2012 Contenders & Challengers

Notable Absentee: EDEC – Zavanz

2011 Result: 1st, Winner C Class

Without enough available team members to make the 24 hour event work, EDEC have elected not to re-enter in 2012. Though you can expect them to light up the track in the Try-Athlon.

Bendigo Senior Secondary College

2011 Result: 2nd on track, Winner Open Class
Prediction: 1st and 3rd (!?)

Two pronged attack here…
DIY
In case things weren’t hard enough, their Open team is building their vehicle on the Friday of the event and will have it judged and on track that night! What they’ve typically built from carbon fibre and Kevlar will now be chro-moly and coreflute.(Read the full story here)

‘Gonna Have A Bad Time’

But the team that might be the dark horse is actually their HPV C team: ‘Gonna Have A Bad Time’.It’s a carbon fibre, front wheel drive / front wheel steer: an amazing piece of machinery!
Sure, they had some enormous crashes at the AIPP in September, but it was also lightning quick when they had three wheels on the ground.
Crazy idea, but could they go one-two overall?!

Kingswood College

2011 Result: 3rd in Open, 4th on track
Prediction: 2nd

I feel like I’ve said this every year, but THIS might be Kingswood’s year! Team Manager, Andrew R, with his current students and crew of past students have been passionately designing and constructing new vehicles every year and their 2012 edition of ‘EVO’ might be their best shot. I don’t want to jinx them, but keep an eye on them, they could take home the chocolates.

Catholic College Bendigo

2011 Result: 4th in Open class
Prediction: 4th Overall, 3rd in Open

Who knows what this school might achieve?
Could place in the Open, All Female and B1 classes? You might remember Bronte Harrop, who rode 12 hours to raise funds for cancer research in May this year. She is lining up in their All-Female team. Read the full story…

St Margaret’s School / Berwick Grammar School

2011 Results: 5th in Open / 3rd in B1 / 7th in B2 / 5th in C
Prediction: 4th in Open, 5th Overall

They’ve been building up their Open team over a number of years – could this be their time to shine? They will be competitive no matter where they have entered and that includes the All-Female, B1 and C classes.

Padua
 College

2011 Result: 13th in Open
Prediction: 6th

The Sneaky Butcher is back. They had a rough time early on last year and if they have some good legs could really be in contention given the open field.

Highview Christian Community College

2011 Result: Winners HPV All-Female and B1 Classes
Prediction: 7th

Sure, no Open team this year, but expect Highview to be chasing glory in the B1, B2 and C classes. They train regularly on the track and had a stand-out year in 2011 by winning the HPV All-Female and the B1 classes.

Mt Eliza SC

Prediction: HPV C class Contender

Best to keep an eye on Mt Eliza’s HPV C team too. They turned in a fantastic performance at Murray Bridge and were 7th in class behind both the Bendigo Senior vehicles.

Woodleigh College

2011 Result: Line honours, B2 category
Prediction: B1 / B2 Contender
They took line honours in 2011 in the B2 class (Bendigo South East SC won the class) and expect them to take it to Highview in B1 and B2 again.

B/C:

EDEC’s ‘Fire Breathing Rubber Duckies’ (pictured) are a force to be reckoned with, they are well drilled and well managed. They’ve really made this event their own over the past few years, although they are also one of the few schools that focus specifically on the Try-athlon. I’m expecting Seymour, Bacchus Marsh and Toorak to put the heat on them.

Open:

It’s a huge field in the Try-athlon Open event and very difficult to see a clear leader emerge. 
There’s defending champs, Beaconsfield Upper PS, plus Catholic College Sale, St Martins Lutheran and Rode RAGE, joined for the first time in the Try event by Bendigo South East SC and St Paul’s AGS.

Throw a blanket over them all, who knows ?!


Primary:

St Margaret’s and Beaconsfield Upper should tussle it out for the title.