Squid’s Eye View Part 2 | Maydena EDR through the lens of Justin Castles

All eyes were on Maydena Bike Park for the inaugural UCI Enduro World Cup, and the racing was epic. But so were the crowds!

By now, you’ve definitely seen plenty of high-action race imagery — crashes, scrubs, and ginormous roosts captured in more tack-sharp megapixels than you can shake a crank arm at. But what was the vibe like?

Flow photographer Justin Castles was on the ground at Maydena and joined the Hecklefest ride. This guided pedal through the network took a group of rowdy fans to all the best spots around Maydena to watch the action. Justin was there to capture all the chainsaws, cowbells and the electricity buzzing through the air standing on the side of the race course with hundreds of fellow mountain bike fans.

Grab a beverage, sit back and enjoy the Maydena ERD through the lens of Justin Castles.

Don’t miss part one of our Squid’s Eye View photo epics and enjoy some spectacular frames captured by Kristina Vackova.

Maydena from above, it’s easy to get caught up in the trails and forget how epic this region of Tassie looks.
The village and finish bowl, primed and ready for a weekend of racing.
Spectators arrived early and staked out the best spots.
Getting the best views and being comfortable in the process — these kids have the right idea.
With Open racing over on Saturday afternoon, there were plenty of thirsty riders.
“Hi, I’m Chris Sansom. You might remember me from such films as A West Coast Odyessy and What’s new in Derby. But today, you’ll see me in my greatest role, fishing vest tour guide!”
Party shirts? Check. Vuvuzelas? Check. Vibes? High. Welcome to Hecklefest
Climbing up for stage 2, lots of switchbacks but a nice view.
After the last rider dropped it was a mad dash to get to the next stage.
Kate Weatherly stoking the crowd.
Fowaaaahhhhh, the speed on that one!
A bit of course maintenance, the trails were so steep and dusty, just keeping your feet under you was an achievement.
About 50 riders strong, the noise of The Hecklefest was next deafening.
The track started to get looser and drier as the day went on, but the riders weren’t slowing down.
Can’t say we’ve seen a whipper snipper used as a noise-maker at a bike race, but it’s undoubtedly an effective decibel creator!
Amping up the riders before they drop, folks were getting into it — how good!
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s Remi Gauvin flying through the trees.
Riders were boosting over the final jumps coming into the finish bowl, and the crowd was loving it.
Landing straight into a sprint, Slawomir Lukasik tried to get every possible second.
An emotional second-place finish for local legend Dan Booker.
Aussie Luke Meier-Smith was the last rider to cross the line. His time was fast enough to take the overall win for the Men.
Get it girls! Big celebrations are in order for such a massive effort!
What a day! No shoeys for the photo crew, but a stop at the rehydration station was in order. Thankfully Yelana was two steps ahead.
Goodnight Maydena! Now it’s time to set sail for Derby.

Stay tuned for more galleries from the Blue Derby ERD. Justin will be joined by Mick to bring you all the action.

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