GO Outdoors Mountain Mayhem – Course Preview

For the 2017 GO Outdoors Mountain Mayhem, the organisers have decided to tweak last year’s course rather than designing a whole new one. Below is a quick rundown what riders can look forward too, plus details of a few new additions. Official details from Mountain Mayhem start below;

“The course that we put together for last year’s GO Outdoors Mountain Mayhem was really well received so we have decided to give it a few little tweaks and additions rather than re-invent the wheel. We think that what we’ve come up with is fitting for the 20th anniversary of the event and can’t wait to see you all racing on it!

After the open start section from the arena, we drop into the woods and the Exposure Light Fantastic section of woodland. The fast turns on this section will no doubt start to help establish who’ll be getting round to make the first handover after lap one. Next up we flow into the Lezyne Loop which has been extended for 2017 with a new piece of track at the end of the section.

From there the course is split up nicely with the Fibrax Corner & Singletrack Singletrack separated with wider tracks to offer plenty of space for safe overtaking. A bit of climbing brings us back up before launching into GO Outdoors GO Flat Out which fires us down some ace trails and straight into the OTE OTT descent.

This is the most technical descent on the course, which we included for the first time last year. To allow for the range of abilities that we see at Mountain Mayhem for 2017 we will also be building an alternative route which doesn’t require as much riding confidence but takes a little bit longer to ride. These two route options meet up again and take on the testing grassy climb up to the top of the fast, flowing & open Fenwick’s Glide which sends us back into the woods and eventually along the quick riding Kärcher Waterside trail.

Just as you thought things were getting easy you’ll realise that at the end of the Kärcher Waterside that you’re now at the lowest point of the whole course and need to climb all the way back up to the arena to complete the lap. The first kick back up is the 20th Anniversary Hill, which will include a brand new singletrack section leading to the fun Dare2B Descent which cruelly sends you almost all the way back down to the waterside again! A testing double track climbs drags us half the way back up before the ironically named Cuda Kids Stuff kicks the gradient up a little more.

It’s well worth it though as once up this climb you get treated with the grin-inducing Bollé Blinder. Once you’ve successfully pinged your way down there you’ll be on the Return Home, climbing up an open field section and into the loop through the campsite where you’ll no doubt be greeted with plenty of cheers and banter from your fellow Mayhemers.

You’re very nearly round but there’s a little sting in the tail with the Kenda Klimb just before you return to the main arena. This short climb wouldn’t normally trouble anyone but when it’s at the end of a tough lap and there are prizes available for the quickest times up we’ll be seeing riders turning themselves inside out to get their hands on some great giveaways from Kenda. The Kenda Klimb will be being timed between 1700 & 1800 on Saturday.

After that, all you need to do is lap up the atmosphere as you roll up & down the start/finish straight, under the arch and hand over to your team mate…. Unless of course, you’re riding solo, then you just have to keep on going…. And going.”

What is Mountain Mayhem?

Mountain Mayhem was, in 1998, the first ever 24-hour mountain bike endurance event in the UK. After 20 years it has achieved the accolade of being the longest running 24-hour mountain bike endurance event in the world. It is the event that has inspired other 24-hour MTB events across the UK and Europe

When is Mountain Mayhem?

Mountain Mayhem will take place on the 16th – 18th June at Gatcombe Park, Gloucestershire.

How do I enter?

You can enter Mountain Mayhem via the official Mountain Mayhem website: www.mountain-mayhem.com