International

Time to get those big wheels in training for the 10th International Unicycle Marathon Competition to be held on 29th April 2012 in Duesseldorf/Germany. As part of the METRO Group Marathon Duesseldorf (run on foot), each year organisers hold a separate unicycle competition, the only event of this kind in the world.

2011 saw more than 70 unicyclists from Germany and abroad taking part. In 2012, unicyclists will have the unique opportunity to ride in front of more than 400,000 excited spectators right across the city center and some suburbs of Duesseldorf, without care for traffic lights and road rules. Unicyclists from outside Germany are very welcome to take part.

The registration fee for the event will vary between 45 and 70 EUR, depending on the time of registration. Registration is due before 15th of April 2012.

For information: www.metrogroup-marathon.de
and afterwards at: www.rmsv-duesseldorf.de www.rmsv-duesseldorf.de
See also: http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=90521

Ok, so this is seriously crazy.  Lutz Eichholz, a 25 year old German, has made his bid for a world record attempt of riding a unicycle over an 8.93 metre line up of beer bottles.  The story was picked up by the The Sun in the UK and has some fab photos of Lutz' attempt.  Great stuff!

Just a last reminder that registration prices for Unicon 16 will increase after 30th September.

Visit the Unicon 16 website to register now!

By registering early you lock in the early bird price - you can still change the individual events you want to be in after this date, but you must register by 30th September to get the €160 eary bird price.

You can even get a full refund up until April 2012 if you find you can't attend, so it's worth registering now even if your plans are not yet firm!

Note that the main reason you are asked for qualifying times when registering for events is to select only the top riders from each country when there are too many. Some events are limited to 20 or 50 riders per country - this is very unlikely to apply to the Australian team!

Well the Yunnanuni Tour is over and congratulations to all the unicyclists who took part. A diary of the tour with photos of this gorgeous trip through China can be accessed on the official Yunnanui web site and the 2Tyred web site.  Check out the photos and video of the amazing countryside! 

Welcome home to the Australian team from the Asia Pacific Unicycle Championships held in Seoul, Sth Korea this August.

This was a wonderful and huge event that has continued the tradition initiated in Singapore in 2007, bringing together teams from five Asia Pacific countries – Australia, China (Hong Kong), Japan, Korea, Singapore.

Team Australia boasted Ashley Curtis, Cris Bailiff, Matt Price, Rochelle Braaf, Ty Peters and Tynan Rollo from Sydney, George Cara from Melbourne, and David Buchanan, Rod Lambert and Tom Lambert from Canberra.

Day 1

The athletics competition on the first day was an impressive sight, held in a beautiful sports stadium. With over 400 unicyclists competing, the vast majority of whom were Korean youngsters, there was a fantastic energy to the competition.

Given the number of competitors, races were mixed by gender but had designated age categories including open and masters age categories. The Australians competed in every event - the 100m, 400m, 400m relay, 30m wheel walk, 50m one footed, obstacle course and slow-board - with ability not being a criteria in some events!

Despite the hot and steamy conditions, Ashley Curtis won his 100m heat to compete in the final. He came in 4th overall (showing just how fast some young members of the Japanese team were!) in a time that set a new Australian record. 

Stop Press - earlybird registration has been extended until 30th September

If you're interested in competing on an international stage, want to learn some new skills or just interested in meeting unicyclists from around the world, registration is open for Unicon XVI. This UNICON will be held in the beautiful Italian Alps in Brixen between 20 - 31 July 2012.

There are many events for competitors and non-competitors alike. Non-competitors can register to take part in workshops, courses and social events. Entry fees to all events, shuttle services, shows and more are included in the price of registration.

Competitors can enjoy all the advantages that non-competitors receive, as well as participating in their favourite events.

Register before the end of September 2011 to save with early bird prices. Prices are given in Euros:

Competitors

Phase 1 - 1 January 2011 to 31 July 2011 - €160

Phase 2 - 1 August 2011 to 31 December 2011 - €200

Phase 3 - 1 January 2012 to 30 April 2012 - €240

Non-Competitors

Phase 1 - 1 January 2011 – 31 July 2011 - €80

Phase 2 – 1 August 2011 - 31.12.2011 - €100

Phase 3 – 1 January 2012 – 30 April 2012 - €120

Check out this video of 'the JoltJoker' entertaining Tanzanian kids and adults alike with his unicycle - the locals had some moves of their own...JoltJoker

They do things differently in Germany. The seventh national unicycle marathon championship will be held in Duesseldorf in May this year. Competitors will ride across the city center - without concern for traffic lights and road rules - with the prospect of more than 400,000 spectators watching the event. The distance of 42.195 km needs to be completed within a maximum time of 4.30 hours. Unicyclists from outside Germany are welcome to participate.

