The GREENSPEED Human Powered Vehicle Challenge

Broadford, March 6 & 7 2004

The Greenspeed OzHPV Challenge returns to Broadford in 2004, bigger and better than ever. The Challenge uses many different kinds of races to discover the best all-round HPV. 2003's winner was Malcolm Butler from Sydney on the Australian-made Flying Furniture machine. His bike combined nimble handling, light weight and a roomy but aerodynamic tail box for carrying the groceries. Also competing were short and long-wheelbase recumbent bikes, upright road bikes, trikes of many types including a full streamliner, even roller-blades! Any kind of vehicle is welcome at the Challenge, so long as it's only powered by human muscles! We welcome Greenspeed Human Powered Vehicles as the major sponsor for the 2004 Challenge.

Apart from the competitive racing, this is Australia's annual get-together for recumbent cyclists. There will be camping at the track on Friday and Saturday nights. On Sunday morning we ride into Broadford township for breakfast and the concourse event. Bikes are judged on presentation and innovative design while we enjoy breakfast at the bakery. Chat with owners and builders and get some ideas. You don't need to be an athlete to have a great weekend at the Challenge.

Picture of hill climb race

Challenge Update-13/2/2004

Damian Harkin & I met with Patrick Fletcher from the Broadford State Motorcycling Centre (challenge track) today, here's a bit of an update.

Fireplace / Activities for Saturday night of challenge. If we'd like to have an open fire on the Saturday night, its ok, but Patrick stipulated that we'd need to have water near at hand and have the fire contained in a half-44 gallon drum or similar container. Patrick will see if the State Motorcycling Centre can provide something, otherwise its up to us. There's a room to be available for our use that includes TV. karaoke machine, fridge, bar, chairs, tables where we could hold the saturday night activities / demonstrations.

Camping on Sunday night. March 6 & 7 are the challenge dates but the 8th (Monday) is a holiday in Vic. We asked about camping over on the Sunday night: this is fine with Patrick.

Radio Hpv: The track has an FM transmitter that broadcasts for 3 or 4 km and can be linked to a radio mike. So we will aim to use this system as much as we can to comment on the events, interview sponsors & race winners etc. If you can, please bring one or more fm radios with you to the challenge.

Trophies. The men's winner's perpetual trophy seems to make it to every event, but the women's and junior's trophies have remained with some previous winners from several years ago. Could these trophies make it to Broadford PLEASE! I think its Claire Coleman (Melbourne) and Ben Curtis (Canberra) who have the trophies now. We'd love you to come back and attempt to regain them of course!

Entries Only a handful of entries so far. If you want your name to be listed in the official program, you should mail your entry off to Damian within about 2 weeks.

Next Meeting Damian will call the next meeting, probably about 2 weeks before the challenge.

Look forward to seeing you at Broadford!

Steve Nurse

Date: The challenge will be held on March 6-7 2004. The State Motorcycle Sports Complex has one noise-free weekend per month, usually the first weekend.

Entry Form: Download

Poster: There are links to all the sponsors sites, plus tear off strips with phone numbers for contacting the organisers. So how about puting up a color poster at your local bike shop, velodrome or whatever?

Location: Broadford is on the Hume Freeway, 100km north of Melbourne. The State Motorcycle Sports Complex is about 2km out of Broadford on the Strath Creek (Flowerdale) road. Gates will be open from midday Friday for campers arriving early. (Infequent) trains stop at Broadford station.

Facilities: There are showers and toilets close to the camping area. Large covered pit bays provide shelter from the sun and rain. Last year the local scouts ran a sausage sizzle for us-this year we plan to add some healthy variety to the food on offer. We also plan to have a campfire in 2004. There are motels, hotel and shops in Broadford (2km) for all your supplies.

Press coverage: In 2003 we were lucky to be joined by the Channel 9 'Postcards' crew who filmed the 200m sprint race and interviewed some of our members. The segment aired on Channel 9 in May. Although it was short, it was great publicity for the HPV movement. We are inviting journalists to come and report the 2004 Challenge. It's a good story!

