She has been named the 2015 Female Mountain Bike Cyclist of the Year, can send her bike over vans and logs and has been a world champion of a sport that is the equivalent of parkour on wheels, yet Janine Jungfels is quite possibly Australia’s least known world champion.

Australia’s female sporting stars have achieved global dominance across numerous sports over recent decades, and last year another was added to that list as Jungfels became this nation’s first Trials world champions. Jungfels claimed the crown in the sport, which is also known as Observed Trials, last September at the Mountain Bike and Trials World Championship.

Still none-the-wiser what Jungfels’ pursuit actually is? “Think Parkour on a bike,” says the woman in question. “In other words, using various techniques to get up and over obstacles on your bike, but without putting your feet on the ground.”

In short, the sports sees mountain bike riders cover several sections of a varied terrain featuring such obstacles as logs, rocks, rivers and machinery, trying to accumulate as few points as possible, with points registered should competitors put their feet on the ground. “It is a little easier to explain visually,” adds Jungfels with no little understatement.

Mountain Bike Trial riding grew out of the motorcycle equivalent, and can be street-based, or in Jungfels case, competition trials on a prepared course.

Sounds like an obscure sub-culture? Well, to a degree it is. In Australia, the Trials community is small, and there is only modest interest even in Europe, where bike culture is strong. Somewhat appropriate then that Jungfels’ world title win came in Andorra, the tiny principality far removed from the mainstream tourist trail perched high up in the Pyrenees on the Spanish-French border.

Last year’s win was Australia’s first title at a Trials World Championship, and came with a significant victory margin. Jungfels’ much-awaited maiden win capped her annual European tour in ideal fashion. The Brisbane-based rider spends several months at a time in Europe each year.

Source
Pete Smith
SBS Online