Tathra bounces back
More than 340 racers decended on the NSW coastal hamlet of Tathra last weekend, some two months after bushfire razed half of the town's carefully built trail network.
Tireless work from locals saw the trail network's basics cleared, rebuilt and swept, thank in part to help from the south coast community as well as the wider mountain biking community. New Zealand clothing maker Ground Effect, for example, provided cash via its long-running Trail Slush Fund that helped to replace the iconic yellow bridges that are scattered throughout the network.
The trails used for the event were brilliant, as well, with the denuded bushland providing an eerie backdrop - check out our FB vid below.
Three events over 25, 50 and 75km respectively were held on Sunday, with Andy Blair and Cristy Henderson claiming the King Nelba prizes over the longest-distance events. The racer turnout for 2018 was the biggest in the event's history, too.
But it really wasn't about the results... on a chilly winter's day, the wider community rallied around a crew who'd done it tough and who have come out the other side even stronger. A big congrats to everyone involved!
Check out our gallery at the top of the story.
