Local students lend a hand at Cape to Cape MTB

Year 10 mountain bike enthusiasts from Margaret River Senior High School (MRSHS) volunteered their time at the Cape to Cape MTB multistage endurance race, providing a gold star bike wash service to elite Olympic bike riders and National champions Cameron Ivory, Rebecca Henderson, Brent Rees, Daniel McConnell, and Connor Wright.

Students operated the onsite bike wash service at Stage 1 Augusta Lighthouse, as part of an integrated learning opportunity approved by the school.

“Over 1600 riders take part in this event and providing a free onsite bike wash service is essential,” Event Matrix Director Bill Hayes said,

The student volunteers can be celebrated for their attention to detail, polite banter and mechanical bike service they provided riders.

“Getting my bike washed by MRSHS students and my chain lubed after riding over 40km was a highlight of my day,” Olympian and Solo Men’s winner Cameron Ivory said.

Event manager Carmen Keed said Event Matrix was keen to provide opportunities for local students and to reward them for their services.

“These events are only possible with volunteer participation,” she said.

Students were immersed in the positive vibes of the event while learning first hand the variety of roles and coordination required to run a successful world class sports event.

“It was a pleasure having MRSHS students involved and we hope to continue this partnership in years to come,” Michael Brookes from Margaret River Mountain Bike Tours said.

The annual event attracts world class athletics to the region, starting at Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse and finishing four days later at Cape Naturaliste, after winding its way through a network of trails along the coast, through national parks and farmland. Roughly 200km and 2,500m of climbing in total, each day’s riding is between 34km and 59km and has its own special terrain and environment to keep things interesting with a mix of fast flowing single trail, farm tracks, groomed downhill trails and fire trails – many through private land that can only be ridden while racing the Cape to Cape.