Port to Port's new course for 2018
The Port to Port MTB course has had a few tweaks to bring it into shape for 2018, promising more trail and more fun.
In 2018 Port to Port turns 5, marking another year where the four-day event based between the Hunter Valley and Newcastle treats avid mountain bikers to a combination of trails socialising before winter hits.
As part of the celebrations for the fifth year the course team has made a number of changes to the route, in an effort to mix up the experience for repeat visitors, and improve on the strengths of previous courses. The big news is a move away from Stage 1 at Port Stephens with a new start location in the Hunter Valley, plus a whole new stage set to feature the singletrack of Killingsworth. We'll miss the fast, elbow to elbow racing of Stage 1 but welcome the easier event logistics!
Stage 1 will see a mass start and seeding policy put in place, but your position on that stage will place you in a wave start for stages 2-4. The idea here is there will be less course congestion on the days with more trails, meaning a better experience for all.
Stage 1 – Hunter Valley / Pokolbin
Picture Stage 2 from previous years with plenty of other bits of trail thrown in
Just like 2017 the start location will be at the Audrey Wilkinson Winery overlooking the whole Hunter Valley.
From a controlled rollout off the property the lead out vehicle will release riders to hit the first climb of Port to Port, a challenging hit out up Pokolbin Mountains Road. Sure there are plenty of great views but you might be seeing them via photos from the day, as you're about to go into 10km of climbing.
Up top, a labyrinth of singletrack awaits, which will form a new loop for approximately 15km as you wind across the crest above both Deep Creek and Baldy Creek. The course will then swing back on itself around the 30km mark bringing you to a sweet descent down Broken Back Trail toward Foxy Gully and the Watagans Track.
The course detour off Pokolbin Mountains Road onto the Watagans Track takes you to a very technical, fast and rocky descent toward the finish line, where only a short section of back tracks through Fleming Gully are between you and the finish at Audrey Wilkinson Winery
With about 45km and 1034m of climbing, the first stage is highlighted by the opening climb which is rated Cat 2 – 11km in overall length and an average grade of 3.5%. Bring your climbing game!
Stage 2 – Killingworth / Lake Macquarie
In designing a new stage for the 2018 Port to Port, the team focused on the historical network of single track around the Killingworth area. The small town of Killingworth sits in the middle of Pokolbin, Newcastle and the Watagans.
Killingworth was one of the major NSW trail centres in the 90’s but dropped away as areas such as Glenrock and Awaba were developed around Newcastle. In recent years a band of local trail builders have been active in the area, restoring the trails around Killingworth and also developing a new collection of trails at the neighbouring town of Homesville.
This network of more than 30km of single trail is a destination known for its awesome views of the lower Hunter Valley to the north whilst it also looks south toward Lake Macquarie and east back over the city of Newcastle.
The new stage kicks off with a climb via a series of back roads. With work comes reward and there are multiple payoffs as riders will enjoy the views from the top and the descent which brings the course down into the restored single tracks of Killingworth and then Homesville, to complete the second stage of Port to Port 2018.
Stage 3 – Awaba / Watagans
We’ve said it a few times, this might be one of the best point to point stages in any mountain bike race in Australia. It features all of the best parts of what the Hunter Valley and greater Newcastle region has to offer. With a tour of the trails of Awaba to start, the course tackles the Watagans and a loop that includes some serious climbing to start, then one of the best off-road descents anywhere in Australia.
With a start and finish in the small town of Cooranbong, the new wave start system will allow the course to head straight out to the north of town and through some back tracks around Avondale to get over to Awaba MTB Park, which should take the surging mess of mountain bikers off the main road, the only chink in the armour on this stage in previous years. The wave system and new route to Awaba will break up the field so Awaba is about railing berms, not waiting your turn.
The grins will turn to grimaces out of Awaba as the epic climb up Mount Faulk looms. A Cat 2 rated climb conquers 400m of elevation in 9km with an average grade of 4.5%. Payday awaits though as for over 35km you’re mostly descending, mixing singletrack with forest road and moto trails all the way to Cooranbong. Sure there’s a pinch climb or two… but it’ll be worth it.
In all Stage 3 will sit around 60km long with 1200m climbing – truly an epic course!
Stage 4 – Glenrock / Newcastle
From the first year in 2014, it was clear the crew at Port to Port wanted a kickarse final stage. But finishing at Newcastle is no mean feat – it’s a large city and riding on singletrack right to the beach isn’t possible. But in 2017 they nailed it. People weren’t getting lost, there was no neutral section for a break in timing – everything was on point. Only a small number of tweaks are planned for this year for what should be an epic finale.
Against a beautiful beach backdrop, the start waves will rollout toward Belmont Golf Course and a connection of trails north through the Wetlands area. Linking up with the Redlands singletrack the route then crosses Oakdale Road into the ripping singletrack around Whitebridge.
A few more trails here will then bring you to Dudley Beach for the sandy battlefield, before a new route to Glenrock.. That final route is being locked in, but we know Glenrock will deliver on trails and views, ripping along the east coast with views over the Pacific Ocean.
Finishing back on the coast at Dixon Park overlooking Mereweather Beach, you end right at the after party on the beach – what could be better? Stage 4 should sit at just over 40km, mostly single track. There’s about 600m of climbing and it should be a perfect finish to 4 days of riding and racing.
Wave Start System
Elite entrants will be automatically seeded at the front, with the rest of the field asked to assemble under self-seeding based on ability and expectations. The start of Stage 1 is a controlled rollout for the first 4km giving all participants plenty of time to find their spot in the field.
Riders who have a mechanical or other issue on Stage 1 and think they should have been allocated into a higher wave start can apply to Race HQ for special consideration. Also if riders find themselves allocated into a wave that separates them from a group they are riding with they can chose to be allocated back to ride in a later wave with their friends.
Start times for each of the different wave colours will be promoted at the Event Information tent at the Finish Line of Stage 1 and the start lines at the following stages. It will be responsibility of all riders to know your wave colour and corresponding start times for the remaining stages. All riders are encouraged to be on site at the Start Line well before the first wave begins as with only 5 minute gaps between each group the whole field will leave within a half hour period for Stages 2 – 4.
Entries are open now and pricing goes up in April – get into it!
