Highland Fling

In 2011 the Highland Fling will be taking place on 12-13 November. The event is an annual fixture on the calendar as one of Australia’s premier mountain bike events and as one of the most recognisable events in the Southern Highlands of NSW.

2011 is the year of the Itch, the 7th running of The Briars Highland Fling, Australia's MTB Marathon Championship.  The Fling is a mountain bike marathon for all.  It offers a scenic and challenging route through forests and farmland in the Southern Highlands of NSW, hammering singletrack, forest tracks, dirt road and less than 2km of blacktop.

Do the Full Fling (approx 110km), the Half Fling (approx 55km), the relay Flinging Threesome or take on the even bigger challenge of the 100Mile Fling.

There is also the Casual Fling, a 14km Participation (untimed) Ride for those not feeling up to taking on the races above. An opportunity for those new to mountain biking or those less fit than they’d like to be, to get on a bike at the Fling.

The main racing is on Sunday 13th November but there’s plenty happening on Saturday 12th too including the Bundanoon Dash, (including The Battle of The Businesses) a fundraising 6km ‘sprint’ race (it’s not compulsory!) along with entertainment, food & drink, gear displays, demos, Kids MTB Skills Course.

The Southern Highlands presents a superb venue for mountain biking or off road cycling. It possesses a variety of terrain, the closest State Forests (Penrose and Wingello) to Sydney, is easily accessible by road and rail from Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Wollongong with good airport connections.

The Highland Fling is run by Wild Horizons and also raises funds for a number of local community groups involved in the staging of the event.

The Route

The race will follow a unique route that will take riders out from Bundanoon on great farmland tracks and eventually into Penrose State Forest before riding through more farmland to Wingello Village which marks the end of the Ground Effect Stage. From here riders will start the Tertini Wines Stage and enter the beautiful forest and gully country of Wingello State Forest including the network of singletrack. Riders will loop back to Wingello Village and, for the GU Stage, will follow a different route into Penrose State Forest and eventually back to Bundanoon. You'll ride on singletrack, open paddock, rough 4WD track and dirt roads and a tiny amount of sealed road. There is some 2300 metres of enjoyable climbing in total and, given you finish back where you started, some 2300 metres of even sweeter downhill!! The Highland Fling will test all who take on the challenge.

• Full Fling - Ground Effect Stage, Forests NSW Stage, GU Stage.
• Half Fling - Ground Effect Stage, GU Stage.
• 100Mile Fling - Ground Effect Stage, Forests NSW Stage twice, GU Stage.

Further information

For further details visit

Web: www.wildhorizons.com.au

Ph:     02 4883 6509 Mob: 0418 977 609 Fax: 02 4883 6239        

Email: info@wildhorizons.com.au