Your School, Your Team, Your Way!
Rally your riders, build your team, and get ready to race, learn, and grow on some of the best school-friendly mountain bike trails in Australia.
What Is Rocky Trail Academy Racing?
The Rocky Trail Academy Racing is an essential part of the junior rider development program, focused on fostering the grass-roots development of the cycling sport.
Geared towards secondary school students, these events are generally held on a Friday and are designed to not only engage youth in healthy social and active recreation but also to cultivate a heightened appreciation of nature, the environment, self-reliance, self-learning, and independence, all as part of riding a bike in the outdoors; by extension, this program also actively engages and educates teachers and parents.
Participants will enjoy an exciting racing experience and a fun event atmosphere—creating great shared memories—while having the opportunity to test their riding ability across three core skill areas on some of the most popular mountain bike trails across QLD, NSW, and VIC: Endurance, Speed, and Technical Skills.
Rocky Trail Academy Format
Three Skill Tests, Five Chances!
The competition is structured around 3 timed Enduro-style stages, designed to test riders across endurance, speed, and technical ability. Riders get up to 5 attempts on each of the three timed tracks, with only their single fastest time per track counting towards their total score. These combined best times determine the overall result for each individual rider.
- School Points: Riders earn points for their school on every track, with bonus points awarded for 1st through 5th place on each stage.
- The Overall Champion School will be awarded based on total points.
Categories & Entry
Categories
- Primary – Year 5 & 6 (selected events)
- Juniors – Years 7 or 8
- Intermediate – Years 9 or 10
- Seniors – Years 11 or 12
Entry Fee
- Entry is $60.00 per student
- Open to all school students.
- Entry fee includes all rider photos ( via link to download post-event)
- Group student registration is available – contact jo@rockytrailentertainment.com to arrange
What’s Included?
Your registration fee ensures a professional, safe, and memorable race day experience. The following is included for every registered student:
Race Essentials:
- Personalised Race Plate with Timing Chip
- Live Timing throughout the event
- Event Photography (Photos are posted online within 3-4 days and are included in the entry fee.)
Safety & Support:
- Professional First Aid on site
- Race Starters on all stages
- Dedicated Event Marshalls
- Bike spares and support
Event Atmosphere & Amenities:
- Event Village with music and race commentary
- Podium presentations supported by Sendy
- Free giveaways from our event partners
- Food, Coffee & Drinks Vendors (cash or card sales
- Toilets
Photos from each of our events are posted online within 1-2 days here:
Photos are now available straight via the RESULTS page – click on your name to download certificates and to click through to the various galleries.
Direct link to our Photo Portal:
The Schedule
The following is the standard schedule.
All participants must adhere to the 8:50 AM briefing time.
| Time | Activity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30 AM | Event Village & Registration Open | |
| 8:50 AM | Compulsory Rider Briefing | The safety code word will be announced here. |
| 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM | Race Runs | Timed runs begin across the three stages. |
| 1:30 PM | Last Race Run | All timed runs must be completed. |
| 1:45 PM | Podium Presentations* | Individual and Overall Champion School awards. |
The following schedule applies to both 1 & 2 day events.
Why Schools choose Rocky Trail Academy
NEW FOR 2026: Flexible Entry Models
We’ve made it easier than ever for schools to participate! We believe passion for riding is the only requirement—schools can nominate a Volunteer Race Manager to supervisor the team.
Option A: The Traditional School Excursion
- Lead: School Teacher (School Team Manager).
- Best for: Schools with established MTB programs.
Option B: The Volunteer Race Manager
- Lead: Nominated Parent Volunteer.
- Structure: Nominated Parent supports all students attending from the school and acts as the point of contact.
The Benefit for Students: Excited Racers
- Flexible Fun: Kids love the flexible format and the adrenaline of LIVE timing.
- MTB Reward: Students spend a school day on the trails with friends—often attending as a reward or a core part of the school’s mountain bike program.
The Benefit for Staff: Supported Teachers
- Effortless Planning: Teachers receive comprehensive information and ready-to-use communication material.
- Professional Delivery: The event is highly valued for the professional organization and execution delivered by the Rocky Trail team.
The Benefit for Families: Impressed Parents
Peace of Mind: The fee is fully inclusive of essential AusCycling insurance and access to all event photos.
Graduation Cup: Team Competition Format
The Graduation Cup is a unique, team-based event hosted at selected venues that combines individual skill with collaborative team spirit.
