Draft MEDIA RELEASE

Melbourne Carpenter and Electrician to

Take On World’s Best Mountain Bikers

Melbourne carpenteEast Coast r athletes Ash Thomas and electrician Jason

Jackson join with some of the will take on the world’s best mountain bike
riders in the inaugural Cape to 2Cape mountain bike classic in the rugged
south west of Western Australia later this month.

The Cape to 2Cape is the newest Mountain bike stage race in an stunning
new calendar of events nationwide.biggest mountain bike event in Australia.

The course is defined by Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse in the south to Cape

Naturaliste lighthouse in the north.

The gruelling four-day event negotiates a challenging and breathtaking terrain

of forest trails, beach, dune tracks, bush, mud, and unique pea gravel and
railway lines. It cuts through some of the finest vineyards in Australia around
surrounding the Margaret River region.

Ash Thomas, 28 and Jason Jackson 32 – both part timededicated mountain

bike riders, are the ASCEND Proven Sports Proteins representatives in the
race.

ASCEND is a range of new innovative protein supplements designed to

enhance the performaces and results of results of serious athletes.

Ash began his racing career atracing as a l4 y, amusingly at a downhill race,

and after a career full of climbs and descentsear at the downhill course in
Bacchus Marsh , he still finds great enjoyment in all forms of competitive
riding, citing an inate need for speed driving him onward.and now trains on
the Yarra Trails ride and mountain bike courses in the Dandenongs and the
You Yangs.

After representing Australia at theHe competed in the 1998 World

Championships, he was struck down with and then suffered Cchronic
Ffatigue Syndrome for four years and effectively hung up his bike, and much
morenever rode his bike. (“Basically I was asleep for four years”). After a long
and tiresome recovery, he began to ride again, and with the fire rekindled,
sought out racing and newer challenges aboard his mountain bikes. 4 years
after starting Felt Racing, an Enduro racing team at the forefront of the
competion, he moved on recently to new challenges at Felt Epix with Jason.

Jason Jackson began riding a mountain bike sixeight years ago to strengthen
his knee after injuring it in a wake boarding accident. After grueling training to
strengthen his knee, found himself wanting more. Meeting with the Fat Tyre
Flyers MTB club, he began racing and progressed through the ranks to join
the Felt Racing team. Currently the reigning state Veteran champion, he’s
constantly seeking new and exciting challenges, and paired with Ascend
Sport and Felt, he’s making it happen.Wake boards loss was certainly
mountain bikes gain.

They will be racing against more than 80 competitorscompetitors representing

the toughest mountain bikers in the world, including the current 24hour solo
world Champion, and national representatives..

Many of them are flying into WA from the rugged USA and European circuits
for the event.

ASCEND will run the Recovery Centre allowings competitors to be perfom at

their peak for the entire event. The centre will stock complimentary ASCEND
products including protein energy bars and complete recovery drinks, and
there will be support services to assist recovery from sports medicine
professionals.

Mountain bike racing facts and figures:

• Mountain bikes have been part of the Olympics since Athens in 1996.

• Bikes can cost up to $10,000.

• A typical modern mountain bike will have 27 gears, hydraulic disc

brakes, highly advanced front suspension and in many cases rear
suspension and tubeless tyres.

• Mountain bike racing started as a downhill race near the Golden Gate
Bridge in San Francisco.

• The first world championships were held in 1990.

• Participants in the Cape to2Cape will ride through centuries old state
forest, world renowned wineries, and across the dunes of some of the
best beaches in Australia.

For Further Information:

Ken Davis
Clifton Consulting
189 Flinders Lane
Melbourne 3000.
Tel; 03 9654 3522
0402 117 924