After a few postponements, The Trans Tasmania finally got underway in Januray 2022, beneath clear skies and warm sunshine in Maydena. This in itself is a novel concept for most who have visited this lush bike park playground in typical Tassie moisture. Travelling down from the mainland east coast and in a second successive La Nina (wet) summer, this was a warm welcome. Personally, after minimal time on the bike lately, I felt well underdone for what was to come but overwhelmingly pumped for my first gravity stage race. And boy did it deliver!
TELL ME ABOUT THE TRANS SERIES
For those unfamiliar with the format, the Trans events cover multi day, multi stage gravity enduro style in a suitably ‘blind racing’ format, meaning basically no practice! Intimidating for some, though the stages are selectively chosen to facilitate and challenge a wide range of intermediate through to pro abilities. Days are in the order of around 1000vm of climbing and normally wrapped up by early afternoon to allow plenty of banter, exploring or bike tuning to fill out the day.
Just shy of 100 riders took to the inaugural event on the little island, making for a manageable logistical exercise and friendly crowds to mingle amongst. For the seasoned racers, this was a very chilled atmosphere; riders were trickling in
