Mountain bike rider wins cow

ANGLESEA’S Kate Penglase is the first female to cross the line in a landmark endurance mountain biking event in Victoria’s alpine region, Omeo.

The Inaugural Cattlemen 100 covered 175 kilometres, with only 45 out of 115 entrants finishing the event.

According to Ms Penglase, the 35-degree heat made the event more gruelling.

“It was Omeo’s hottest November day on record, so it was quite extreme. The event would be challenging in any conditions and then the heat adds an extra dimension,” she said.

“If you’re not eating enough or drinking enough or don’t have enough electrolytes in your system you run a serious risk of cramping, which can cause the body into shutdown mode.”

The event was a new take on the traditional endurance mountain biking format, featuring a check point system.

“The normal format for endurance races is laps over six, 12 or 24 hours and you complete as many laps as you can. You’re not on a time limit for those events, so if someone is fatigued they can stop in their pit and have a break and start up again when they feel they have recovered.

“In the Cattlemans you had to make the time … you had to make the cut. So the intensity involved in that was understandably too much for some people. In a 24-hour race, some people will take a nap, if they feel the need, so they were very different race formats.”

Ms Penglase thrived in the tough conditions.

“I loved it. I absolutely adored it. It’s brutal but if you can overcome that brutality, then you can feel a real satisfaction and achievement,” she said.

“I’ve just thought of something else, did you know I won a cow?”

Yes, adding to the unique event was the incredible prize. Ms Pengalse received $1000, an Akubra and a calf from Brookfield Angus Station.

“It will get weened from its mum around Christmas and then we get the profits from the sale of the cow next year when it goes to market,” she said.