Junior School teams, Category S1, will again have the opportunity to participate in the 24hr Australian International Pedal Prix at Murray Bridge in 2023.
The event at the riverside circuit of Sturt Reserve, is the jewel in the crown of the UniSA Australian HPV Super Series. It is the grand finale of the season and it’s challenging 24 hour format a strong drawcard for all.
It has been unable to be held since 2019 due to Covid, and with its return in 2022, did not include Junior School teams. This decision was made in the interests of safety on the basis that none of the Junior School competitors would have ever raced there before, all of them would have had limited HPV racing experience, and the grueling 24 hour format, incorporating night-time running and significant speed differentials, created a scenario where extra care had to be taken.
For 2023 it has been resolved that Junior School teams can return to the event, with certain criteria. In the interests of safety, provision will be made for up to 10 vehicles in the Junior School category to enter. The 10 teams will be decided by the entrants’ standings in the UniSA Australian HPV Super Series Junior School category (S1) at the completion of round five at Geographe Bay, Busselton, on 20 August, 2023.
Those standings will be determined by the combined total of points scored from two rounds, those rounds being Round 3 at Adelaide, plus the highest point scoring round from any other round having been entered at that time. The criteria emphasises the value of the round three event at Victoria Park, and the flexibility open to teams by being able to add any other round to the point score tally.
Series CEO Marcus Lacey elaborated just how significant the development is. “The return to Murray Bridge for Junior School teams is long overdue. By the time they get there for the 2023 event, some four years will have passed since they last raced at Sturt Reserve. We are thrilled to be able to again provide the opportunity for Junior School teams to race at this iconic event. The criteria will maintain the high level of safe running achieved in 2022.”
“This is s a significant and exciting opportunity for all junior school teams to put their best pedal forward and secure their place on the grid for the 24hr Australian International Pedal Prix at Murray Bridge in 2023,” he said.
