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Highland Fling 2012
Quarry and Ferndale Road, Bundanoon, New South Wales
Round 6 of 2012 XCM Series
2012 is the 8th running of The Briars Highland Fling, Australia's MTB Marathon Championship. The Fling is a mountain bike marathon for all. It offers a scenic and challenging route through forests and farmland in the Southern Highlands of NSW, hammering singletrack, forest tracks, dirt road and less than 2km of blacktop.
Do the Full Fling (approx 110km), the Half Fling (approx 55km), the relay Flinging Threesome or take on the even bigger challenge of the 100Mile Fling
There is also the Casual Fling, a 14km Participation (untimed) Ride for those not feeling up to taking on the races above. An opportunity for those new to mountain biking or those less fit than they’d like to be, to get on a bike at the Fling.
The main racing is on Sunday 11th November but there’s plenty happening on Saturday 10th too including the Bundanoon Dash, (including The Battle of The Businesses) a fundraising 6km ‘sprint’ race (it’s not compulsory!) along with entertainment, food & drink, gear displays, demos, Kids MTB Skills Course.
$35,000 of prizes including $15000 cash!
https://www.wildhorizons.com.au/highland-fling
Blog entries about this meeting (as this is a race standings and times are shown, click on the title for more and to comment)...
| Who | Title | Status | Time | Pos.Gen. | Category | Pos.Cat. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| jp | Better with age... | Finished | 02:51:30 | Half/Male/Masters | 39 | |
| LadyToast | Surprised myself | Finished | 02:52:55 | 119 | Half/Male/Masters | 43 |
| GiantNut | 50 kays is my limit - 2012 Highland (Half) Fling | Finished | 02:55:00 | Half/Male/Masters | 49 | |
| twotommos | Fling 2012 | Finished | 02:58:58 | 154 | Half/Male/Masters | 60 |
| the.flying.al | So close to sub 3 | Finished | 03:02:43 | 173 | Half/Male/Masters | 70 |
| pommyracer | Getting better.......next year will be under 3 | Finished | 03:14:58 | 272 | Half/Male/Veterans | 72 |
| Lach | Half Fling 2012 | Finished | 03:28:47 | 387 | Half/Male/Super Masters | 51 |
| Chitts | Great Race ...but I missed sub-5 hours :-( 2013 here I come :-) | Finished | 05:03:36 | 45 | Full/Male/Veterans | 15 |
| Blades_Utd | 2nd Full Fling | Finished | 05:06:33 | 49 | Full/Male/Veterans | 17 |
| Brian | 2012 Highland "Full" Fling | Finished | 05:11:56 | 71 | Full/Male/Veterans | 28 |
| nh | Good fun weekend | Finished | 05:13:20 | 75 | Full/Male/Veterans | 29 |
| ps | The fling | Finished | 05:20:00 | 91 | Full/Male/Super Masters | 4 |
| Logan | Blowing like a Pornstar | Finished | 05:22:30 | 98 | Full/Male/Elite | 25 |
| Steve 01 | Hasbeen Racing | Finished | 05:24:36 | 102 | Full/Male/Super Masters | 5 |
| doc | 2012 Fling | Finished | 05:24:59 | 103 | Full/Male/Masters | 20 |
| garyinoz | First Full Fling | Finished | 05:52:25 | 191 | Full/Male/Veterans | 66 |
| Talldude | Highland Fling | Finished | 06:17:29 | 260 | Full/Male/Veterans | 89 |
| Fatboy | Ecstatic Fling Ride | Finished | 06:43:40 | 359 | Full/Male/Masters | 108 |
| arghvee | Smashed my PB | Finished | 07:03:38 | Full/Male/Masters | 133 | |
| stefan43 | my first 100miler | Finished | 08:36:47 | 18 | 100mile/Male | 15 |
| shano | First Fling | Finished | 09:29:24 | 575 | Full/Male/Veterans | 198 |
| obmal | 100 Mile Fling on a hard tail? Tick that box! | Finished | 09:47:22 | 22 | 100mile/Male | 22 |
| Antsonline | Jet Racing - Highland Fling 2012 | Did not finish | Full/Male/Elite |
Were you there and have a story to tell?
