Hi everyone - we hope you had a relaxing break with family or friends or both.
Many of us have enjoyed one or two fantastic carnivals over the holiday period - the Xmas 5-Days which was held in Sydney for the first time, then the Oceania Champs and opening World Cup round in Tasmania.
Both carnivals were professionally run on superb maps in great scenery and made a big impression on the visiting European elites escaping the cruel northern winter.
Pretty much all our clubs are back into the swing of things, and with the calendar ticking over into 2015 it means it's time to renew your membership - or join if you like what you have seen so far.
Membership forms are in the middle of the summer booklet and on the membership page, or you can register via Eventor. And don't forget to follow us on Facebook.
We have some exciting weekends still to come before we hit the winter bush season:
(1) O'Shea 2-Days Feb 21-22: this is a 3-race event for pairs on the Central Coast. This year all three runs are close together in the Gwandalan area at the southern end of beautiful Lake Macquarie. See the flyer for details. The highlights of this weekend are undoubtedly the loud and lairy costumes worn by many participants, and the spearmint leaf cakes traditionally awarded as prizes (see pic, left).
(2) Sydney Sprint Weekend Mar 7-8: NSW is hosting the opening round of the National League with three races: at Sydney Uni and on new maps at Botany and UNSW. See the web page for details.
(3) Women's Coaching Weekend Mar 14-15: this very popular weekend caters for women of all ages and abilities in a fun-filled environment in the Southern Highlands. Stay tuned for details.
(4) MTBO Mar 21-22: for mountain bike enthusiasts, NSW is also hosting the opening round of the MTBO NOL in the Newcastle area. This will double as the NSW champs in this discipline and the Australian selection trials for the world champs in the Czech Republic in July.
In a great initiative to get more people into MTBO, the organisers on the Saturday are offering free introductory coaching and free entry to the beginner event. See the web page for details.
