The 2017 Strathpuffer was held over the weekend, and from all reports, it was an absolute belter! Despite the lack of rain and snow (as in some prior years), the 24-hour race held near Strathpeffer in Scotland threw up some challenging conditions as temperatures dipped below freezing. Although riders were faced with icy and slippery sections of singletrack, a solid number of competitors turned out for the 2017 event, helping to rack up the most number of laps completed in the event’s history – 6,583 to be exact!
Read the full press release below for the full rundown;
Press Release
The 12th edition of the Strathpuffer 24 was both a beauty and a beast.
With no rain, snow or wind on the forecast for the weekend, this year’s riders may have been expecting a benign 24 hours of off-road riding in the Highlands of Scotland but as ever, the ‘Puffer had other plans.
With freezing fog in the valley, clear skies at the top of the course and temperatures hanging around or below zero for the duration of the event, the backdrop for this year’s event may have been stunning but it did make for seriously challenging riding conditions.
Competitors’ technical riding skills were tested to the max as they battled to stay upright on icy sections of the course. With the potential of black ice and slick slabs lurking around every corner, concentration levels were key to maintaining traction in some of the toughest riding conditions we’ve seen in recent years.
The first few laps may have been fast and furious but when night fell, the 2017 ‘Puffer became a matter of slippery survival. 17 hours of darkness and many spills later, a beautiful Highland sunrise breathed new life into the riders, galvanising their resolve and putting smiles back onto some seriously weary faces. The end was in sight.
When the race finally came to a finish at 10am this morning, this year’s exhausted, elated and relieved competitors had achieved something quite extraordinary – a new record for the total number of laps ridden at the ‘Puffer. An incredible 6,583 laps in total. That’s nearly twice around the world!
The main results from this year’s record-breaking ‘Puffer are detailed below and there is also a link to a selection of podium and race images.
The full race results are available via SPORTident.
Until next year, ride on.
The ‘Puffer Crew
www.strathpuffer.co.uk
