THIRTY–TWO riders from the Mansfield district headed to Falls Creek Mountain Bike Interschools on Friday, February 25 for the fourth annual event.
This is the largest group of competitors yet from Mansfield district at an event that continues to grow in popularity.
A record number of 226 entries saw students from grade three to 12 come together from all over the state.
The district was represented well with 24 students from Mansfield Steiner School, four from Mansfield Secondary College, two from Mansfield Primary School, one from Merrijig Primary School who were joined by one local from The Scots School Albury.
Riders took to the cross–country style course in wet and slippery, cold conditions with the top of Falls Creek shrouded in thick cloud, limiting visibility for the competition.
This didn't dampen the spirit of the riders in any way with Mansfield Steiner School coming home with four individual medals and challenging Mt Beauty Primary School, narrowly finishing in second place behind the home ground favourites by only two points in the new primary school overall trophy.
The year three and four girls competition saw Mansfield Steiner School's Keeva Morris–Webb defend her title from last year, coming home with first place.
She was closely followed by classmate Scarlett D'Arcy in second place, in what was a growing field of nine riders this year.
In the year three and four boys competition there was great representation with many new Mansfield Steiner School riders finishing well.
Callum Williams finished seventh, Alastair Ross eleventh, Henry Chandler eighteenth, Rogan Friday 27th, Jasper Watts 28th, Angus Speirs 31st and Willem Morphett 34th.
Solomon Hurle from Mansfield Primary School rode well in his first competition to finish 39th in what was a large field of 41 riders.
Annella Williams from Mansfield Steiner School at her first ever Mountain Bike race finished in an amazing second place in the year five and six girls competition of eight riders.
Annella was leading and experienced what should have been race ending circumstances when her chain snapped on her second lap of the course.
Undeterred, Annella ran down the course to the start finish line with her bike and traded bikes with younger teammate Henry Chandler.
She went on to cross the line with a great smile on her face.
On the much smaller bike she finished in second place only losing a little over a minute in her change over.
Year five student Ben Ross from Mansfield Steiner School finished in second place in the year five and six boys competition behind a year six student from another school who claimed the national age group title in Tasmania in the previous week.
The large field of 46 year five and six boys saw Mansfield Steiner School's Reuben Bateup finish ninth, followed by Regan Watts at his first competition in twelfth, Mansfield Primary School's Owen Hurle in 24th, Mansfield Steiner Schools Finnigan Stokes and Archie Hall in 27th, Eamon Nealon in 28th, Merrijig Primary School's Ewan Rogan in 31st, and Mansfield Steiner School's Zeke Friday in 45th.
The year seven and eight boys competition saw the largest group of Mansfield riders take to the trails with 11 riders from the district placing well among the field of 46 competitors.
Year seven student Tom Williams from Mansfield Steiner School was the best placed competitor in fourth place ahead of Ethan Nealon in ninth, Finn Baker in 25th, Sam Kynnersley in 26th, Will Wettenhall in 27th, Mansfield Secondary College students Hayden Desmond in 29th, Noah Pigdon in 31st, Ethan Pigdon in 32nd, Mansfield Steiner School's Phoenix Croft–Little in 33rd, Edwin Morphett in 34th and Mansfield Secondary College's Tyler year nine and 10 boys competition travelling all the way from Albury to represent The Scots School Albury.
A great effort was put in by all riders in conditions that were less than ideal for spectators with visibility at around 10 metres for much of the competition and fine mist making everything and everyone wet.
A huge effort by parents travelling over three hours to take many of these riders to their first ever Mountain Bike Competition.
Congratulations to all of the students on their wonderful sportsmanship and camaraderie cheering on all of the competitors including the parents and teachers who braved the first ever parent and teacher race.
Emma D'Arcy, Ant Bateup, Tim Ross and Ariel Stava also took on the grade five and six course for one hot and slippery lap getting a taste of the challenging course for themselves.