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Just in case you didn't get the email and don't plan on camping you might want to book now.
http://www.wildhorizons.com.au/index.php?option=...
Just picked up a 29er so let's see how this goes.
Nice one Steve. What did you get and are you in for the half or full fling?
Hey Brian,
just going to ease into things with the half fling and see how I go.
I picked up a Stumpe HT off here last Sunday - haven't ridden it yet cause Im full of cold- hopefully get out for a spin this weekend
Steve, I remember a few years back seeing at the finish line with you proclaiming that there would be no more enduros! Glad to hear that's not the case and hope to see you back in the Full Fling next year. For a variety of reasons, my training regime has taken a massive backwards step the last few months. I'm signed up for the Flin and want to beat last year's time so I really need to get my act together!
I think I said that after the Angry Doctor as well one year - amazing how the pain fades with time! I think I got all excited about the new bike and forgot that I actually have to pedal it around.
Have to hook up for a spin soon.
Dave, you've still got 11 weeks so plenty of time to train.
Hey Dave, I just checked your time last year and you got me by a minute, see if I can turn that around
Steve, definitely, have a fair bit of time every time every odd weekend now so no excuses...except that I have found a few. Unfortunately my "endurance" training has essentially started at 5:30 PM Friday afternoon and ended somewhere between 12:00 AM Friday night and 5:30 AM Saturday morning! Brian, I have no good excuses but I would be surprised if a lot of people didn't get one up on me in November. Time to get my act together.
6 weeks to go
6 weeks! I built up the new frame for the Fling today (had to get rid of the hardtail, got a SantaCruz Superlight) so my back will survive but as for the rest of me i might be stuffed. I wonder if a crash training cram is in order?
Dan, did you get a Superlight 29er? Was on my shortlist for a 29er suspension bike (recently cancelled) so I'd be interested to hear how it rides.....
I picked up a 2010 Superlight 26er frame dirt cheap in the US ($300) and just swapped all of the parts from my hardtail over so it was a cheap and easy way of getting into a dually. I took it for it's first run tonight around the dam, unfortunately my SIDs shat themselves halfway through the lap but the first bit was very good. I like that when you're on the gas that it stiffens up a bit like a hardtail but is plusher when you're not on the pedals, simple but effective. Once I've fixed the forks I'll see what the story is
Just wanted to get my head in the right place....its 2300m of climbing not 1300m for the Full Fling 110km?
Its over 2000. Last year my garmin edge 500 had it at 1800m but it was always quite under the elevation of other ones.
Here's a segment for it
http://app.strava.com/segments/822659
Just over 3 weeks to go. Still time to get in that last minute training
Start list is up
https://www.wildhorizons.com.au/highland-fling/2...
Thinking no worries that i have been so slack with my motivation and/or training....I'll be fine
Out for some very last minute training and it started to come flooding back the cramps, brokeback (bloody) mountain, the techie bit when your tired....giving up the will to live 10 kays out.
More training required stat!
Noticed a lot of MTBers on the roads with the trails burning over the w/e so lots of cramming
Don't forget to check out our race tips videos if you haven't already... We'll be uploading a new one tomorrow morning too.
www.louderthanwords.com.au/highlandfling/
There's still almost 3 weeks to cram in some final preparation!
Looking to pick a late entry transfer for the Half Fling.
How does the track hold up to rain?
the Fling hasn't had a wet run yet afaik (I missed one in 2010). A few years ago it had been wet all week and a couple of the creek crossings were "interesting", but the track had dried pretty well. Have you been channelling Lennox Walker???
Lol i had to look that up... yes, looking at 28 day forecast
Don't place too much on the 28 day forecast. I've been going down there over the last 6 weeks. On the weekend it was very dry down there. The 28 day is chance of rain not how much.
PS. I'll do a staus update later today
I hope its damp and chilly (15 - 18 degs or so). Perfect riding conditions.
Unfortunately, it will most likely just be searing hot, dry and with no shade....
+1 for a very hot day
I've only had one ride where the temps were mid twenties or above in the last year I reckon (remember last "summer"?).
