The Jetblack 24 Hour mountain bike race will return to the Seven Valleys region this weekend of 25+26 November 2023. Ultra-endurance mountain bike athletes from all across the Australian East Coast have already signed up to line up at Rydal Showground in Lithgow to compete on the trail network in Lidsdale State Forest. The event will offer the infamous 24 Hour Solo competition for individual competitors. Further classifications will offer relay racing for teams in the 24 Hour event as well as a 6+6 Hour option for solo racers and teams with a rest at night. Rocky Trail is committed to changing lives through the Power of Bicycles, helping spread the word about the World Bicycle Relief organisation’s mission.
Rocky Trail Entertainment will deliver the 15th edition of their Jetblack 24 Hour event. Committed to changing lives through the Power of Bicycles, Rocky Trail Entertainment is proud to support World Bicycle Relief as its Charity Partner. Through our annual events, and with the support of our riders, we want to help more people in rural communities conquer the challenge of distance, achieve independence, and thrive.
The Jetblack 24 Hour has its home at Rydal Showgrounds and has been held on the home trails of the Central Tablelands MTB Club in Lidsdale State Forest since 2018. The event hub in the heart of the Seven Valleys region provides a spacious racing hub of 6.5 hectares providing a comfortable base for rider transition/camping and parking in close proximity to all the action.
Founded in 2009, the Jetblack 24 Hour has a long history of national and international ultra-endurance athletes competing with Rocky Trail. Notably, the multiple 24-Hour Solo World Champion Jason English from Newcastle has won the event 10 times and will be at the start line in Rydal.
Rocky Trail Founder Juliane Wisata explains that out of the 45 events hosted by Rocky Trail annually it was the Jetblack 24 Hour that attracted the most first-time competitors each year,
“Australia is the home of some of the most successful 24-hour Solo Mountain Bike Champions and at the Jetblack 24 Hour one can compete alongside them. Most of all, it is a weekend out on the trails, riding and racing with mates – a celebration of MTB riding and racing, really”, she added and that the cooperation with the new charity partner was an extension of the company’s values. “At the core of our business is getting people out on mountain bikes and into nature and we want to make a difference in our riding and racing community. We stand for integrity, adventure, fun and at this year’s event will honour our first Rocky Trailblazer Community Award winners, who represent those values in our community.”
About World Bicycle Relief
Over 1 billion people around the globe lack access to reliable roads and affordable transportation. The World Bicycle Relief mission is to create access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunity in low-income, rural communities where distance is a challenge. Equipped with a purpose-designed Buffalo Bicycle from World Bicycle Relief, which will be on display (and be put to use at the Jetblack 24 Hour!), children can reach school, healthcare workers can visit patients, and small business owners can build their incomes.
World Bicycle Relief is also focused on long-term sustainability. We train rural mechanics, assemble all bicycles locally, and our retail shops ensure access to affordable spare parts while also creating employment in the communities where we work.
To date, World Bicycle Relief has distributed 750,000 bicycles, and is now focused on its goal of 1 million bikes by 2025.
Juliane Wisata adds that the event will be hosting a special guest, Maureen Kolenyo, who is World Bicycle Relief’s East Africa Regional Director, based in Nairobi, Kenya and visiting the Australia Offices. With a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Strategic Management and a Bachelor of Commerce, Maureen has almost three decades of experience in establishing and managing multi-faceted projects for global organizations in both the private and public sector.
Wisata said that Maureen has a deep commitment to improving the lives of children and young people, and ensuring girls and young women are afforded opportunities that help them grow. She has a keen interest in sustainable development, especially initiatives that incorporate social innovation, shared value, and collective impact.
Maureen said that she was looking forward to meeting the #rockytrailracers,
“Seventy per cent of the African continent live in rural areas and have no access to mobility. It is that group of people who we feel have been left behind.
“Many children in rural areas must walk to school and the long distances are a challenge. Our Buffalo Bicycle is something that changes these children’s lives. They are safe. They can get home on time. They can improve the quality of their life. And with more energy and time, they can perform better in the classroom.
“Partnership is a core value at World Bicycle Relief, and we are thrilled to have the support of Rocky Trail Entertainment, as well as the broader cycling community in Australia, as we work to create a world where distance is no longer a barrier to independence and livelihood.”
For more information and an event video trailer, visit https://rockytrailentertainment.com/jetblack-24/
