A junior 6+6 team of 4 option has just been added which will use a slightly shorter course than for everyone else. It is available for riders from 12-16 years of age and can be accessed via the MTBA register now portal
There is now a 6+6 pairs category as well. Since we already have 14 categories before you add in the 6+6 pairs, it won't be split on gender lines. It will be an 'all comers' class so it's a chance for the girls to really embarrass the racer boys!
39 days until race start!
I've had a number of questions about the registrations system of late and it seems there is a bug in the system involving day licenses. 'Register now' are looking into it however there is a workaround which will also solve the problem.
If you are trying to register a team which has some members with MTBA licenses and some that require day licenses, make sure you fill out the registration information for the day license holders FIRST and then add the MTBA licensed riders.
You're right; it shouldn't make a difference, but until the glitch is fixed it's the best we have.
After there excellent support in 2011, we are extremely excited to have Enduropulse back on board as media partners for the 2012 race. The big question on everyone's lips is will Craig ride the 24 solo this year after turning himself inside out on the 6+6 last year, or will the lure of the bonfire at transition prove too much.
Thanks to the awesome design skills by the team at The Roost Creative, our logo has had a revamp for a new look in 2012. Keep an eye out for it in the April edition of AMB with our shiny ad as the Paterson Kona 24 hits the big time 
After lighting up the night in 2011 with a pair of K-lites that went to the riders on course with the crappiest lights, Kerry is back for 2012 with another amazing giveaway. This year he has a complete dynamo light setup for the ultimate in runtime. If you can pedal all night, you'll never run out of batteries. Enter now and be in the running for this amazing prize and check out Kerry's other cool products.
It is with great pleasure and excitement that Kona, HMBA and the township of Paterson announce that registration for the 2012 Paterson Kona 24 hour have opened. After a sensational inaugural year, the race will be held on the same weekend of the19th & 20th of May. The track will remain largely unchanged however the camp site will move further into the valley as a buffer to the houses which have sprung up over the last year. It should also allow us to offer increase trail side camping options for those who like to be close to the action.
Marathon Photos were on site taking images throughout Saturday. As soon as their images are processed, you will be able to find them HERE
Hi All,
I will now be on site until race end so email contact will be limited as 3g reception is patchy.
If anyone needs to contact me with urgent matters: My mobile is 0439730526.
Look forward to seeing you at the event
Ross Cairns
P.S Boulton Rd in Paterson is home to a unique species of Wallaby & Kangaroo. They have the lowest IQ of any animal known to man and are in plauge proportions. Drive carefully on the last 2kms to the event centre as they will attemp to enter your car via the bonnett.
The rider briefing notes are now available for download here
Please note that there are changes to the race schedule - primarily to the rider registration times.
For any riders who are having difficulty navigating the MTBA online registration system. Please note we will accept entries at registration on Friday and Saturday.
If you are looking to rider the PK24 but don't have a team, let us know and we will try to track something down for you. Similarly, if your team has just come up short and you could use an extra set of legs, let us know via info@patersonclassic.com and we will do or best to put people in touch with each other.
With entries set to close at midnight on Thursday 19th May, time is running out to enter your team for this fantastic race. The weather forecast is looking sensational with warm sunny days and cool nights expected in the lead up to the event. The trail is in fantastic condition, the bonfire is built, the jumping castle is booked and the Enduro Pulse pump track construction is under way so the whole family can have something to look forward to. Face painting will be provided by the army cadets and the local scouts will be hosting a bike wash on sunday morning for $2.00 to make the unpacking at home just a little bit easier.
Its nearly here, so enter now and I look forward to meeting everyone by the bonfire.
The PK24 team are excited to announce that K-lite LED lighting have joined the event as a race sponsor. Kerry will be at the race with demonstration systems along with sales and enquires and some light packages as event prizes. This is a Newcastle based company who produce one of the most cutting edge light systems on the market.
There are still 5 km's of trail to be built at Paterson however the hardest parts have already been completed. This next build day will be the domain of the whipper snipper/brush cutter. Bring your snipper of choice along with some fuel, some ear muffs and plenty of cord. There are several grassed paddocks which need trail cut through them (similar to the lower paddocks at the 3 hour event).
For a brand new trail that had barely seen a rider, the Three hours of Paterson event went remarkably well. There were plenty of thrills and spills as riders got used to the track however most people were still smiling at the end of the event. It had hills, it had rocks and the quote that I heard several times after the weekend was "Paterson: Putting the mountain back into biking".
There are a heap of photos which will start to trickle into the Photo & Video page and there is also a neat youtube clip which showcases some of the action from the weekends racing. Check them out to get a feel for the main event!
Registrations for this event are still open. There were some technical difficulties with the online registration system which temporarily listed the event closed however everything is now back up and running.
The HMBA club round is fast approaching and will be the perfect warm up for those keen to check out the trail in preparation for the PK24. For all the information- check the club website HERE
While numbers were smaller than last time, enthusiasm counts for a lot and we made some sensational trail today. Most of the work focused on AK’s Forrest which is a stunning little micro climate full of moss covered rocks, maiden hair ferns and a dense canopy of shade. It also had a fossilized cow trail which needed unearthing that gently meanders through it and it proved to be a a lot of work in rocky soil.
Almost all of the sections are now complete and everything is looking very promising for the impending HMBA 3 hours of Paterson on March 27.
A huge thanks to all todays volunteers, without them this event wouldn't happen and check out the photos page for pictures of all their hard work.
Following todays trail building activities, new photos have been added to the photo page
Saturday March 12**
Start: 0800 hrs
Following on from the last build day, there are still some sections of trail that need some benching and a whole lot of grass to be whipper snipped. If you have a brush cutter/line trimmer - please bring it along as it will be invaluable.
Cold drinks will be available for builders and afterwards we can head to town for a pie at the country cafe.
For any questions - please contact info@patersonclassic.com
Here are a few photos to give you an idea of what we are working towards
Do you work/own a bike shop? Are you thinking about racing the Paterson Kona 24?
Gateshead Cycles have thrown down the gauntlet to other shops in a battle for the Inter-shop trophy. There are no cash prizes - just bragging rights against the other shops and a trophy so large you won't be able to jump over it.
As a warm up to the main event, HMBA are hosting a 3 hour race at Paterson in place of the usual club XC event at Awaba. This will be one of the few opportunities to check out the Paterson course prior to the Paterson Kona 24. All riders are welcome, so come along and check out this fantastic track.
For more details - check the HMBA website
Today was the first official build day for the Paterson Kona 24 trails and fourteen volunteers braved the heat to fine tune some amazing single track. The help was greatly appreciated and the amount of progress we made was simply stunning. For all the build day photos CLICK HERE
We are extremely excited to have Enduro Pulse on board as a media partner for the Paterson Kona 24. Enduro Pulse is a long standing supporter of endurance mountain bike racing in Australia and feature a comprehensive calender of all endurance races in nation wide. Check out their website for all the latest endurance race info and keep an eye out for their team during the race!
