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2014 Highland Fling
Quarry and Ferndale Road, Bundanoon, New South Wales
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 9th November but there’s plenty happening on Saturday 8th too including the Rolloff World Championships, 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 and more.
http://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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| pancakes | Fling box ticked | Finished | Half/Male/Masters | |||
| Warthog | The Fling - Done and Dusted | Finished | ||||
| jp | 10 down, 10 to go. | Finished | 02:51:18 | 51 | Half/Male/Masters | 11 |
| m0k0 | First timed event, ever! | Finished | 03:29:21 | 228 | Half/Male/Veterans | 63 |
| sikllama | 1101 = 13? | Finished | 03:37:43 | 277 | Half/Male/Veterans | 78 |
| pommyracer | 3 steps back at a painful half fling | Finished | 03:38:50 | 286 | Half/Male/Veterans | 81 |
| Lach | Flung | Finished | 03:48:23 | 324 | Half/Male/Super Masters | 42 |
| all74 | Half Fling II | Finished | 04:13:13 | 445 | Half/Male/Masters | 189 |
| Pyrate | First Ever Half Fling | Finished | 05:08:58 | 568 | Half/Male/Masters | 238 |
| Blades_Utd | Highland Fling 2014 - how hard can it be? | Finished | 05:22:25 | 20 | Full/Male/Veterans | 2 |
| Chitts | A Hard Earned Podium Position | Finished | 05:23:47 | 23 | Full/Male/Veterans | 3 |
| doc | Highland Fling 2014 - It doesn't get any easier | Finished | 05:31:47 | 31 | Full/Male/Masters | 8 |
| Tristania | It don't mean a thing... | Finished | 05:35:06 | 35 | Full/Male/Open | 2 |
| GarethP | That was ouchy! | Finished | 06:02:43 | 82 | Full/Male/Veterans | 25 |
| garyinoz | Am I going backwards? | Finished | 06:09:41 | 88 | Full/Male/Masters | 29 |
| bmar560 | A painful but enjoyable Fling | Finished | 06:47:21 | 153 | Full/Male/Veterans | 42 |
| Fatboy | First DNF for a while | Did not finish |
Were you there and have a story to tell?
|
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http://www.wildhorizons.com.au/highland-fling/ro...
Really ? In what way ? From the description and the profile sounds the same as previous years
... including the new sniggle, but if you look at the maps for the first and third stages (or in my case, the whole 50), there seem to be quite a few changes. The intro to today's e mail says as much as well.
Doesn't look like they've brought back The Gauntlet though.....
I would have been in for another go at the 100 Mile but instead I'm super bummed out about missing my first fling for many years due to work commitments.. but for sure someone here can step up and take on the 100 Mile fling?
hi all,
Just wondering if anyone have a gpx file or garmin connect link to show the different loops involved in the Fling ? that they can share with me.
I'm keen to suss it out in the next weeks. From what I can read on their website, the first loop crosses some private property.
Still undecided to go the full or half on my first ever fling.
Thanks all !
Here is last years profile. It is slightly different this year but it give you the general idea
http://app.strava.com/activities/94216991
Thanks Brian!
... for the Half Fling and for parts 1 and 3 of the Full Fling.
https://www.wildhorizons.com.au/highland-fling/r...
Hard to do any sort of a recce on the new bits as they seem to involve a fair chunk of private property. The Wingello loop looks pretty much the same except for the new sniggle which debuted in the 3 Ring Circus.
The route description makes mention of Early Bath, Boags Draft and Pigs Fly but as far as I can tell, the route map goes no where near those sections and takes a major route change from last year. Stage 1 appears to finish broadly along the same route that Stage 3 traditionally started. So the main changes seem to be 2nd half of Stage 1 and the first half of Stage 3 (which seems a little shorter). I can only assume the map is up to date and the route description has not been modified to match the new route.
Hey Mark,
I have passed your comment on to Danien at Wild Horizons and will post his response as soon as I get it.
Cheers,
JP
Here's the response from Danien:
"I had proofed that text, but missed the Boags and Pigs reference. I have updated it now.
So the descrepancy has been found and corrected and yes the route as shown on the interactive maps is correct and has some differences to last year."
Cheers, and happy training - just over 4 weeks to go...
JP
Thanks JP.
And I also see there is still an Early Bath, it's just a different Early bath so it all makes sense.
Less than 3 weeks to go… I hope everyone’s training is on track?
I was chatting to the guys at Wild Horizons today and entries are still available but they are getting a lot of last minute interest - if you haven’t entered yet I suggest you do so this week. For anyone who hasn’t done this race before I highly recommend it - it’s definitely my favourite event of the year. This year will be my 10th (I’m halfway to my goal of 20 consecutive Flings!). I'm going down with my family on the Friday so that we can get in a bit of trail riding and bushwalking and enjoy the local area, then join in the festivities in Bundanoon on the Saturday afternoon.
..for the Half Fling - my first one!
