Welcome to the 4th Mt Buffalo Challenge.Matt Clark has won the Men's Competition 3 years in a row and will be hard to dislodge from the top spot again this year.On the Women's side of the competition we've had a different winner each year. Verita Stewart is the current Queen of the Mountain and will be looking to go faster again this year.
But it's also a Challenge to ride your own best time or race your friends.It's great to see riders of all abilities submitting a time.  

                                                                           Details of the Competition.
The Mt Buffalo Challenge is a competition to ride up the main Mt Buffalo climb as quickly as possible.There are 2 perpetual trophies offered for the fastest time for both men and women.
The starting point is at the bottom of the mountain near where the little office/gatehouse used to be. See the stone wall on the LHS (this has a digital screen on it now) The Eurobin Creek Picnic area sign is on the RHS.Just start your time when you pass between the digital screen and the Eurobin Creek Picnic area sign. It will be based on the time it takes to ride from the starting point (see pic below) to the top of the main climb finishing at The Gap.(finish timing your ride when adjacent to "The Gap" sign), see image below.   

           Important Statistics. Distance 18km, Average Gradient 5.4%, Elevation Gain 1004 metres. 

                                               PLEASE READ THIS PART IN RELATION TO STRAVA. 

I have recently, Feb 2015, created a Strava segment that will the the one we use now for timing when it's done through Strava.
It's called Mt Buffalo Challenge Official and I've added it to the page below.
You should be stopped or rolling very slowly at the start so as not to get an unfair advantage by hitting the start line at 40 kmh.
It's been decided to NOT make this a Strava only competition as many people want to join in who don't use Strava.
It's pretty easy to time it manually on most bike computers or an iPhone.

There are many ways to submit a time for the competition and one way is to contact me via email. I'm also on Twitter so feel free to tweet a time in too.The 2013 results sheet can be seen below the current 2014 results for comparison.I will also need the date the ride was completed,your name and racing category or age so that information can be added too. 

                                                                             IMPORTANT NOTE.
I also think it's fair to the leaders of the competition, that anybody submitting a winning time be able to verify their time.Either on Strava,or taking a photo of your bike computer, displaying the recorded time.Or have somebody else that witnessed the ride be able to confirm the time. 

It's time to wake up those climbing legs and start the Mt Buffalo Challenge for it's 3rd year.Each year the number of people entering is slowly increasing which is fantastic.With the "Tour of Bright" entries currently being taken, it seems fitting to launch this year's competition.Matt Clark has owned the Men's Trophy for the last 2 years and will start the favourite once again.The Women's event gets more interesting each year, with Clare Dallat the current keeper of the Perpetual Trophy.Rumour has it there will be times under the hour from the Ladies this year.

                                                                  Details of the Competition.
The Mt Buffalo Challenge is a competition to time your ride up the main Mt Buffalo climb.There are 2 perpetual trophies offered for the fastest time for both men and women.
The starting point is at the bottom of the mountain near where the little office/gatehouse used to be. See the stone wall on the LHS (I think this has a digital screen on it now) for another landmark,with the Eurobin Creek Picnic area sign on the RHS.Just start your time when your passing through this point and you'll be close enough. It will be based on the time it takes to ride from the starting point (see pic below) to the top of the main climb finishing at The Gap.(finish timing your ride when adjacent to "The Gap" sign), see image below.   

           Important Statistics. Distance 18.5km, Average Gradient 5.4%, Elevation Gain 1004 metres. 

                                             PLEASE READ THIS PART IN RELATION TO STRAVA. 

It's probably better to be stopped or rolling very slowly at the start so as not to get an unfair advantage by hitting the start line at 40 kmh.The Mt Buffalo segment on Strava is around 10 seconds shorter than the manual timed segment I've created for this competition, so you can use Strava to get your time.I will then add 10 seconds to all Strava times.It's been decided to not make this a Strava only competition as many people want to join in who don't use it.It's pretty easy to time it manually on most bike computers or an iPhone.

There are many ways to submit a time for the competition and one way is to contact me via email. I'm also on Twitter so feel free to tweet a time in too.The 2013 results sheet can be seen below the current 2014 results for comparison.I will also need the date the ride was completed,your name and racing category or age so that information can be added too. 
Feel free to leave your time in the comments section at the bottom too. 

                                                                    IMPORTANT NOTE.
I also think it's fair to the leaders of the competition, that anybody submitting a winning time be able to verify their time either on strava,taking a photo of your bike computer displaying the recorded time or have somebody else that witnessed the ride. 



                                                         2014 COMPETITION CLOSES WITH A BANG 
Many thanks for everyone who has been involved in The Mt Buffalo Challenge over the last three years.I enjoy running it and hope it keeps growing in the future.Making the trophies was great fun and I know the quality of them is appreciated by the winners.
  
