Northcliffe’s Karri Cup MTB Challenge marks 31 years as WA’s largest and longest mountain bike events

The 31st edition of Northcliffe’s Karri Cup MTB Challenge is quickly approaching, with the event continuing to cement its reputation as one of WA’s largest and longest-running mountain bike events. The mountain biking challenge is held annually in Northcliffe in the last weekend of the April school holidays, with this year’s challenge slated for April 25 to 27. Event director Tori Marver said the event was an example of a community banding together. “This year, we have an almost entirely new team organising the event, made up of passionate locals who want to ensure that the mountain bike community’s much-loved event creates a legacy for the town of Northcliffe,” she said. “The Karri Cup MTB Challenge is WA’s longest running mountain bike race, and is one of the two longest running mountain bike races in the whole of Australia.” Ms Marver said an 8km “enticer ride”, along with 2km and 8km fun runs, have been added to welcome more riders and “junior competitors” to the challenge. Course director Michael Brookes said this year, the course will start and finish at the same location to “create a way better atmosphere” for all the competitors. “We’re going to have some local markets and things going on in that space,” he said. He said 31 years was a long time for a mountain bike event to be around. The event is expected to have 300 riders who hail from across WA. “(We) get a lot of people from Perth — two thirds of the people from Perth, and come from as far as Esperance, Albany, all the South West,” he said. “The whole region, and the trees and the forests, is why it’s existed for so long, because of how beautiful it is. “The sheer raw beauty of the region and beautiful trails built through these forests. “There’s free camping there. There’s plenty of accommodation in Pemberton and Manjimup in those surrounding areas (and) we have great food.” Mr Brookes told the Times the course soil is in better condition than last year. “I’m pretty excited, coming from being a course manager, about the moisture in the ground with a little bit of rain,” he said. “Last summer was very dry, so it’s got to be better for the competitors with a bit more soil moisture, course wise.” The range of lengths and course types have been designed to suit people of all capabilities and interests. “Whether they just want to ride with their partner or the family or challenge themselves and go out and maybe do the 50km,” Mr Brookes said. “If they feel physically fit enough and they can go out there for the 100km. You do have opportunity to stop in between the sections and rest and then continue on.” Ms Marver said the committee is running a “very casual” riding group practise run at 4pm at the Rec Centre on George Gardner Drive.