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This was my first entry for the Husky and I was a little tentative about the event following the reported 2011 mudfest and other issues. However, I was pleasantly surprised and the event centre facilties worked well, track marking was good and lots of friendly volunteers out on the trail. The single track sections were the highlight of the race and I would like to ride them some more. That then brings us to the mud. I am simply not a mudlark and struggled to keep up the pace and keep the attitude positive.

what they said...

tough race and happy to finish this one.

After some great results already this year, I had set my sights on he Husky to go one better and hopefully get myself on the podium for my category. With the help of the Jet Racing team, training was good and I felt like I had done everything I could for the race. My plan was simple, stay on the wheel of Jason McAvoy  (No 1 rider in Masters) and trust my fitness to get me to the end of the race.

After a good pre race warmup, we made our way to the race briefing. With some promising news that all creek crossings were rideable, 
I thought great - this is not going to be like last year.

I’ll start this report with some facts. Number one - I have consumed a fair few beers. If there is a better beer than Happy Goblin ‘Strong’ – locally brewed, then I don’t know it.
Fact 2 - I have done nothing today other than lie in bed, and wash my bike. My bike is destroyed.
Another fact - if you had told me on Friday that I would have been 5th at Husky, given the strength of the Elite field, I would have taken it. I’d have been happy with that.
The final fact though, is that I’m not over the moon with 5th, as I sit here on a Sunday.

Went into this race with limited training and ended up with my best result so far this XCM season so pretty happy with how things turned out. Had a pretty uneventful race. I passed Jason English at one stage, then he got back on his bike and rode back to the front of the elites. The ride of the day in my book.

I'm getting a bit over riding in the mud at Callala. Bring on El Nino! I thought from the weather reports that it mightn't have been too bad, but the puddles in the streets around Callala Beach were a bit of a giveaway. There had obviously been a bit of recent rain on top of a pretty wet year. Had been hoping for a time down near 2:30, but knowing what the track and the rider were like in the wet, that goal was modified to getting under 3:00.

Having had a near disaster race at the Nationals only a few weeks back and with not much time to really rectify the form, I went in with the mindset of no form and no expectations. Lined up in elite mens thinking I am little out of my depth to be honest, anyway the gun went and the pace was on with Jet Racing trying to control the front however I noticed James Downing had attacked early. I boosted up the left hand side and found myself in the middle of the pack and tried to settle into a good rythem, I had no intentions of trying the fast boys and wanted to race my own race.

I think the race organisers did a much better job this year. The track was marked better, race central work well, access the the RSL toilets and somewhere to keep warm in the morning was nice as well.

Also, thanks to the local club SCUM (http://www.scum.asn.au/) for providing awesome single track. It would be awesome to be able to link the trails around the massive bog holes because for me these we just too much.

Getting ready to start I looked around and thought something was odd, it then occured to me there was a lot less riders than the Past 2 years. Looking at the results I see there was 300 less competitors than the last 2 events. 25 male riders from my catergory are DNS. The Race down at Kowen must of been something special or there was alot of people sick with the flu.

I had 2 goals at this event and 1 game plan.

Goal 1 - new PB
Goal 2 - Ride all hills
Game Plan - Team up with a fast rider after the bottom gate. I've never done this intentionally before and wanted to give it ago.