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Track choice for XC series: Ourimbah or Yellomundee
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
Hi All
Last year I did some rounds of the CCOMTB XC series at Ourimbah for a bit of fun and plan on doing some more short course XC racing again this year. I find it's quick and easy racing that doesn't need huge amounts of time and prep like a marathon event, you can easily be home by lunchtime.
I'm thinking about doing the WSMTB series at Yellomundee for a change this year but have never ridden there, does anyone have any thoughts on the relative benefits of the two courses and/or series?
thanks in advance
d
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Will openly declare my bias here I am a WSMTB member and haven't raced with CCMTB so i can only comment on the track. I love ourimbah and its one of my favourite places to ride and I am suprised that any of the big promoters aren't using it in one of the big enduro series. The descent is awsome and Im keen to give one of their all mountain races a go this year. In terms of comparing the two tracks I would say that Yellowmundie is more technical without being too hard but it definately keeps you on your toes. Where as Ourimbah feels like a big climb and a big descent and thats about it yellowmunide IMHO is a bit more varied and goes from technical descents to flowing singletrail with the odd pinch climb thrown in. There is a lot of trail at the mundie and we try to ensure that each round has a different track. We also have at least one round a year at Blue Gum Lodge which is one of the better tracks that i've ridden. In terms of the respective merits of each series both will be good and run by good people who do it for the love of MTB so you can't go worng either way. I haven't seen the CCMTB calender yet but the WSMTB one is up on the website so perhaps compare the two and you can alternate and have double the fun remember that you are able to race at any club in Australia on a MTBA liscence.
I race in the WSMTB club series and think of Yellomundie as my home ground. The club races are how I measure my own progress.
I am not sure if I would say YM is more technical than Ourimbah, but there are a large number of trail variations at YM and some of them are get off and walk for a lot of us. I think Ourimbah is a prettier course and has more landscape variations, but both tracks are excellent courses.
One thing to consider is that the rainfall at YM is pretty low, and it also drains easily. For a large part of last year YM was green whereas other tracks were closed or doubtful. For some weekends it was the only place around Sydney open for riding.
I've no idea if the circuit they used for the 4hr I did with flyin' Al is typical or not, but based on that compared to Ouribah I'd say Ourimbah is the more challrnging technically, and the loop is a little longer. With greater elevation change from memory. I haven't ridden there recently, ,and i've heard the infamous Magic Carpet has gone, so the technical difficulty may have become more evenly matched between the two. Either way they are both great tracks and I can hardly wait for something like them on the Northern Beaches.
It is fairly bog standard as far as XC trails go. There is not much difference between Ourimbah or Yellowmundee I don't think, although each trail has its own character and signature sections. If you haven't raced at Yellowmundee before, what are you waiting for? New trails are beckoning!!
why not do a couple at each. If you're not in A grade series contention it wont hurt to miss a round at one in favour for the other