Determination: Spr Matt Jeffery on his way to becoming the ADF 2005 Male Mountain Bike Endurance Champion. Photo by United Photography

On track: Capt James Kerr navigates the difficult 2005 Mont Australian 24hr MTB Championship course in Canberra. Photo by United Photography

HOLSWORTHY’S Spr Matt Jeffery has taken out the ADF 2005 Male Mountain Bike (MTB) Endurance Champion title in Canberra after completing 13 laps (253km) of the arduous 2005 Mont Australian 24hr MTB Championship course.

Held during the wet, windy and overcast Canberra weekend of October 8-9, some 2400 competitors met, including almost 170 ADF, APS and Defence contractor members, to take part in the event that started with an 800m run and was followed by 24hrs of MTB blood, sweat and mud after heavy rainfall in the preceding days.

Of the 170 Defence participants, 95 competed in the Inaugural Interservice MTB Endurance Championships, which Army emerged from as champion service with an average lap speed only 14 seconds faster than Air Force.

Spr Jeffery was unaware he’d taken an ADF title in the event until contacted by Army, and said humbly that although finishing first for Army, it wasn’t his best race after only coming in the top 20 solo competitors overall.

But that could be forgiven, as although he’s been involved in various bike racing for the past six years, the event was only his second solo event after competing in western Sydney at the start of the year, where he finished second.

“But this was the first time I’ve raced for the ADF as a mountain biker,” he said.

He said work commitments hampered his lead-up training as he was in Canada and Perth until just weeks before the event.
“I had four weeks when I got back and just had to cram train,” he said.

He also has his eye on some upcoming events that may add to the titles he won at last year’s Arafura games where he came second in the time trials for road cycling, and third in his age group for the triathlon.

“But I’ll probably do the Canberra half Ironman before Christmas, and I’m hoping to qualify for the Australian Ironman from that.”

Army also had three other members competing as solo riders, with Maj Andrew Cassie racing on a single speed (no gears) MTB completing nine laps and finishing fifth in his category, Capt Adrian Keough (a reservist competing as a civilian) completed 15 laps and Capt Ty Domin who took out the fastest Army and ADF lap of the event was with a scorching 58-minute lap at over 20kph.

This achievement was considerable as the muddy, twisting track had restricted some ex-World MTB Champions and Olympic mountain bikers in the field to laps between 50-55 minutes.

Army also had a further 33 cyclists competing for the championship, with six teams comprised of Army members as well as many others competed in mixed service or civilian teams.

Full event details can be found at the ADFCC website www.adfcc.asn.au or the race web site www.corc.asn.au/24hr.

.