Shifty Fifty back in Anglesea

MOUNTAIN bike riders are gearing up to take on the Surf Coast Shifty Fifty, as the event returns to Anglesea for its fourth-year next weekend.

On May 11, participants will ride along the Surf Coast Trail network in a joint event hosted by Surf Coast Mountain Bike Club and Big Hill Events.

Riders can choose to complete the Shifty Fifty, which is a 50-kilometre ride, where competitors do two laps of the course, alternatively they can do the 25-kilometre ride, known as the Shifty Shorty, which is one lap.

This year will also include dirt groms, an event for kids aged between six and 12 where they have 20 minutes to complete as many laps as they can of the 1.4-kilometre loop.

Co-event coordinator Brett Coleman said the event is the biggest fundraiser of the year for the Surf Coast Mountain Bike Club.

 

“We don’t get much funding, so pretty much all the funds that we raise from this event go back into maintaining the trails through the working bees.

“This month we’ve put in about 80 hours of trail work to have the trails ready for the shifty fifty event, but also importantly keeping those trails in good working order and riding well, hopefully throughout winter.”

Entries are capped at 350 riders and has sold out in recent years.

Mr Coleman said it’s looking like 2024 will be another sell out with registrations considerably higher than this time last year.

For the first time the race village will be set up inside the Anglesea Discovery Park.

“They’ve been incredibly supportive in terms of allowing us to use their entire camp, which brings significant advantages in terms of access, being off the road, there’s shelters there and we can set up marquees if we are in the elements,” Mr Coleman said.

 

He said they cater for a wide range of people, however some mountain bike riding experience is needed to complete the event.

“Those at the front end will be very high-level mountain bikers and those at the back end will be very much weekend warriors.”

Participants will start and finish at the Discovery Camp before heading up to the Eumeralla Mountain Trail Network where the large majority of the race takes place.

Chubby Bao and Bells Beach Brewing will be on scene keeping riders fuelled throughout the day.

The mountain bikers will set off from the Anglesea Discovery Camp at 10.00 am with the last rider starting at 10.10am.

For more information, head to shiftyfifty.com.au