Video & Race Report: Troy Brosnan & Sian A'Hern Win Australian Open DH - Cannonball MTB Festival 2019
Australia’s biggest gravity mountain biking event, the Cannonball Mountain Biking Festival, has just wrapped up in Thredbo after five huge days of competition, with nearly 1,000 competitors racing for a chunk of the $100K prize pool across the five iconic events. The seventh instalment of the event attracted some of the biggest names in the industry with aspiring young riders competing alongside some absolute legends of the mountain bike world.
It was the best all-round riders Connor Fearon and Sian A’Hern won the prestigious title of King and Queen of Cannonball, a reward for their consistent podiums in events across the weekend.
 | Stoked to spend the week here in Thredbo for one of my favourite events of the year. With over 1,000 competitors plus heaps of spectators, it made for such a great vibe. It was great to represent Thredbo and take out the win |
| Such a rad week, so good to race with some of the best in the world and great prep for the big season ahead. Stoked to take out the King of Cannonball, Thredbo turned it on this week. |
The five days of competing at the Cannonball Mountain Biking Festival included the following events:
SRAM Australian Open Downhill
Troy Brosnan made the most of the conditions, sliding in top spot making it his fifth win, and he becomes the most decorated Australian Open Downhill winner. In the pro women’s race, World Cup rider Sian A’Hern took first place with a time of 5:52, in second was Tegan Molloy and third Kyleigh Stewart.
You can see the full results here.
Maxxis Flow Motion Cup
It was a heavy hitting line up of Australia’s best on the podium for the Maxxis Flow Motion Cup. The Flow Trail offers competitors the chance to push their speed to the limits with never-ending rollers and smooth berms to blast to the bottom. Josh Carlson took out the win with an incredible time of 8:10, only 0.79 seconds in front of Tim Eaton with Connor Fearon riding into third.
The female riders absolutely destroyed the course with confidence and speed! Sian A’Hern raced to the finish in a time of 8:45, 16 seconds ahead of Leanna Curtis with Lucy Mackie coming in third.
Osprey All Mountain Assault
The Osprey All-Mountain Assault was the first event to kick off the seventh Cannonball Festival and it definitely set the benchmark for the high intensity and skilled riding throughout the entire festival. The All Mountain Trail is 10km of natural terrain with climbs, berms, line variety and more, offering all riders a challenging course.
In the men’s pro division, Josh Carlson took the out the win with an amazing 10:28:67, followed by Mitch Ropelato and with Connor Fearon flying into third. The Pro Women's racing saw Sian A’Hern take the win at 11:45, only 0.58 seconds ahead of Zoe Cuthbert with Lucy Mackie in third.
Rock Shox Pump Track Challenge
The Rock Shox Pump Track Challenge is a competitor and crowd favourite! Mother Nature delivered awesome weather for an afternoon and night of non-stop racing and good times.
Ellie Smith ripped through the new Pump Track course taking top spot in the pro women’s with Zoe Cuthbert in second and Harriet Burbidge-Smith in third. The pro men’s was a crowd pleaser as some of the best riders in the world took to the track. It was super close racing coupled with a few big crashes. Taking the win was Connor Fearon with Luke Meier-Smith in second and Jackson Frew in third.
Deity Whip Wars
40 of the best riders in the world took on the 30 foot jump specially designed to launch them into the air in order to please the crowd and judges with the ultimate whip!
They were judged on the biggest sideways whip with air, style, steeze plus crowd-pleasing tricks filled the rider’s pockets with cash. The trick of the day definitely went to Ryan Dawson who launched a massive superman that saw the massive hillside crowd erupt with applause. Hugo Frixtalon took the win, followed by the crowd favourite and king of the air Dave “The Magician” McMillan in second and third was the Tim Eaton.
The girls took to the air impressing the 1,000 spectators! The winner was Harriet Burbridge-Smith and Leanna Curtis landed on the podium in second.
All in all, the Cannonball Mountain Bike Festival took everything to new heights this year with more action, entertainment, competitors and more than ever before! Riders, spectators, family and friends all loved the festival atmosphere and fast-paced fury on the mountain each day, definitely an event for the books.
Must Read This Week
10 Comments