With a week left to run in this year's competition,Verita Stewart completed the winning ride on the Women's side of the ledger.
Verita is improving all the time and has made huge gains in the last year,can't wait to see if she will be the first Female to go under 1 hour next year.

Not to be outdone,like the last minute bid on an Ebay item, Matt Clark once again proved he's the man to beat.Matt completed his ride on the second last day of the competition after Stephen Lane had been in the lead for most of the year.

I'm trying to work out how to get more competitors involved in future years.This year has been the lowest in the event's short 3 year history.I'm thinking about running a handicap event along side the current scratch race.Hopefully that would create more interest for those of us not gifted enough to get the fastest time.Just have to work out a handicap system!!

Matt Clark has once again taken out this years Mt Buffalo Challenge in a record time of 48 mins 4 secs.He has had a wonderful year claiming some very big races and we're all watching Matt's Cycling Career with interest. I think the only way anyone else has a chance to win will be if Matt gets a Pro contract and doesn't have time to get near Mt Buffalo.

On the women's side of the leader board we have a new winner in Clare Dallat. Clare's time of 1 min 10 seconds is the fastest yet by any female in the competition.I'm also reliably informed that in another attempt, she would have gone under the hour mark, but had to get off her bike and walk around a fallen tree over the road.

I'm also excited to announce there is a Perpetual Trophy for the Women being constructed at the moment and I'll be able to present it to Clare soon.


We will start the 2014 edition of the competition after winter.Thanks to everyone who participated.Scroll down to see the winner's times and the full leader board. 

                                                                   Details of the Competition.
The starting point is at the bottom of the mountain near where the little office/gatehouse used to be. See the stone wall on the LHS for another landmark with the Eurobin Creek Picnic area sign on the RHS.Just start your time when your passing through  this point and you'll be close enough. It will be based on the time it takes to ride from the starting point (see pic below) to the top of the main climb finishing at The Gap.(finish timing your ride when adjacent to "The Gap" sign), see image below.   

Important Statistics. Distance 18.5km, Average Gradient 5.4%, Elevation Gain 1004 metres. 

                                              PLEASE READ THIS PART IN RELATION TO STRAVA. 

It's probably better to be stopped or rolling very slowly at the start so as not to get an unfair advantage by hitting the start line at 40 kmh.The Mt Buffalo segment on Strava is around 10 seconds shorter than the manual timed segment I've created for this competition, so you can use Strava to get your time.I will then add 10 seconds to all Strava times.It's been decided to not make this a Strava only competition as many people want to join in who don't use it.It's pretty easy to time it manually on most bike computers or an iPhone.

There are many ways to submit a time for the competition and one way is to contact me via email. I'm also on Twitter so feel free to tweet a time in too.The 2012 results sheet can be seen below the current 2013 results for comparison.I will also need the date the ride was completed,your name and racing category or age so that information can be added too. 
Feel free to leave some comments below too spice up the competition. 

                                                                   IMPORTANT NOTE.
I also think it's fair to the leaders of the competition, that anybody submitting a winning time be able to verify their time either on strava,taking a photo of your bike computer displaying the recorded time or have somebody else that witnessed the ride. 

The concept for the competition is pretty easy really. The starting point is at the bottom of the mountain near where the little office/gatehouse used to be. There is a big white line across the road and you can also see the sign on the LHS for another landmark. It will be based on the time it takes to ride from the starting point (see pic below) to the top of the main climb finishing at The Gap.   

What is needed is the time it takes to ride this climb and I will then be able to add your time to the list in order from the fastest time to the slowest.
It's probably better to be stopped or rolling very slowly at the start so as not to get an unfair advantage by hitting the start line at 40 kmh. This is meant to be a fun thing and you can ride the climb as many times as you like over the year. I'd love to see some comments left and people getting involved. I would also like to include if the ride was done solo or it there was somebody who witnessed your deed so please supply that information too. This will be a work in progress and any suggestions appreciated.  To locate this page in the future I'll put a link on my website's home page and there will also be a special category in the sidebar of the blog called Mt Buffalo Challenge.

The Descent is pretty easy and not compulsory,it's the exact reverse of the climb. It's just been added and we have 4 people with times.So next time you do the climb don't forget, have a go at the descent too.

                                                                             2012 Winners
Matt Clark has become the first winner of the competition with an excellent time of 49mins 30secs.The perpetual trophy is nearly finished and I hope to present it to Matt in the not too distant future.

Amy Bradley is the fastest woman with a time of 1 hour 6min 40secs.After riding with Amy in the Damian McDonald Memorial recently, I can see a time under the hour coming up this year.I'll be presenting Amy with one of my photos at the Tour of Bright.    

                                                                            2013 Competition
The Challenge is on again this year so if anyone has a time to submit I'm more than happy to post in on a new leader board.
Hopefully in the next week or so I'll manage to get my first time of the new season recorded.With the Tour of Bright closing in Mt Buffalo offers a great training opportunity.The fastest descent has also been added if you fancy having a go on the way down.  

