IN PICTURES: Hundreds turn out across weekend to witness exciting action at Southern Peaks bike festival

Albany was hit with cycling fever at the weekend as the popular Southern Peaks bike festival returned in style. The 2023 edition of the festival was a huge success, attracting mountain biking enthusiasts and adrenaline-seekers from wide and far. The State Pump Track Championships launched Southern Peaks into action, as Albany’s Youth Challenge Park was swarmed by enthusiastic participants and hundreds of spectators. Global BMX star Shane Ellis and freestyle guru Luke Tooze were the headline acts of Saturday evening’s Jump Fest. An eager crowd waited to witness the action, along with the finals of the State championships which were also full of thrills and spills. The pace of the festival changed tack on Sunday as riders geared up for the gruelling XC marathon that started at Emu Point and finished at the Albany Senior High School oval.