  • Wars are being fought over scarce oil resources.
  • Pollution is choking our cities.
  • Bikes, trikes and scooters can become a real transport solution for millions of people worldwide.
  • Recumbent bikes and trikes can be faster, more comfortable, safer and more fun than conventional bikes.
  • With the population becoming more obese every year, some daily exercise commuting would do us all good.
  • Many people with some disability cannot drive and could not balance a bicycle, but they can easily operate a 'tadpole' trike.
  • Among the 'wacky racers' in the HPV community there are real visionaries creating a better future.
  • Australian HPV manufacturers export their machines all round the world and their order books are full.
Drag race picture

The events. (Subject to amendment)

Hill Climb: The Broadford road circuit is very hilly. This is a single dash from the start-finish line up to the main straight on the ridge behind the start-finish line. Points are awarded based on finishing position. 2003 winner was Scott Setford on a conventional road bike.

Time Trial: One lap of the road circuit against the clock. Ben Goodall won in 2003 in the Sorcerer streamliner.

D & H Enterprises Road Race: 10 laps of the road circuit. Points based on finishing position. 2003 winner: Ben Goodall

Sprint: The sprint is over 200m with a flying start. Points are awarded for the fastest time. Ben Goodall won in 2003 at over 75kmh in Sorcerer. The Trisled Radar Speed Sign (new for 2004) will display competitor's speeds as they pass.

Bike Chameleon Slalom: Contestents race in pairs around witch's hats. The top 8 times go into an elimination series to decide the winner. It's always spectacular to watch. 2003 winner was Adrian Gotts on a TriSled 'Gizmo' trike. Watch out for Ewen Nurse on roller blades-he's quick!

Last Man Out: Racing laps around a short course, the last man in the pack is eliminated each lap. 2003 winner: Malcolm Butler (Flying Furniture SWB recumbent bike)

Twin Drags: Pairs of contestents race 200m from a standing start. The top 8 times go into an elimination. 2003 winner: Jamie Friday on his homebuilt LONG wheelbase bike.

MR Components Off-Road Adventure: This is a dirt chase through the trees and gravel tracks of the camping area. Steve Burnett won in 2003 on a conventional mountain bike.

Shopping race: Contestants complete one lap of a short course, collect a huge amount of heavy 'groceries' (tins full of sand, water bottles etc) take it around another lap then unload it. 2003 winner was Paul Sims on a Greenspeed trike with a trailer.

Criterium: A short, technical road course places a premium on speed and manouvreability. 2003 winner was Malcolm Butler.

Concourse awards not contributing challenge points:

  • Best Presented HPV (Commercial and Home Built)
  • Most Innovative HPV (Commercial and Home Built)
  • Longest Distance travelled to the Challenge
  • Best Tee Shirt Design

Invitation to Contestants: Contestents may enter for all events or selected events only. Entry fees are $10 per race or $45 for the whole Challege. There are awards for Juniors and Women. Contestants who enter before February 2004 will get their name and competitor number published in the official program of events.

Invitation to Sponsors: OzHPV is seeking sponsors for the 2004 Challenge. Sponsors help us to cover the costs of track hire, ambulance service and sundries and keep the entry fees for contestants reasonable. We offer sponsors naming rights for the whole Challenge and for the individual events as follows:

2004 Greenspeed OzHPV Challenge naming rights: SOLD!

Naming rights to individual events: $100 each

Concourse event: $100.

We thank our 2003 sponsors for supporting the "D&H Enterprises Road Race", the "Trisled Timetrial", the "Greenspeed Shopping Race", the "M R Components Off-Road Adventure", the "Flying Furniture Criterium" and the "Stuty's Bakehouse Concourse". We offer these sponsors first refusal on the same events in 2004.

Trade Displays: We invite manufacturers, importers and bike shops to come along and display their products in the lower pit bays at Broadford. The most discerning cyclists in Australia want to see them! Don't forget that even the weirdest recumbent bikes and trikes use conventional lights, pumps, group sets, water bottles and other accessories.

Invitation to Tourists: Public admission to the Challenge is FREE. We invite spectators from all round Australia and all over the world to come and enjoy this fun HPV weekend. March is Autumn in Australia. We usually have cold nights and fine clear days. We hope to avoid the hottest days of summer. Please note that the Broadford track is high on a ridge of the Great Dividing Range and is very exposed to all kinds of weather. So bring good clothes-shady hats, waterproof raincoats, warm sleeping bags. Sunblock and sunglasses are highly recommended.

Camping at the track is $5. There is also Hotel/Motel accommodation in Broadford.

So there it is-Come along and enjoy the fun at the 2004 Greenspeed OzHPV Challenge!