When: 8th May 2011

Where: Duesseldorf/Germany Registration (you need to do this twice): -

first at: http://www.metrogroup-marathon.de/

second at: http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85637

For those who don't like to pedal, here's a self balancing unicycle that seems to defeat the joy of cycling... check it out: Solowheel.

If you're feeling like doing something a little challenging this year, how about unicycling through South-Western China?

Ken Looi is organising the Yunnan Unicycle Tour (aka Yunnanuni), in the mountains near Tibet. Participants will be riding from the Tibetan town of Shangri-La, through a few mountain passes and finishing at the Tiger Leaping Gorge above the Yangzi River. It's going to be pretty mountainous but with lots of amazing scenery.

If you're interested, check out the Yunnanuni website.

Dates: 8-19 August 2011

Included: support vehicles, local guide, tour leader, most meals, spare bicycles

Group Size: maximum 20

Days Unicycling: 7

Cost: US$1900

Distance: approx 410km

Difficulty: depends if you like hills!

Unicycling Conditions : sealed roads all the way but all at altitudes from 1900m to 4200m - you need to be prepared for mostly uphill or downhill riding and a lack of oxygen.

For those of you who missed Ken Looi's Mongolia Unicycle Tour last year, check out the photos and videos of that tour!

The 2011 Asia Pacific Unicycling Convention will take place in Seoul, South Korea.

Dates: 29th July - 1st August

The draft program looks as follows:

29th July, Friday - welcome event

30th, Saturday - 10 km and marathon

31st, Sunday - Track events (100/400/800m, one-foot, wheelwalking, slow, obstacle etc)

1st Aug, Monday - Unicycle hockey tournament

There is also a proposed optional extra 3-4 day trip to Jeju Island - more details to follow.  This should be a wonderful event in a fascinating country.

Australia has performed well at previous Conventions and we hope to have a great turn out for the team for Seoul. Contact the aus_secretary [at] unicycling [dot] org [dot] au (AUS secretary) to be added to the team list. 

Updates will be posted when they come to hand.

Following previous successful unicycling tours of Laos, Vietnam and India, Ken Looi will be leading a unicycling tour of Mongolia in 2010. When: Monday 2 August 2010 (Day 1) to Friday 13 August 2010 (Day 12). Price per person: US$1850 ($1850 + $150 to be donated to OXFAM for registrations after 1 May 2010, pending places still being available). Details are available at: http://monguni.adventureunicyclist.com/

Ok, I am posting this just for fun. Gizmodo reports that a Corbin Dunn has developed a tandem unicycle - two unicycles, one wheel – it does not look easy to ride! You can read the article, see the video and download the construction instructions – if you like doubling your fun ...

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2009/12/unicycle-built-for-two-cool-design-and...

A message from Nic Vevers (AUS President) for all Unicon Participants!

I thought I would make a Australian Team Tshirt for Unicon. Picture is below:

If you want one you will need to pre-order within the next week, and pay by the 19th Dec 2009.

You will need to send your order to:

balance-ent [at] hotmail [dot] com

I will then get back to you with my details for payment by Bank Account Transfer.

You need to tell me:

• How many you want
• What size(s) you want (s m l xl xxl) or a chest measurement may help

They will be exactly the same size shirts as Uninats so if you have one tell me the size on that shirt.

• It will be around the same price as the Uninats one depending on how many order (around $25-$30).
• The shirts will be available to collect on the first day of Unicon.

ALSO: If you are in the Australia A Hockey Team and Australia A Basketball let me know if you are interested in a team jersey.

Sorry its late, but if you want to be guaranteed a t-shirt you will need to put in an order quickly.

Nic Vevers

If you want to participate in hockey or basketball at UNICON in Wellington, you need to indicate this on your registration and put down the NAME of your TEAM.  The team name you put down needs to be the same as the one other team members are putting on their forms!  You cannot add a team after 14th November, and if you don't put down a team name you will be put in a scratch team.

Please contact chickenloaf_au [at] yahoo [dot] com (Ashley Curtis) or the AUS to find out the team names if you want to be included in one of the 'official' AUS hockey or basketball teams.