So did anyone do this? I couldn’t make it today due to work and childcare duties but have heard the conditions were pretty awful weather wise and the course was tougher than previous years? with 3 laps coming in at 13 miles a time?!

It was tough. The weather was not nice and then got round to start my last lap and they had closed the course so just a half enduro for me

It was my first ever race and I found it pretty brutal. Epic amount of climbing and longer laps than anticipated (although I was already struggling despite that) meant that I also missed the cut off for the full enduro. I had fun though, and had the pleasure of being lapped twice by Radoggair (and many other people!).

Just posted in another thread about the Challange.
Did they mention they were closing the course anytime before the start ? I didn’t mange to catch a breifing before the start … was there one ?
I’m still baffled how they went about closing it before the 3rd lap, 20 mins after the 1st (elite) rider finshes, how does that work with a 45 min staggered start !?

The organisation seemed pretty poor.

It said on the latest info sheet that I printed earlier in the week that they’d changed it to a 3 lap event but there was no mention that the lap had increased to 13 miles.

Edit – or what the cut off point was, we came through just after 3 and a half hours and it was closed then.

As it happened two laps was plenty for me, a lack of miles on the bike in recent months saw me suffer the worst cramps I’ve ever had in my life. The fact that my hands were so cold I couldnt feel them and had to look to see if my fingers were on the brake levers at one point didn’t help either!

Still, what doesn’t kill you………

Didn’t realise they closed the course, guess that explains why the carpark emptied so quickly. Just under 4 hours and bonked on the last lap just after the feed station, didn’t feed myself properly. Very cold by the end and very very wet. Cracking course though and worth the 440 mile round trip!

Can i just mention me and my missus both did this today, i did 3 laps missus did 2, we both got round o.k but 13 mile laps insted of quoted 10 miles is a bit much if all you have in your tank is what your prepared for. also the feed station did not even have a roten old bannana to munch on, and apparently i was the only person to complain about this to the oraniser at the end. this was the 4th time i have done this event and it will be the last, we paid £57.50 for the 2 of us and that is poor value, other event put on a far better spred. route was still good.

Aye, did the full enduro, weather was pants but that’s MTBing, course was was good, tough climbs! Not sure it showed the best Whinlatter has to offer but I guess they are limited by what they are allows to use and what your average rider can cope with.

Yes the course was longer than advertised but us that a bad thing? An extra 9 miles riding for your ££££

Did get some cracking views when clouds cleared from time to time.

it was cold, the weather was mince and actually pretty disappointed why they would say it was 30 miles but turned out to be 39. Just say it was 39. For me, started pretty good, was comfortable in 2nd place on last downhill section of first lap, then i punctured 🙁 . Dropped down to about 18th, actually was suprised how much time i had on some other riders. Put in a big dig nd jumped up to 8th half way round 2nd lap and stayed there. Catching 7th and 6th when, and i could feel it coming, i pulled out. Was really hungry, hands and body were numb with cold, my legs were goosed and just generally wasn’t in a good place. Sense overtook desire today, but i’m o.k with it since the day before (saturday) i won my first road race of the season. 2 hard races in a weekend , mixed with long hours at work in between racing and a lack of sleep and eating was maybe too much. Nevermind, next time maybe

Finished 67th full 3 laps. Organisation was piss poor. Lack of marshalling for a good number of miles. No good if you have a serious accident. The feed station was a joke. And the advertised distance was what people were prepared for not 8 or 9 miles more. The weather of course can’t be helped and it was grim. I think the organisation has been terrible this year from the late cancellation a month ago to charging 30 quid to ride the Altura trail 3 times. At least last years route had variation. Well at leas theres the Manx End2End to look forward to!

Well done yesterday Ben, at least you finished good effort 🙂

Sorry Benji, you’re 68th. My mate came in 67th.

I came 66th in the full enduro, my first SS solo race. I’m dead chuffed with that to be honest.

I enjoyed the day but it was badly organised. Marshals could of been a bit more spread out, but fair play to them for standing about in the rain!

Feed station should of been called a water station, but it was the same last year so I wasn’t expecting anything other than liquid tbh.

It wasn’t marked out very clearly in places, a few more arrows and bits of tape would of made the difference. I called someone back from the wrong footpath at the top of the North, he could of ended up anywhere!

The extra mileage helped make it the challenge, would of been nice to know before hand though.

And the loop wasn’t just 3 laps of the Altura trails! About 60% of the South, 50% of the blue and one section of the North (ran backwards) and rest is fire roads and footpaths.

Aye my ticket said 67th. Still an improvement of 200th odd last year. Forgot abkut the staggered starts, which is one of the things they got right imo.

Good improvement there Benji. I finished in the 180s last year, on a geared bike at that! Managed to keep my fitness through winter this year though.

Yeah the staggered starts worked out well, que wise. It made it harder for folk to meet the cut off point though.

Only 90 odd finishers of the full enduro out of 450+. I think that needs addressing if they want the event to survive.