free map with me and clearly the only one who had a clue how to read it. I rapidly ascertained that we had missed a turn and we back tracked. Most of the numpties dived down another wrong turn, but I managed to lead a few to safety. Christ knows what happened to the other lot.

The rest of the stage was a cruise through some beautiful mixed jarrah, marri and karri forests only disturbed when a kangeroo nearly collided with me as it hopped across the trail. Now that didn't happen at the Strathpuffer.

Named packed lunches were waiting for us at a mobile tented village at Warren Bend Farm. This was a lovely spot and it was nice to have forced rest and be able to spend some time socialising with fellow competitors.

Stage 3 Warren River Roller Coaster (28km)

Our hero in action

The longest and hilliest stage was the one that all the Karri Cup veterans had been warning me about. With this is mind I made a very steady start. I didn’t actually have much choice about this as I seemed to be lacking any speed.

As the long stage wore on and we really got into the endless draggy hills I found my stride and started to move up the field again. By the time we crossed the Warren River on a natural rock causeway I was flying and proceeded to finish strongly.

Stage 4 Orchid Road (18km)

The transition point was no-more than a road junction and with little shade, I filled my water bottles and headed off again to try and get a break before the final timed stage.

As with the previous cruise stage, a lack of signs was closely followed by a group of lost cyclists. Again I was the only one with the map although there did seem to be more common sense this time and we were soon back on track.

By now the temperature was over 30 degrees and I started to wilt badly. Despite being pretty flat and easy going I found the last few kilometres to the Rec ground at Northcliffe to be absolute murder and I was overtaken by a succession of slower team riders (kick stands and all). Thank goodness this wasn’t a timed stage.

Stage 5 Final Twist (12km)

At last, the finishing line at Northcliffe Rec ground

After 40 minutes of sitting in the shade, drinking energy drinks and trying to force some food down myself I felt no better and no cooler. I was seriously doubting my ability to compete in the last stage and had almost resigned myself to starting at the back with the fun runners.

However the news that I was lying 20th overall not only surprised me but re-vitalised me hugely. It was with huge trepidation that I lined up on the final start line with the elite (the top 20 started first for his stage), knowing that not only was I the slowest there but I was also the only one wearing baggy shorts.

My fears were soon allayed as I had a storming stage. 3km of fast fireroad spread us out a bit before we entered the 5km Round Tu-it singletrack. Here I became the trail god that I have always dreamed of being and blasted round the excellent, tight, technical trail. I would’ve overtaken more people had my wide riser bars fitted better between the trees.

With my dander up I blasted the final climb back to the Rec ground and finished on a real high.

Final placings are a bit complicated as I didn’t complete the 10 minute qualification course the night before, not thinking that I would be finishing anywhere where a time was important and opting for something to eat instead. When the results are published I will hopefully be able to work out roughly where I came, 18th or 19th seems a fair bet at the moment.