Track: Mount Buller - International
Bike: Kona Supreme Operator 2012
Camera: Contour+ filmed at action 720p & 50fps.
Course description:
Starting at the top of the downhill tracks at Spurs, a left hander, followed by a newly-built small jump, and then a fast right-hander, will see you heading down a rock path towards the trees for the top section of International.
The top section of International is dry, tight and rocky. Plenty of obstacles and sharp rocks to slow you down. Line choice up here is critical for a fast line, which will see you pick up time. There's plenty of grip up here, so keep off the brakes! Watch your head on the first few corners, there's a couple of low branches that can catch you out, especially if you're over 6ft. A few corners in will see you down a short straight and around a small left-hand berm. The A-frame that used to cross a tree here has now been removed, so you can keep up a bit more speed. Keep heading down, over the wooden right-hand tree crossing, and you'll finally go up a small rise and exit the trees. A right-hander, followed by a fast road crossing will give you a heap of speed for the next couple of corners. The old north shore drop is now the race line, and is now just a smooth roller between the trees. The right hand line now has rocks across it, encouraging use of the new line. Cross the fire road and bust out onto the 'Carousel'; a fast, left-hand wooden banked corner that gives you a heap of speed. It spits you out onto a fire road, which signals the end of the top section and the start of the middle section.
The middle section is where more time can be gained with good line choice. Terrain here is a little steeper, a bit wetter, less sharp rocks, more dirt, and lots of smooth rocks. Turning right from the fire road will have you heading down the big rock roller. Choose your line at the top of the rocks and stick to it, there's no turning once you start rolling down it. At the bottom of the rocks is a 90 degree left hander, which will wash off most of your speed. Pedal out of the corner and find a good line through the next set of rocks. The rocks here are smooth, so there's plenty of opportunity for gap lines for some extra seconds. Soon you'll get to a small wooden bridge. Take the high line onto the bridge to maintain speed, and then hit the rocky right-hander which will send you into a short steep section to pick up speed. A left hand hairpin, and then a right hand hairpin, will see you onto the last straight of the middle section. There's a few sneaky sharp rocks here that can catch you out, so watch your pedals. A little further and you'll get to the creek gap. If you have the speed, gap off the rock over the creek. If not, take the b-line around the left over the wire mesh. Duck your head and watch out for a couple of low trees, and get off the brakes as you head out of the trees and shoot down the big ski ramp.
A quick break as you head around the fast left hander, and you're into the bottom section of International. The track splits in two here: off to the right will see you heading into another fun forest section, with a sweet wall ride section at the end. Instead, the race will turn left and head down a few switchbacks. The switchback section is mostly rock-armoured, so there's plenty of grip here, however a couple of the corners aren't rock-armoured, so you'll need to navigate these differently. Keep off the brakes, this is a fast, fun section if you let gravity do its work. After the last switchback, a left hand corner will send you onto the fastest part of the track, the fire road. Quickly catch your breath, and then hold on and change up gears, because you'll be going in excess of 50 kmh down here. A fast right hand corner halfway down the fire road will have you heading straight towards the two ski jumps. These are super fast and a heap of fun. After the second jump, get ready to hit the anchors, you're about to hit a left hand berm that will send you into the last part of the track; some fast single track. There's only really one line through here, just keep off the brakes, the dirt is super tacky so grip isn't an issue. Throw in a few pedals and go over the small rise onto the finishing straight. Pedal as hard as you can towards the finish line, which is generally around near where the small water rut runs along the fire road. Get on chairlift and repeat.
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Copperhead + ABOM = CopperBOM (29.12.11)by brentspud187 views
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