Fresh track for King of the Mountain 2022

from Cooroy Rag 13 April 2022

by Cooroy Rag

Classifieds

news Fresh track for King of the Mountain 2022

AFTER changes to last year's King of the Mountain, there is another significant change to the 2022 challenge.

King Of The Mountain Chairperson Heather Manders said that due to changes required by the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, the track would be changing. "The King of the Mountain races and the general public are no longer able to use the trail between the base of the mountain and where the metal stairs begin,” Heather said. "This decision was made to protect the mountain due to severe erosion that was happening to that part of the track. "The new course is 5.2km long and has more than 390m of vertical climbing. For anyone who raced the old course and knew how tough it was, well, the new course is even tougher."

The other change is to the start. Instead of starting at the old ANZ bank, as it has done for many years, the mountain challenge will begin from the start of Hospital Street, opposite Pomona Post Office. "The race will head along the street, then into the bush near the Scout Hall as usual. Instead of scrambling up the path at the bottom of Noosa Trail Network 4, runners will follow the trail to the right around the bottom of the mountain, to the track on Jampot Creek Road," Heather said. "From here they will wind up to where they would have entered the trail, at the bottom of the first set of metal steps and proceed as they used to."

The day will also feature the Prince & Princess Race, the Mountain Bike Ride, car display, animal farm, pony rides and music on the main stage.

On the King of the Mountain weekend, other community groups will host the Pomona Markets, Art In The Paddock, art exhibitions and silent movies. "Last year allowed us to change the format of the day from a festival to an event that focuses on what KOM is all about, runners tackling the mountain, witnessed by those who understand the purity of the challenge," Heather said.

The 43rd annual King of the Mountain event will be held on Sunday 24 July 2022, and is a project of the Cooroy Pomona Lions Club.

For more information, visit: https://kingofthemountain. com.au/

INTERESTING RACE FACTS:

• The race runs from the centre of Pomona township, past streets crowded with wellwishers and supporters, then heads ‘bush’ towards the mountain. • It covers a distance of

5.2km race to the top of the mountain and back. • The runners commence climbing a set of low hills before confronting the mountain. • The track up the mountain is little more than a goat track, with parts now modified with steps. In some places, it is only wide enough for one or two runners. • The mountain provides a steep, almost 45 degree climb. • The return down the mountain requires strength, agility, a good sense of balance, and an immunity to fear. • Entrants in the King of the Mountain come from all over Australia, New

Zealand, the Pacific Rim and the United Kingdom. • The race has eight categories: Male Open,

Female Open, Male

Veteran, Female Veteran,

Male Masters, Female

Masters, Male Junior and

Female Junior.