IN A FEARLESS display of grit, gravity, and guts, Newhaven College’s Mountain Bike Team carved their names into the podium at the King of Ballarat (KOB) Series - a premier, three-round downhill racing event hosted by Club MUD Ballarat.
Racing over a span of three months on three wildly different tracks, the KOB series isn’t for the faint-hearted. With over 50 competitors charging down the treacherous courses each round, consistency, courage, and control are the name of the game. And Newhaven College teacher Steven Scott said the riders brought the lot.
Round one saw the team stamp their mark early. Maxen Mills blitzed the track to finish in a phenomenal second place, while teammate Miller Micallef powered into a solid 12th place- both outstanding results in a red-hot under-15 men’s field of over 50 riders.
Round two kept the adrenaline high as Hamish Dakers-Hock came heartbreakingly close to a podium, finishing in fourth place, proving Newhaven’s got serious horsepower on the hill.
But it was Round three that tested every rider’s mettle. Faced with wild weather, slick mud and slippery roots and rocks, it was an all-or-nothing battle against the elements. Undeterred, Kody Lewis, Miller Micallef and Maxen Mills donned their race jerseys and pushed hard in the under-15 men’s category, navigating the chaos with tenacity.
The result? Maxen Mills soared once again, claiming second overall in the KOB Series, a mighty achievement in one of Victoria’s most hotly contested junior competitions.
Now with confidence high and legs dialed in, the Newhaven College squad shifts its focus to the fast-approaching Joyride Rookie Cup Series and the elite-level Victorian Downhill Series (VDHS). “These rising stars are set to continue turning heads, taking on some of the gnarliest courses in the country,” said Steven.
“Coach, parents and supporters alike couldn’t be prouder. Watch this space - Newhaven’s Mountain Bike team is on a roll, and there’s no stopping them now!”
