After the postponement of the original race due to severe weather conditions and drastic flooding on the rural outback course, the 22nd RRR Mountain Bike Challenge was held on Sunday.

Well regarded as one of Australia’s most exciting and challenging ‘point to point’ endurance races, the iconic 35km and 70km events lived up to the ‘RRR’ expectations with over 450 participants lining up at the Mt Molloy race line to make their way through the incredibly diverse terrain to the famous Four Mile Beach, Port Douglas finish line.

The riders lined up at the start line on the original Bump track. In the 70km race, a 6km start loop took riders around a small part of the Wetherby Station property, then brought them back through the start line to the cheers of supporters.

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“Wetherby Station was the perfect race venue as we got to use the rural elements in the course, featuring the cattle grates, bump track and revisited the old original homestead. There is no other Mountain Biking race in Australia that can boast a course like ours,” said course designer Peter Blakey.

In the 70km race, 19 year old Nelson Tilley (Townsville, QLD) pedaled fast across the Four Mile Beach finish line to beat local Cairns rider, Dominic Hoyal.

“What an awesome course change. The new start at the station was fast and interesting. I loved that you got to loop back through and get a cheer from the spectators watching.

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“Dom and I were on each others tail for most of the course. I knew he was hungry for the win but after racing and winning the 70km in a previous year, I came back to North QLD to win the title,” said Tilley.

In the women's 70km race events it was local lady Lauretta Howarth that crossed the line dusty and dirty but happy to be done.

First female to cross the line for the 35km challenge was the 2011 winner, Josephine Zammit from Innisfail, QLD.

“I continue to compete in this event and every year it just keeps getting better. The new start is so memorable. Wetherby Station has so much history and to be riding through the paddocks across the rural settings is like no other race in Australia,” added Zammit.

RRR Mountain Bike Challenge Results

70km – MALE
1. Nelson Tilley, Annandale, QLD. 2:44:19
2. Dominic Hoyal, Cairns, QLD. 2:44:33
3. David Wood, Townsville, QLD. 2:53:15

70km – FEMALE
1. Lauretta Howarth, Cairns, QLD. 3:46:23

35km – MALE
1. Craig Judd, Cairns, QLD. 1:32:08
2. David Hurst, Cairns, QLD. 1:33:59
3. Matthew Herrmann, Cairns, QLD. 1:35:09

35km – FEMALE
1. Josephine Zammit, Innisfail, QLD. 1:43:36
2. Joanna Sussex, Kenmore, QLD. 1:59:08
3. Renee Lees, Speewah, QLD. 2:01:37