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Brownbacks Hope Race Series Starts This Weekend

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The 2009 race season is underway and the first round of the Hope Race Series at Lee Quarry Rossendale is getting nearer. Here’s an update of what’s happening as the 19th April fast approaches.

Sponsors and prize lists:
The overall sponsor Hope has put up some great prizes for the overall series winners as well as providing the custom cut disks for the winners trophies. With a Vision 4 led, a Tech X2 brakeset and the brand new SP XC6 wheelset (not even in the shops yet!) up for grabs for the overall. Leisure Lakes have dug deep to support the racer category with a total of £300 of vouchers up for grabs at each race including a first lap prime of £25. Ride-On and Max Gear are providing the prizes for the “Weekend Warriors” and “Have-a-go Hero’s” with a great products and vouchers for the winners. There are also some “fun” prizes including a singlespeed trophy and crud catchers for the riders who can’t keep it clean!

Course:

The laps are about 4.5 km and include some stiff climbs. The course comprises fast open track, a big bermy rollercoaster section and long sections of fast technical singletrack. The trails are very technical in places and include a few points where they are quite rocky or exposed.

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Most of the course is on the Red trails at Lee Quarry, the Have-a-go Hero’s will not be racing the more technical parts of the quarry trails. The trail centre is open all year round but please note the course will not be marked for practice on Saturday.

Please note that we have a strict “no assistance” rule which includes technical support and feeding for all categories. 


Schedule:

08:30 Registration opens 

09:30 Course marked and marshalled.

09:40 Registration closes

10:00 Racer category start

10:10 Weekend Warrior category start

10:20 Have-a-go Hero category start

11:30 Bell for last lap

12:15 Prize Presentations

Timings may vary slightly on the day.

Facilities:
Toilets are provided at the event village, which is about 400m from the start.

There is no running water on-site, please bring plenty with you.

There is parking at the Kingfisher Centre and on the adjacent roads in Futures Park, please car share/ park sensibly to ensure everyone can get on-site. Some areas will be marked as “no parking” to ensure access for emergency vehicles, please respect the signs.

First aid cover is provided by the Rossendale And Pendle Mountain Rescue Team and they will be sited within the quarry.

Leisure Lakes and hopefully Hope and Ride-On will have stands offering race support.

Onsite Catering:
The event village will have a coffee and cake vendor, there is a café and a pub opposite the main entrance and the Rose ‘n Bowl Stacksteads is recommended for a post race pub meal.


Series Details:

Race categories are based on ability (Have-a-go Hero- Weekend Warrior- Racer) sorry but no under 18’s for this series.

The winner of each category will get a trophy. Prizes will be awarded to the top finishers in each category. There will also be series prizes for the overall winner in each category, with the best 3 results to count.
The racing is BC sanctioned, but please read our rules. There are no ranking points available.



Directions:
Full directions are available on http://www.brownbacksracing.co.uk and the entrance to Futures Park will be signed.

Marshals wanted! Get in touch with us at info@brownbacksracing.co.uk if you can help.

SPEAKING OF WHICH, WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH THE SINGLETRACK CLASSIC WEEKENDER?

Entries for the Singletrack Classic Weekender on July 4-5th are coming in nice and steadily.

We’re really looking forward to this event (even though we’ll probably not be able to compete as we’ll be marshalling and observing the Classic Trials).

It’s a great place. Rocky. Smooth. Hucky. Climby. Roam-aroundy. Different. Unusual. Emerging. Distinctive. Fun

We’re particularly pleased at how each of the three different race courses are shaping up. They’re all rideable but they also each reward distinct and disparate riding skills. The Classic Trials course requires balance and some trackstandy and vaguely hoppy skills. The Downhill will be harsh on a skinny tyred hardtail and slow-going if you’re not so hot at “railing” berms or negotiating rock gardens. The XC course requires fitness and will reward timely overtaking and other “tactics”.

And having to do all three courses on the same bike is SUCH an ace idea. Do you pick a bike that plays to your strengths so you get your score (and confidence) up? Or do you go for a bike that will hide/flatter your weaknesses?

To find out about how to enter the Singletrack Classic Weekender please click here.

Orange Switch 6er. Stif Squatcher. Schwalbe Magic Mary Purple Addix front. Maxxis DHR II 3C MaxxTerra rear. Coil fan. Ebikes are not evil. I have been a writer for nigh on 20 years, a photographer for 25 years and a mountain biker for 30 years. I have written countless magazine and website features and route guides for the UK mountain bike press, most notably for the esteemed and highly regarded Singletrackworld. Although I am a Lancastrian, I freely admit that West Yorkshire is my favourite place to ride. Rarely a week goes by without me riding and exploring the South Pennines.

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