Welcome to Rapid Ascent
Regarded as Australiaโs leading Adventure Sports Event Management company, Rapid Ascent organises off-road, adventure and niche sports events across Australia ranging from mass participation adventure races (the worldโs largest!) to boutique mountain bike festivals.
[๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ | ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ | ๐๐๐๐ ๐ | ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐]
Whenever we think of Thompson Track, we immediately think of the Thompson Submachine Gunโฆ
And thatโs because when you hit this ๐๐.๐๐๐ค๐ฆ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐, ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐.๐๐ค๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐, it feels like having your legs torn apart by one thousand bullets.
Itโs longโฆ
Itโs steep (getting up to 15% in places)...
And itโs brutally late in the race.
Good news is, you can mentally break the climb into 2 partsโฆ
1) ๐
๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ค๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ๐ ๐ฅตโ with an average of 4.4% (with plenty of leg-sappingly steep sections).
2) ๐๐ก๐๐ง, ๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฉ, ~๐๐ค๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ง๐ญ ๐
โฆ
3) And, ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ก ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฉ ๐ตโ๐ซ(~620m above sea level).
The whole thing (including descent) is a smidgen over 10km and, believe it or not, the KOM does NOT belong to Tali Lane-Welshโฆ
Rather, Brendan โTrekkyโ Johnston has the record from 2023. He rode the entire climb in 30 mins 45 seconds at an average power of 372 watts ๐คฏ (he went on to finish 2nd to Dan McConnell by just 2 seconds!).
The womenโs QOM is also a bit surprisingโฆ
Itโs not Bec Hendersonโฆ
Not Peta Mullensโฆ
But Samara Sheppard, in 2023, when she polished off the climb in a rapid 36 mins 32 seconds to claim 3rd place overall (power data not available ๐).
Elites asideโฆ
This climb is a brute and should be respected.
When you go through the footy ground for the 3rd and final time, eat plenty, have a caffeine gel and get ready for a loooong push to the high point.
Having said that, you can afford to *somewhat* empty the tank towards the top โ itโs all down hill from the top (except for the uphills).
For Strava sluths, the segment is here: www.strava.com/segments/31122405?filter=overall
For entries, go here:
๐ bit.ly/41mTj1o
P.S. If you donโt like the sound of Thompson Track, fear not. There are plenty of shorter race options that miss this section altogether!
![[๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ | ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ | ๐๐๐๐ ๐ | ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐]
Whenever we think of Thompson Track, we immediately think of the Thompson Submachine Gunโฆ
And thatโs because when you hit this ๐๐.๐๐๐ค๐ฆ ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐, ๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐.๐๐ค๐ฆ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐, it feels like having your legs torn apart by one thousand bullets.
Itโs longโฆ
Itโs steep (getting up to 15% in places)...
And itโs brutally late in the race.
Good news is, you can mentally break the climb into 2 partsโฆ
1) ๐
๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ, ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ค๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฐ๐๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ๐ ๐ฅตโ with an average of 4.4% (with plenty of leg-sappingly steep sections).
2) ๐๐ก๐๐ง, ๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ฉ, ~๐๐ค๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ง๐ญ ๐
โฆ
3) And, ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฒ, ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ก ๐ญ๐จ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐จ๐ฉ ๐ตโ๐ซ(~620m above sea level).
The whole thing (including descent) is a smidgen over 10km and, believe it or not, the KOM does NOT belong to Tali Lane-Welshโฆ
Rather, Brendan โTrekkyโ Johnston has the record from 2023. He rode the entire climb in 30 mins 45 seconds at an average power of 372 watts ๐คฏ (he went on to finish 2nd to Dan McConnell by just 2 seconds!).
The womenโs QOM is also a bit surprisingโฆ
Itโs not Bec Hendersonโฆ
Not Peta Mullensโฆ
But Samara Sheppard, in 2023, when she polished off the climb in a rapid 36 mins 32 seconds to claim 3rd place overall (power data not available ๐).
Elites asideโฆ
This climb is a brute and should be respected.
When you go through the footy ground for the 3rd and final time, eat plenty, have a caffeine gel and get ready for a loooong push to the high point.
Having said that, you can afford to *somewhat* empty the tank towards the top โ itโs all down hill from the top (except for the uphills).
