- Mountain bikers gather for UCI Mountain Bike Marathon Masters World Championships in the Peel region this weekend
- First time Masters World Championships held in Australia
- Event expected to attract thousands of athletes, spectators and visitors to the region and boost the local economy
Mountain bikers from around the world have travelled to the Peel region ahead of the 2023 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon Masters World Championships, starting this Saturday.
For the first time, the Championships will form part of the popular Dwellingup 100 event program, from 14 to 17 September, extending the series' schedule to four days this year.
Both events are supported by the Cook Government, through Tourism WA's Regional Events Program and the Royalties for Regions fund, and are expected to attract thousands of athletes, spectators and visitors to the region, boosting the local economy.
More than 700 mountain bikers from over 15 countries have registered to compete in Saturday's championships event, with renowned competitors Dan McConnell (VIC), Jason English (NSW) and Samara Sheppard (NZ) travelling to WA for the chance to win the first prize and sport the rainbow jersey as the world's best.
The event will see riding enthusiasts of all abilities - from novice to elite - joining other cyclists who meet the minimum age criteria of 35 years, to race in either the 100km or 60km distance events.
The Masters Marathon event is relatively new to the UCI schedule, held in Italy for the first time in 2021 and 2022.
Since 2009, the Dwellingup 100 has attracted over 15,000 participants of all ages and abilities to become the State's largest one-day mountain bike race, including experts and those new to the sport, as well as prominent WA, national and international riders.
Competitors will ride through some of WA's best trails, including the Marrinup State Forest, Nanga Forest and Lane Poole Reserve, as well as sections of the iconic Munda Biddi Trail and Bibbulman Track, as well as the new Dwaarlinjirraap suspension bridge.
Read more at dwellingup100.com.au
As stated by Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti:
"We're really excited to bring the 2023 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon Masters World Championships to Australia for the first time, right here in Western Australia.
"Mass participation events like these Championships form an important part of our Government's events strategy to attract out-of-state visitors to Western Australia, boost local economies, and drive vibrancy across regional communities.
"This event will bring more people to the beautiful coastlines and jarrah forests of the region and help tourism and hospitality businesses across the Peel region to thrive."
Comments attributed to Regional Development Minister Don Punch:
"Hosting events like the 2023 UCI Mountain Bike Marathon Masters World Championships and Dwellingup 100 helps to build strong and resilient regional communities, diversify the local economy and create local jobs.
"This event will provide a platform for promoting the incredible trail network within the Peel region while also establishing a reputation for the destination to attract more large-scale sporting events."
Comments attributed to Murray-Wellington MLA Robyn Clarke:
"We know how popular the Dwellingup 100 series of mountain biking events are, so it's fantastic that the event has been expanded to be held for the first time here in the Murray region.
"Events like these deliver significant returns for our region, and I look forward to welcoming the thousands of athletes, spectators and visitors over the coming days to enjoy the event and all that the region has to offer."
