in terms of technical challenge, how do the trails compare to UK trail centres (e.g Glentress, kirroughtree, Afan Argoed etc)?

I haven't done it but have ridden in a couple of the areas this year's route passes through. I can safely say that your average BC trail is more technically challenging than your average UK trail centre trail…

A couple of friends did the race – http://www.figrollsracing.co.uk/2008/08/bc-bike-race-whole-gory-story.html – and by the sound of it the technical bits are not the whole story, you'll spend a lot of time on fireroads between interesting sections. Also you get a very wide range of riders doing it as they come from all over the world, so you'd hope the organisers would bear that in mind.

thanks for the linke, will have a read.
not too worried about the fireroad bits, having done the TransRockies in 2009. the BC race appears to have a great reputation with people that have done it, but I'm concerned that it might be beyond my skills – tho I happily ride most stuff at trail centres, I do bottle out of some things (like McMoab for example). I'd hate to enter the BC race and find myself walking huge sections of the singletrack!

that's a great account…really enjoyed the read 😀

I had a look at the website and noticed a lot of pictures of people on pretty traditional looking XC bikes, even accounting for their pro skills, I would have thought this suggested relatively sane trails, as opposed to 20ft skinnies with 10ft drops at the end…

I was at the finish 2 years ago .Quite a few racing snakes by the look of it 😀