Ride the Otway Odyssey in 2017


Entries are now open for Australia’s premier mountain bike marathon, The Otway Odyssey presented by Focus, which is back for an 11th year and sees two new gravel grind races join the line-up in 2017.

The inaugural Great Otway Gravel Grind (The GOGG) will take place on the Sunday with 49km and 97km races following spectacular courses along the 2WD and 4WD dirt roads that criss-cross the Otway rainforest.

The Otway Odyssey MTB courses are well known for their tough climbs and technical trails but with the GOGG joining the line-up the Odyssey now welcomes road riders, cruisers and those looking for a new off-road journey to join the challenge in the Otway Ranges. 

Whether you’re a fan of epic single track, lung busting hills and blitzing descents on your mountain bike or prefer your skinny wheels rolling over traffic-free roads in the rainforest then we welcome you set your sights on the 2017 Otway Odyssey.

It’s set to be one epic weekend.


What is The G.O.G.G?

The Great Otway Gravel Grind (GOGG) 49km and 97km are the newest addition to the suite of off-road events in the Otway Odyssey.

The Otway Ranges surrounding Forrest have a near endless network of quality dirt roads, making for some superb riding on traffic-free roads through the wilderness.screen-shot-2016-10-06-at-10-00-37-am

GOGG Big Ring 97km

The 97km GOGG Big Ring will take riders on an incredible journey along the 2WD dirt roads through the mighty Otway Ranges to the coast and back again. The course will include plenty of climbing with some sizable ascents but will provide some magical riding through a timeless landscape with tall trees, massive tree ferns and a great sense of journey as you power through the hills.

GOGG Small Ring 49km

The GOGG Small Ring (49km) is a shorter version of the Big Ring, including a similar mix of smooth rolling dirt roads through the Otway rainforest, and plenty of wow-factor riding you don’t get when sticking to the main roads.

The GOGG is designed for all riders on all types of bikes – ridden most comfortably on a gravel grinder or cyclocross bike, they can easily be completed on a road bike as well as mountain bikes and hybrids. screen-shot-2016-10-06-at-10-01-21-amscreen-shot-2016-10-06-at-10-00-15-am screen-shot-2016-10-06-at-10-00-00-am

The all new GOGG races will make their debut on Sunday 26th February, following on from the action of Saturday’s 100km Odyssey, 50km Shorty and 30km Rookie mountain bike races, and before the Otway Pioneer 10km.

Find out more…


The MTB races

All the action of the Otway Odyssey gets underway on Saturday 25th February with epic races on some of Australia’s best single track in the MTB mecca of Forrest, VIC.

These races are the most well regarded in Australia and provide an incredible MTB experience for any rider – from Australia’s elite to our new-start kids. With a 10 year heritage these are landmark races. screen-shot-2016-10-06-at-10-01-38-am screen-shot-2016-10-06-at-10-00-49-am

Find out more…

All races start and finish amidst a huge bike expo and food festival at the Forrest Football Ground.


What the riders say

The Otway Odyssey has continued to be a drawcard for many elite riders, returning stalwarts and everyone in between…Here’s what the rider’s think:

“The Forrest singletrack is amongst the best in Australia and everyone should tick it off their bucket list!” Adrian Jackson, 2010 winner

“This race is a must do if you are even remotely into the marathon racing scene. Even if you’re not you should get it on your list of events to hit up. To date, I have not ridden an event that offers so much varying terrain in one hit. Bitumen road, forest roads, firetrail, unknown overgrown dangerzone singletrack, groomed singletrack and so much more are what is on offer here. It truly tests all of your abilities in one unique condensed course over 100km,” James Downing, 2016screen-shot-2016-10-06-at-9-59-51-am screen-shot-2016-10-06-at-9-59-43-am

“The Odyssey is a journey race, you ride through so much different terrain and it’s all magic with some pretty sensational single track to numb the pain!” Jess Douglas 10-time Odyssey rider

“I love returning to the Otway Odyssey each year for the stunning location, quality trails and the friendly vibe out on course but above all it’s the challenge of completing one of the toughest marathon races on the calendar. I do lots of races each year but when you roll up to the start line of the Giant Odyssey you know you’re in for an adventure!” Neville Bird, 10x 100km finisher

“I return because it is such a big time race in my world. It has all things amplified; the steepness of the climbs, the radness of the descents, the depth of the field and the awesome vibe that Forrest has over that weekend. It rocks.” Jason Archer, 10x 100km finisher 

Read more…


Do both events?

And claim The King / Queen of the Otways crown

There’s no shortage of prizes on offer at the Otway Odyssey with $3,700 up for grabs in the GOGG and over $7,000 for the MTB races, including a swag of cash prizes for timed climbs and descents. CLICK HERE to find out more.

The inaugural King / Queen of the Otways will be awarded to the overall male or female who has the fastest combined time for the 100km MTB Otway Odyssey on Saturday and the 97km GOGG Big Ring race on Sunday.

Riders entering both GOGG and MTB events receive 20% off the combined entry fees – so dare your friends and sign up for this epic challenge!


And for the kids…

There’s no way we would let the kids miss out on their slice of the action, so there is two special events for young riders. Why not make it a weekend for the whole family?

10KM PIONEER

A fun event designed for young mountain bikers, to give them a taste of the action.

The Otway Pioneer is designed for kids and junior riders and will provide you with a taste of the thrills and spills of this fantastic sport. The course includes a steady mix of 4WD tracks, swooping single track, rainforest, roads and country scenery. It’s a loop that gives kids the chance to develop their riding skills and non riders the chance to have a bit of fun.screen-shot-2016-10-06-at-9-59-35-am screen-shot-2016-10-06-at-10-01-05-am

GROMMETS

A fun ride and activities for little kids on pedal bikes and balance bikes at the Event Expo area at the Forrest Footy Ground (best for kids aged 3-8yrs)

The Grommets Ride features a range of activities for kids including bike limbo, slow races, ride the plank and more, and is based around fun and not competition.


Follow us on Twitter – @Rapid_Ascent  #otwayodyssey

Like us on Facebook – Rapid Ascent 

Follow us on Instagram – rapidascent  

www.OtwayOdyssey.com.au

It appears you're using an old version of Internet Explorer which is no longer supported, for safer and optimum browsing experience please upgrade your browser.