Track plans for new event

A Dunsborough mountain bike club has submitted a proposal to the Busselton Shire Council to host an annual event similar to the festival of triathlon in Busselton.

Cape Mountain Bikers proposed to build a 6.5km track around the Dunsborough and Districts Country Club golf course and host an event on October 15 and 16 this year.

Club secretary Richard Renn said the track was designed in the golf course’s buffer zone.

The proposal would not cost “big dollars” or require the removal of trees.

The event was expected to attract about 400 participants in its first year – about half from the South West and half from Perth and interstate.

“It would include some races and non-races for juniors, a women’s only event, sprint event, and one longer event – a four or six hour race,” Mr Renn said.

“The plan is for it to run the week before the Cape-to-Cape event, so mountain bikers from interstate could come four days earlier and participate.”

Dunsborough Bike Shed’s Rod Brown was also working on the project and already recruited Merida Bikes to sponsor the event.

The Country Club was chosen as a venue, Mr Renn said, because it had “fantastic facilities which were under-utilised” and was close to town, accommodation, and the coast which could also help attract events like the Anaconda back to Dunsborough.

The location close to schools was also a drawcard, with the club looking to develop a program to encourage children to take up the sport.

Mr Renn said the group also planned to host five smaller events in the lead up to the October event each year, which would help attract visitors to the region in the off season.

“There are plenty of empty rooms and seats in restaurants to fill,” he said.

“It’s a first attempt to attract the Mountain Bike tourism dollar.”

The plan was subject to council approval and Mr Renn hoped to know the outcome of the bid in the next couple of months.