For Strava sluths, the segment is here: https://www.strava.com/segments/31122405?filter=overall
For entries, go here:
๐ https://bit.ly/41mTj1o
P.S. If you donโt like the sound of Thompson Track, fear not. There are plenty of shorter race options that miss this section altogether!](https://www.rapidascent.com.au/wp-content/plugins/custom-facebook-feed-pro/assets/img/placeholder.png)
Itโs easy for us to get biased about our own races โ they are our โbabiesโ after all.
Thatโs why we try to get as much raw and honest feedback after each event as possible.
Sometimes we get a lotโฆ
Sometimes we get a littleโฆ
Sometimes itโs goodโฆ
Sometimes itโs constructiveโฆ
And sometimes itโs downright bizarre ("more raw-sashimi at the aid stations please"*)โฆ
But, after the first ever Shimano Gravel Muster, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive.
So, if you're thinking about joining the 2025 event, donโt take our word for why you should โabsolutely, 1000% DO ITโ...
Instead, check out the dozens of straight-from-the-horses-mouth opinions (pictured) from people whoโve actually experienced the event for themselves.
Hope it helps,
The Rapid Ascent Team
P.S. The event is already 30% full (40% female, 60% male ranging from 25-60+). So, by all means, do you research. But don't dilly, dally for too long before pulling the trigger...
DETAILS HERE: bit.ly/3VjaxbV
*Noone has actually asked for sashimi, but you'd be amazed at how wild some requests can be!
1 CommentComment on Facebook
Are you guys organising the Manning Gravel Muster?
FREE, WOMEN-ONLY, ODYSSEY TRAINING RIDES!
As part of our gender equity program, we're calling all FEMALE mountain bikers who've signed up for the 2025 Otway Odyssey MTB to come along to the Odyssey Angels Training Rides.
Run by our friends at Forrest Mountain Bike & Cycling Club, this is for WOMEN-ONLY and is fully subsidised to help them prepare to have a great day on the bike.
Every ride will have a qualified instructor, and thereโll be opportunity to discuss how to tackle different sections on the course. Some sessions will be more focussed on fitness, whilst others will break down a specific segment. As always, it will be FUN!
Sessions are strictly for women whoโve entered the 2025 Otway Odyssey, and limited to 10 places only. Held on each Tuesday (7pm) and Saturday (2pm) in the lead up to the event at Forrest, VIC - an easily accessible day-trip from the big smoke!
Here are the Saturday dates โ PLEASE follow the link posted in comments to secure your place:
ยท Sat 18 Jan
ยท Sat 25 Jan
ยท Sat 1 Feb
ยท Sat 8 Feb
ยท Sat 15 Feb
Events are listed on the Forrest MTB page โ sign up FREE via youโre your chosen event date: www.facebook.com/forrestmountainbikeclub/events/?id=100064690988490&sk=events
Entries for Otway Odyssey (30km, 50km or 100km here):
๐ bit.ly/41mTj1o
What's the best way to minimise suffering during Otway Odyssey?
Asking for a friend...
20 CommentsComment on Facebook
You’re always going to suffer. You can either save all the suffering for race day, or you can spread it out over a lot of rides leading up to race day. The more rides you do leading up to the race, the less you will suffer on race day.
Focus on the Sports Beer you will enjoy at the finish line! ๐ป๐๐ฒ
Stay home?
Yeees!
The ol' faithful elites are coming out of the woodwork to tackle the 2025 Otway Odyssey.
This time, it's FOUR TIME Olympian and MULTI World-Cup winner (not to mention 3-time Odyssey champ!), Rebecca Henderson.
The pieces are falling into place for another EPIC Odyssey...
Who's joining Bec Henderson on the start line?
0 CommentsComment on Facebook
![๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ 2025 | ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ | ๐๐๐ ๐]
What better way to preview the 2025 Gravel Muster course, than with the one and only @paulvanderplow .
Vandy joined us in 2024 and rode every kilometre โ so heโs more than qualified to talk about the route.
Here are the stats for Day 1:
๐ 4km Prologue (Alice Springs)
๐ 47km, Simpsons Gap Loop (Alice Springs to Alice Springs) + Sunset Beers
๐ 1 racing segment, totaling 17km
๐ 280m of climbing
Stay tuned for Day 2, Day 3 and Day 4.
More details here:
๐ https://bit.ly/3VjaxbV](https://www.rapidascent.com.au/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)
0 CommentsComment on Facebook