Event report: MTBO 2

Lake Joondalup came alive on Sunday morning as riders and runners of all kinds turned out for our Mountain Bike Orienteering event. With a 9am mass start, the area quickly filled with competitors navigating their way through suburban streets, winding mountain bike trails, and scenic shared pathways.

True to the inclusive spirit of Orienteering, we saw an incredible variety of “wheels” on course - mountain bikes, gravel bikes, road bikes, e-bikes, and everything in between. We even had foot orienteers join the challenge, along with one ambitious ski-orienteer whose attempt to take off was unfortunately thwarted by a ski-pole malfunction!

It was fantastic to welcome a strong mix of newcomers, families, and experienced competitors, all taking on the challenge in their own way.

A light-hearted incentive was offered by the course setter - an ice cream for anyone who could complete the entire course within two hours. Fortunately (or unfortunately!), only one person has achieved this: course-checker Ricky Thackray, currently in Victoria trialling for the Australian MTBO team.

Hadrien Devillepoix came heartbreakingly close, collecting an impressive 95 controls but missing the two-hour cutoff by just two seconds. Volker Gartz secured second place with 65 controls, followed closely by Edward Plummer with 64.

There were plenty of standout performances across the field:

• Mark Lommers impressed by collecting 60 controls on foot
• Rachel West was the top female competitor with 52 controls, overcoming early MapRun issues
• Neve Lommers placed second female with 50 controls on a road bike
• Christine Brown rounded out the top three women with 45 controls
• Kate Braid delivered a remarkable effort, collecting 40 controls on foot while completing her first half marathon

For the course setter, it was especially rewarding to see so many participants enjoying the Lake Joondalup area and making the most of the diverse course. After a challenging personal outing at the Karri Cup 100 in Northcliffe the previous day (DNF'ed at 50kms), this event was a timely reminder of the joy of getting out, exploring, and simply having fun on the bike.

Results are now available on Eventor and MapRun. Keen for more? Don’t miss our next Urban MTBO adventure in South Perth & Heirisson Island on 23 May 2026. Faster, tighter, and just as fun. Grab your bike (or your runners!) and get involved.

Thank you to everyone who took part - and a very big thank you to our unsung hero Jack Dowling who worked tirelessly on getting the maprun event ready for its 9am Mass start debut. Also integral to the event was Melinda Richards who handled registration for our EOD's, helped troubleshoot MapRun queries and also welcomed newcomers and the packing up of the event!

Oh and Thank You to Ricky for riding the course and providing feedback *sigh* I guess I better go buy that ice-cream now.

And last but not least - a massive thank you to setter Tash!

Photos: At Lake Joondalup, by Tash Thackray.