This will be the first racing event organised on the Sawpit Picnic Area track, near Narrawong, after bushfires swept the tracks away in 2014.

“This is a fast and flowing track, good fun track,” Shaun King from the Warrnambool Mountain Bike Club event committee said.

“The tracks are in really good condition after the recent rain.”

Junior and senior races will be contested on the day, with the 8-12 year old dirt masters racing a 7.5km course and the seniors riders racing around 24km.

Registrations for the Mt Clay Classic will be taken on the day, closing at 10.45am for the dirt masters and 12.30pm for the senior race.

“This is a very rider-friendly track,” Mr King said.

“The junior track is flat and flowing, consisting of a mix of singletrack and fire roads. The senior course will take in three laps of the full 7.9km loop, with some nice little climbs.”

South West Sport program manager Mark Taylor said he was excited to have mountain bike riding represented in the South West Games again this year.

“Cycling is a sport accessible to most people, and this event is a great lead up to the Warrnambool Mountain Bike Club’s TP180” he said.

Other events running as part of the South West Games this weekend include martial arts with Funakoshi Karate at Brauer College, introductory surfing lessons in Warrnambool and Port Fairy on Saturday, and a golf competition at Coleraine on Sunday.