The Southern Highlands community was greatly saddened by the loss of past Oxley student, George Dummer, in September this year.
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He was known to all as a true larrikin; an enthusiastic mate who was prepared to give anything a go and committed himself fully to following his passions.
Words cannot express the huge loss felt by his family and those who had been fortunate enough to know him.
George was a talented mountain biker.
He was known to hit daredevil runs with speed and tenacity, fly through the air performing unimaginable tricks and always had a smile on his face.
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The inaugural GD Champs, held on November 22 at Welby Mountain Bike Trails, aimed to commemorate this outgoing, adventurous young man by bringing his peers together to do what George loved best: riding.
Twenty-five teams from Oxley and Chevalier Colleges competed in a four-hour team relay around a 4km circuit.
Amidst the friendly hometown rivalry, there was competition aplenty, with teams racing other teams in their own age categories, individuals trying to lay down faster lap times than their mates and both schools eyeing off the overall prize, the George Dummer Cup, which was won by Oxley College.
But there was more than just competition here.
People had also turned up simply to pay tribute to George, to show support for the Dummer family, to ride with their mates, try their first mountain bike race or just be part of it all.
The event began with a moment of silence; the emotion in the air a fitting reminder of the huge impact George had on this community.
The power of a few moments of reflection mixed with the eagerness of riders to get out onto the course brought an excitement that even the balmy heat of the day could not deter.
The race began at 10am, with riders of all abilities soaring through a supportive channel of spectators.
Amidst a cloud of dust, they disappeared over a jump and into the bushland to the sounds of George's favourite music thumping through the speakers.
The track - colloquially deemed a 'fast track' due to the extensive smooth berms and inviting downhill single-trail - held up well to the thundering wheels of 82 riders, and with the generous support of volunteers along the way, every competitor, no matter how exhausted they felt as they approached the ominous climb out of 'the Oven', felt truly encouraged.
Several sideshow events kept the crowd entertained, with a Big Bunny Hop over a high jump bar (the winning jump of 73cm was truly impressive!), a Log Roll and a Wheelie-Off.
Such was the level of the wheelies, the finals of that competition required an 80m slalom course through witches hats to be decided.
Despite the edge of sadness, as we all wished George could be there with us, the atmosphere at the event was one of joy and celebration.
George's friends and family were inspirationally positive and thankful for the opportunity to celebrate his passion, remarking on many occasions how grateful they were that George had inspired so many others to 'give it a go.'
I think Sophia Dummer completed more laps of the course than anyone, giving her all, with a smile, riding George's bike.
Murray Dummer's "Hotlap" brought the biggest cheers from the crowd in the transition zone, as riders accompanied him across the line.
The camaraderie between riders both on and off the course throughout the day showed that this is a community made up of families who love and support one another and was testament to George's own transcendent positivity.
George was always a person of action, more than words, so the GD Champs meant so much to so many.
The event will be held every year and will hopefully grow to welcome school teams from all over, so that George's legacy may spread far and wide.
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