                                                                          Mt Buffalo Challenge.
Submit your time via email here.

        Name            Cat.      Date        Time 
1. Matt Clark       Elite M    2-4-12  49mins 30secs (Matts in great form at present,time is on strava too)
2. Shane Miller.      Mas1   29-4-12   50mins. 40secs.(Shane just knocked 1 minute of his previous time)
3.Christian McDonald. Mas 2.29-10 52mins.10s Just got the go ahead to post this time,have known about it for a while)
4. Tully Lyster.       Mas2    13-11  53mins. 40secs (aiming to go lower,I reckon he fueled up on Big Macs @ McHappy Day)
5. Rhys Lyster.      Mas1    13-11  54mins. 48secs. (like a good wine, getting better all the time)
6.Tomarsh Loki.     U17      03-11  56mins  34secs  (Tomarsh smashes the 1 hour mark)
7.Travis Lindhe.     Mas1     2-1    57mins. 28secs. (Welcome to the Cobram mob)  
8.Stephen Lane.     Mas1    29-10  57mins.41secs.(Great time and another team Kosdown member on the board) 
9.Raymond Jarratt.Mas5     2-1     59mins.35secs.(A month after Tour of Bright and still goes under the hour)
10. Gavin Frawley.   Mas5   13-11  1 hour  50secs.  (Gav is on fire,I'll be chasing him up Hotham come TOB)
11. Jake Morgan.                  26-8   1 hour 1 min. (Jake got his timing right this time)
12. Laurie Lyster.     Mas7    13-11  1 hour  3min. (5 minutes quicker than previous attempt)
13.Tony Reeckman. Mas4    20-11  1 hour  3min. 25secs ( All out today and a PB so I'm happy)
14.Brendan Phillips. Mas4    20-11   1 hour 3min. 25secs ( 3rd day of climbing and pushed me all the way)
15. Chris Howard.    Mas2    25-9   1 hour  4 min. Not bad for a recovery ride.
16. Wes Samson.    Mas2    20-11  1 hour  4 min. 40 secs.(Another improvement again today)  
17. Wayne Walsh    Mas4     20-11  1 hour  5min. 30 secs. (strong performance after 3 days in the hills)
18.Gifford Crostwaite.Mas6  2-1      1 hour 6min. 12 secs. (Another of the Cobram mob) 
19. Amy Bradley   Elite W   20-11   1 hour 6min. 40secs. (First placed female as the women start to get involved)
20.Thad Roos.                   18-1     1 hour 7min. 07secs. (Apologies to Thad for the delay in posting your time) 
21.Cameron Meggs             31-12   1 hour 7min. 50secs (great to have one of the BDA crew getting on board)
22.Jenny Kjar       WMas2  14-4-12. 1 hour 8min.56secs. (Another challenger for the fastest women's title)
23.Carolyn Phillips.WMas3  20-11   1 hour  9min. 1secs. (Gutsy ride and after 3 hard days too)
24.Gary Smith      Mas4      2-1      1 hour 10mins.2secs.(Another of the Cobram crew)
25.Richard Kjar     Mas2  14-4-12    1 hour 12min.56secs. (Welcome to Richard)
26.Steve Bean      Mas5      20-11   1 hour 15min. 40secs. (Another of the Captain's Crew on a 3 day mission)
27.Veronica Micich.WMas1 20-11   1 hour 16mins 06 secs. (Von moves up a spot with an updated time) 
28.Russel Whitby  Mas5      2-1     1 hour 16min. 15secs. (Cobram crew)
29.Joey Artarivilla Mas4      2-1      1 hour 20 mins (Cobram Crew)
30.Zane Douglas Mas7       2-1      1 hour 20mins. 18seconds (Cobram Crew)
31.John Myles    Mas 7    22-2-12  1 hour 21mins. Well done John,a while in coming and is planning another attempt. 
32.Bin Cameron   WMas4   20-11   1 hour  21min. 10secs. (Captain's Crew member and looked great in the Euro kit)
33.Anne Lyster    WMas7   13-1     1 hour  23min. (Anne might give Laurie a run on the Stelvio at this rate.)
34.Helen Bean     WMas5   20-11   1 hour 23min. 15 secs. ( Helen another crew member on her 3rd day in hills)
35.Barry Harvey    Mas7    20-11   1 hour 34min. 58 secs. (Great to have The Silver Streak on board,on his 3rd day too)
36.Mike Fox         Mas5     20-11   1 hour 35min. (Captains Crew member and on his 3rd day climbing)
37. Bec.                           14-8      1 hour  36 mins ( Ok Bec time for another attempt)
38.Kylie Samson              6-4-12   1hour 52mins 40secs (a nice way to spend good Friday)