Mount Gambier will be the focus point of another big mountain biking competition over the long weekend, with riders to converge on the city for two days of extreme sport action on October 5 and 6.


Inside Line Downhill Mountain Bike Club will be hosting round six of their state series which is also the state championship of the competition in Mount Gambier.


Riders from Adelaide and Victoria will head to the Blue Lake City as they will compete against plenty of local riders of all ages.


Riders will be racing on the track known as “WheelNutz” which starts at Centenary Tower and heads down hill.


The difference with this race is that it is all downhill, so riders get their bikes sent up the hill and they work their way down, trying to get the best time possible.


This race will feature a lot of young locals competing across the weekend with around 15 from Mount Gambier competing.


Local rider Shane de Jong believes an event like this is really important to have in Mount Gambier because of the opportunities it brings.


“It’s super important. I think it will be good for the town… just bringing people here to see what more we have got to offer that’s not just a mountain bike trail”, he said.


de Jong is pleased to see the amount of junior riders competing in the weekend with around 60 kids racing in the U17 class and believes it’s a great step forward for the sport.


“It’s massive. It’s just under one third of our entries and I think we have got six or seven junior riders coming through.


“That number has been growing more and more.


“I think the more people riding bikes regardless of racing is amazing and it’s cool to see them take that interest into racing and to follow on what me and Justin (de Jong) have been doing for a few years”, de Jong said.


“I think as a whole, the mountain bike community does not feel like your racing or in a competition, you’re kind of just there riding with your mates.


“So for the kids to experience that is really quite cool.


“It’s a bit sad seeing kids coming from other sports to ride bikes but I think it’s just that community kind of feeling where it’s not really him verses him.”


“That’s kind of the main reason we have done it for so long, because you go there for the people more so than the event itself.


“It’s good to see the kids make friends in Adelaide and catching up for a ride before the race and things like that,” he said.


If you are interested in checking it out, a few local riders to keep your eye on are Deegan Watson, Justin de Jong and Shane de Jong.