Competition Structure: Individual Skill, Team Score
The competition consists of three timed sections (Endurance, Speed, and Technical Ability). Each rider participates individually, tackling the courses and being ranked based on their performance. Each rider must complete a minimum of 1 timed run on each of the three tracks.
Team Composition & Scoring
Each rider must complete a minimum of 1 timed run on each of the three tracks.
| Category | Min Riders | Max Riders | Score Calculation (Lowest Rankings Count) |
| Male Team | 3 Riders | 5 Riders | Aggregated ranking scores of the lowest three ranked riders. |
| Female Team | 2 Riders | 3 Riders | Aggregated ranking scores of the lowest two ranked riders. |
Goal: The lower the aggregated ranking score, the better the team’s overall performance, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and consistency.
The Rules
Mandatory Safety Briefing
- Attendance Required: All participants must attend the compulsory safety briefing at 8:50 AM.
- Code Word: A code word will be announced during the briefing. Riders found not to know the code word will be requested to return to registration.
Race Conduct & Timing
- Uphill Sections: Riders must ride up to the starts—shuttling or towing is strictly not allowed. This time does not count.
- Stay on Course & Cheating: Riders must race down on the pre-determined track and are required to stay on the designated marked track. Riders must not short-cut the track at any stage of racing. Riders found to be cheating will be disqualified.
- Passing Etiquette: Let the rider you are about to pass know when and on which side (e.g., “rider coming up, passing on your right when you are ready”). If you are being passed, find the next best place to move to the side and let them pass.
- One-Bike Rule: Riders must use one bike only for the competition, and bike sharing is strictly prohibited. If a bike replacement is required due to mechanical issues, approval must be sought from the Race Director.
- E-Bikes: E-bikes are not permitted for student competitors. E-bikes are only allowed for support riders and roving marshals and must comply with the E-bikes Policy.
Equipment & Registration
- Registration: Riders must register before they will be allowed to practice. Riders must be registered in their own name and not substitute for other riders without the prior consent of the race organiser.
- Number Plates: Race numbers must be displayed on the handlebars of the bicycle and must be readable (fastened as flat as possible). Altering, cutting, or placing unauthorised sponsors’ logos on numbers can result in a penalty.
- Safety Gear: All riders must wear a bike helmet that has been authorised by Australian Standards (or approved international standard) at all times when riding and racing. Fully enclosed foot wear is required, and gloves are recommended.
Safety, Assistance, & Environment
- Rider Assistance: Riders are required to provide assistance to injured riders by staying with the injured rider until assistance arrives and notifying the next track official. Riders providing assistance will be permitted to have a rerun.
- Event Pauses: If a race is deemed unsafe because of storm, rain, fire, etc., we will pause it, assess the situation, and if possible, restart it again when safe.
- No Garbage Policy: Please do not litter out on the track. Any rider seen littering will be penalised.
Insurance & Membership
- Membership: Riders do not have to be a member of a cycling association or club to be allowed to race.
- Insurance: Riders are covered under AusCycling event insurance. If you have any questions, please contact Event Manager Jo Parker at Rocky Trail Entertainment.
Rocky Trail Rewards
Rocky Trail Entertainment is excited to offer our rewards program to all Academy riders.
Our rewards program has been designed to provide a range of exclusive benefits and incentives to our customers, including discounts on insurance, equipment, bike repairs & services, skills sessions, clothing, coaching, and accommodation.
As one of Australia’s leading mountain bike event organizers, we understand the importance of fostering a strong community of passionate riders, and our rewards program is just one way we can give back to our customers and show our appreciation for their ongoing support.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a beginner, our rewards program is the perfect way to get even more out of your time with Rocky Trail Entertainment.
Eco Certification
All Rocky Trail events have the Ecotourism Australia Nature Certification status. This ECO Certification program is a world first and it has been developed to address the need to identify genuine nature and ecotourism operators. This means that with Rocky Trail you are guaranteed to be part of a genuine and authentic trail-based nature experience that looks after the environment.
Our Sustainability Pledge – We encourage our racers to follow some simple tips to ‘tread softly’ when visiting the bush and minimise damage to the natural environment. These guidelines are laid out in our Sustainability Policy and will be communicated and encouraged via Rider Briefings and at the events.
Transfer or Cancel Entry
If your school or your students are unable to make the event please send an email to ride@rockytrailentertainment.com
Up to 1 week prior to the event you will receive 80% of your entry back. With less than a week to go we are not able to do refunds but you can either transfer the entry to someone else or get it credited towards another Rocky Trail Entertainment within the next 12 months. We are not able to give any refunds or credits after the race has commenced..