Need a few more under the belt before the idea of racing in the heat seems like a good idea. I'll take starting temp in the mid teens and max of about 22. And dry...
It was roasting, upwards of 35c if I remember correctly.
Noticed the biggest category is the half fling mid life crisis brigade (me included) Not good for your longevity (read Heart Attack) to race in the heat and lose your electrolytes. I will grab my skirt and head home if its above 35.
If you were fit and used to racing in the heat you would clean up the pack as people bonked.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/477450-what-ar...
From the 2010 race; I have pictures that clearly show a very alarmingly visible crusty layer of salt crystals caked on the shoulders of my riding top, not just the usual white line at the edge of the sweaty patch either, I lost a bucket load of electrolytes that year for sure as it was a very very hot and humid day and not the kind of day I want to ever have again.
I'll be giving serious consideration to pulling out of the race if it gets like that this year as there's the fun and good for your health kind of enduro and then there's the race that cant be doing your body any good at all.
Hottest race I've done was the WSMTB 4-hour when it was 42 degrees at Yellowmundee.
Laps were between 20 and 25 minutes. Riding with a camelbak (as I did) on such short laps was totally unnecessary, and not very smart.
If the.flying.al hadn't brought an esky with a couple of bags of ice I reckon I'd have gotten myself into trouble - the heat soak when you stopped moving at the end of the lap was worse than grinding up the climbs.
... was a bit hard to take as well. Mid 30's in the first week of September was not fun.
Here's what i was sent from my contact yesterday,
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=d99d0f...
Hey GAZZA
I'm not sure what that link is to but it is asking me to log in?
Cheers
Brian
Is this it the same contact that got the weather for the Scott wrong as well!
Just checked that weather report for the Scott,
WEATHER WARNING!
Submitted by GAZZA on Fri, 05/10/2012 - 17:37.
Well it's that time again folks.
Someone just has to mention the weather and ruin things don't they?
Now this is from the top. Even God or, ( insert religious/non religious leader here) can't tell you the weather forecast as well as my contact.
I've been told there's a strong chance of a WET,COLD weekend next week in Canberra.
Sorry to spoil your fun but so many years of dry weather? Well it had to happen sometime?
I'd say my contact was pretty damn correct!
On the money for the Scott prediction. Whats the prediction for the Fling?
Yeah, sorry mate.
That's a link to sign into my Gmail from where I was sent the original message.
I'm a personal Friend of "Mr Weatherzone" and he sent a few of us a long range satelite prediction of next weekend and all I can say that it kind of resembled Hurricane Sandy but off the NSW coastline not the USA!
Fair enough mate.
I need to make a decision about selling my ticket or not. Dont have a bike atm, which is kind of a issue though lol!
Excuses, excuses...
Wet and cold does not sound nice at all!
.. just got back from a ride and my Garmin tells me it reached 35C and averaged nearly 30C. And it's not the hottest part of the day. Definitely makes it feel like harder work dragging myself up hills.
If you would like to test ride my flash for the Fling let me know!!! It would be the perfect bike for the race!!!
I am doing the fling for the first time and want to know if getting up the front of the start is important of if there is enough fire road to sort everyone out before the single track?
A bit of road, then dirt, then paddock and a few long hills gives plenty of time to overtake the ambitious vs fit..... Hold something back though there are a lot of hills and my mistake last year was to dig in on the hills to pass people too early
Start at the front, stay at the front.
haha.
The only real 'jam' in the first section is for the water crossings, not any single-track.
As GiantNut says - lots of time and room to over-take, but if you think you will be around 5hrs, dont make it more stressful than it needs to be - start in the first 10% of people.
It keeps it safer if better riders are already up front, rather than carving through on the fire-roads...
Or enter elite and start 45 minutes behind the main field
Just remember that wager Brian - when you're feeling low in the last 10km up the grassy hill - know that I am coming....
First man over the line takes all.....
45mins........its gonna be tight!
What was I thinking...
I might need to set my garmin to sound an alarm if I fall below 170bpm so I know when I'm not pushing hard enough
Interesting wager, whats the situation if someone gets a mechanical...null and void?