Challenge is finally over for mountain athletes |
 NO PAIN NO GAIN: Ben Sim, winner of the Great Alpine Challenge, took a tumble on the descent from Trappers Gap. Written by ALEX CRAIG. THE weather was warm and overcast on Sunday for the running of the 18th Mitta to Mt Beauty mountain bike race, an annual event which attracts endurance athletes from across the state. The 55km route of the Mitta to Mount Beauty starts at the Mitta Caravan Park, climbs up the valley of Scrubby Creek and crosses the north face of Mt Bogong through Trappers Gap, before descending along the valley of Mountain Creek to finish by the swimming pool in Mount Beauty, and includes 37km of dirt road, 18km of bitumen, 840 metres of climb and 740 metres of descent. Saturday’s event had 149 starters, all but one of whom finished the course, and about 20 of whom were also participants in the Great Alpine Challenge. "The Challenge might be called the longest triathlon in the world," organiser Alan Marsland said. "Maybe not in distance, but certainly in terms of time. "It takes about six months to complete." The Great Alpine Challenge consists of the Mt Beauty half-marathon, run in May, the Kangaroo Hoppet, Australia’s international ski marathon, run in August, and the Mitta to Mt Beauty cycle race, run in October. The winner of the challenge is the competitor with the fastest total time in these three events. Winner of the cycle race for 2008 was Neill van der Ploeg of Tawonga South, who completed the course in 1h 52m 20.70s, just five minutes behind Garth Hennessy’s record, which was set in 2000. Runners up were Chris Steffanoni (Sunbury) with a time of 1h 53m 01.1s, and local Evan Franzke with a time of 1h 53m 30.6s. Clear winner of the Great Alpine Challenge was Ben Sim of Cooma, despite the bruising fall he took just 2km short of the Mountain Creek bridge on his descent from Trappers Gap. Mr Sim started the race with a 32 minute lead from his skiing and running successes. He put his fall down to inexperience. "I don’t ride bikes very much. "Skiing is my best event," he said. Mr Sim is shortly to head to Europe for the northern winter season, where he will be competing in the World Cups and World Championships, with the aim of qualifying for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. |
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