Illness has taken the wind out of the sails a bit over the last couple of weeks, so haven't put in as much riding/prep as I would have liked, but this looks like a great event and I am keen just to make it round without any extravagant time goal in mind - just not last!
Totally excited! This was my first proper mtb race in 2012. Did a 7:25, then last year a 6:14. This year I reckon sub-6 is on the cards.
I really enjoy this race, the variety of trails, the scale of it and even the hills!
@Pyrate - well done, I'm sure you'll love it. Hopefully you can be in town Saturday arvo for the festivities - the Bundanoon Dash is well worth watching.
@Gareth - 6:14 is a very solid ride, sub-6 would be awesome. I have a confession - after 10 years I'm yet to do the full Fling... Maybe next year.
Do it this year jp. You've got the legs for it.
Rats. Had to cancel my entry yesterday. Got up close and personal with a red ironbark at Kinross Chokky Foot last Sunday and cracked my acromion (look it up), and I have a small pneumothorax (you can look that up too). In a sling for 6 weeks...
Thanks for the vote of confidence Brian. At this late stage, and with all my training focussed on the shorter distance I'll stick with the half. But I will probably do a 100k race next year.
Simon - that is bad luck, sorry you'll be missing the Fling.
I might be joining you in the 50. I haven't been well so I might change on the Saturday
Rode Stage 2 section today. Longer and tougher than last year. On the map the changes appear minor but the additions are all climbs and single track replacing flat fast double-track sections.
I have read and re-read the course description, and also studied the map, and I can honestly not detect a single change in the route to and from Wingello Oval (i.e. Stage 1 and 3).
The timings have changed, but I think the route is the same as previous years...
Hey Anthony,
Have you tried clearing your browser cache and re-loading the web pages? There quite are a few changes... in stage 1 we head north just after the free bike wash, up towards the yacht club, then there are is a "new" early bath, some new private property sections, and we miss pigs fly and boags draft. Stage 3 also has a new private property section before reverting to the old route.
Cheers,
JP
TBH, In a race I don't generally remember too much of the trail as I'm normally just trying to hold on so the changes won't make much of a difference to me. I just hope the guy in front goes the right way
One thing though, will the course changes make it faster or slower? The added single track in the Wingello loop will slow it down.
But I don't think they'll make a lot of difference.
Just try and hold 25kmh avg and you will be ok irrespective of what the course is
Spoken like a national XCM champ...
And more single track. So it should take longer. 15 to 20 min longer perhaps.
bugger seems all the accommodations are booked out for the Saturday night.
Is everyone driving down from Sydney ?
I overlaid both in Google Earth and it's apparent the changes in Stage 1 are substantial. See the link below. Black is 2013 route and orange is this year's route.
[Mod. embedded image]
That illustrates it nicely.
@Mario - yeah, it books out pretty early since there's not a huge amount around there. Camping is probably the best last minute option.
I'll be driving from Dee Why on Sunday morning if anyone wants to jump in.
Just paid and signed up for the full fling !
I'll drive down on the day too, what's left for accommodation is upwards of $300 so I'd rather use that money for bike parts
Well done Mario and good luck in the race!
Nice one Mario.
Signed up for the half Fling. Haven't ridden Wingello before so looking forward to going hard in the wrong spots and being totally wrecked for the last quarter or so.
Well that brings us to the last training weekend before the race- what does everyone have planned?
For me, a very early start tomorrow to beat the heat and chase @Tristania around the local trails for 3+ hours (race pace for me, moderate pace for him!) then an easier 3 hour ride on Sunday.
Yeah it's hot tomorrow. Hopefully its nice and warm for the Fling as well.
I'm going down to Wingello tomorrow morning. hoping to get there by 7am and do about 4hrs of riding.
Tomorrow I'll be enjoying getting my legs ripped off on the Manly Club ride.
Good decision Mario - it will be cooler down there.
You sticking with the full distance Brian? Or doing the half?
Doing the full
After spending every weekend since the Kowalski riding moderately hilly firetrails (Oaks up and back, Wisemans Ferry, Nth Turramurra, Cascades) I'm changing tack this weekend and riding local singletrack for some fun and just a little bit of pain.
A new front tyre and a fork oil change / dust wiper replacement mean the bike is ready to go. Fingers crossed the kids dont bring some new lurgy back from pre school this week
I thought so Brian - couldn't imagine you doing less!
Rob - are you riding OMV? We'll be passing through there very early.
Yep OMV and H2O is the plan though wont be there until sunday arvo due to other committments this weekend.
Well at this point the forecast is 32 for Bowral on Sunday, so about 10 degrees above ideal temperatures. Still, better than the "beautiful" weather we had last year of 10, windy and rainy...
Here says 34
http://www.weather.com.au/nsw/bundanoon
well that's a big change from the max of 7 last year. going for my first attempt at the full after 2 goes at the half. I'll be puffing along at the tail of the field.
Yep, no need for arm warmers this year