Booth banks on flying start

TASMANIA’S best downhill mountain bike riders will be flying by the seat of their pants at the opening round of the state championship in Hobart this weekend and reigning champion Tom Booth has the key ingredient to a winning run — courage.

Glenorchy’s world-class Tolosa park course will be the battle ground for the first of five rounds of the Tasmanian championship.

Booth, a 24-year-old fitter-machinist at Incat, says the technical nature of Tolosa suits his style.

“I enjoy the challenge of that kind of track and it helps separate the riders,” he said.

With riders to face obstacles such as rock gardens and switchbacks, and jumps ominously named the Gap and Bombshell, they need to be bold and brave.

“You have one chance to set a time, and fastest time wins,” Booth said.

He said the key to winning was “consistency, trying to stay on the bike helps, and courage”.

Booth won three of the five rounds last season on his way to the elite title.

“Some of our tracks are steep and technical and some are fast,” he said.

“Typically, the flatter tracks end up being straighter and faster because they don’t have the gravity to help you out.

“Tolosa is more on the steeper, technical side, which is more to my liking.”

Booth hopes to go back-toback and head into the Australian championships in Victoria in March with a boost of confidence. He recently competed at the national enduro championship in Adelaide, where he finished 21st and Harry Nichols, of Hobart, was third in the under-19s.

Practice will be held 9.30am-4pm tomorrow with qualifying from 11.30am Sunday and racing between 3.15pm and 4.45pm.