Thinking of going down tomorrow and taking my 8 year old son to to race.

What are the conditions likely to be like considering it’s pretty damp at the moment? Also interested how long the kids race is likely to take.

Cheers

From their FB page

https://www.facebook.com/Gorrick-Mountain-Biking-Events-507996312573947/?fref=nf

“As well as a few showers there’s been a high wind which has had a drying effect on the course. If you’re not entered yet, full details of the event together with categories and start times are at the bottom of this web page http://www.gorrick.com/racing/spring/info.php. Registration is open from 8am and we look forward to seeing you tomorrow.”

The younger kids races are on a shorter course, normally about 20-25 min races.

I was over there today, it is a bit muddy, but overall for the time of year and the amount of rain, i would say it is as good as it could ever be at the moment.

They Gorrick team look to have made a really good course.

Great, we’ll give it a go then.

Cheers

For anyone thinking about coming over weather is currently (7:05) blue skies and the ground is drying surprisingly quick after a big storm last night.

I’m maybe coming over for a watch – just about to go out on the cross bike, doing a bit of road towpath and fireroad and it might take me that way (well, the lure of a bacon butty from the van might)

I’m glad you posted this! Was planning to meet a mate at Swinley today but he bailed at the last minute and having read this post last night I decided to pop along and enter the race! Wanted to do the 3 lap ‘Open’ category as 15 miles is what I usually do at Swinley, but it didn’t start until 1230 and I needed to be home by then, so entered the 2 lap ‘fun’ race which was a bit short but good fun and a decent re-introduction to racing. Weren’t many others there in baggies on 6″ travel bikes but it’s all good. Apart from a duo effort at the Big Dog 5 or 6 years ago with zero training, it’s the first time I’ve raced XC in 22 years and whilst I’m not in any massive rush to do it again, it was good fun and made a nice change.

Hope the chap who was air-ambulanced off is OK.

Good to meet you paul123. Hope you and your lad had fun races. I thought the course was great given the ev’s rain. Good work Gorrick.
I had decent race in vet. 23rd and happy with that. Lots to work on though, but felt I’d paced it right and gave it everything. Hughjayteens – good stuff for giving it a shot. Can get quite additive 🙂

Good for you dude

I feel like a minor fraud as I managed to come 2nd in the ‘Fun’ race which I am very chuffed with (especially as most others in the race were on carbon 29er hardtails and fully lycrad up), but looking at lap times I’d have come very much mid-table in the 3 lap race and way down on any of the more serious ones! Still helped the hero dad status when I got home and my daughters made me a MASSIVE silver foil medal!

Nice to meet you too Yak (small world). Well done on the your ride. Looked a great course

Did your kids enjoy the race? Mine sounded keen to try when I told them about it. Don’t think there was anything too technical for them to to tackle although I think mine need more practice with gear selection if I’m not going to be there to shout ‘change gear’ at them!

Well done on your 2nd! Nothing wrong with a bit of hero-dad stuff every now and then.

My lad (8yrs) enjoyed it as his first Gorrick, but found it hard due to the length. Or more it was bit of a shock to his system as he’s used to the Southern XCs where he races 2 short laps giving about a total of 8mins racing. Here it was one big 3/4 adult lap – over 30mins. He didn’t find the course technically too hard though and rode it all bar the big A-line bombhole descent (took the B line) and he said some of the climbs were v steep or had tough loose rooty lips that needed pushing. Other than that, he was happy – just not used to going hard for so long. He’s keen for more though!

Didn’t realise someone was air-ambulanced off. Hope the rider is ok.

Just looked up the Southern XC races – I’m quite near Black Park so might see if the kids fancy the race on the 20th of March as two short laps is probably a better introduction to racing!

Yeah- should be good. There will be free British Cycling coaching too for racing kids, so should be a good morning out. (I think our club might be doing some of the kids coaching, so I might be helping our coach out with this too).

Didn’t realise someone was air-ambulanced off. Hope the rider is ok.

Was it definitely the air ambulance? Just after we arrived they were loading some guy into a normal ambulance which caused a log jam for people trying to leave. I think someone said it was a bust ankle (he as busy texting when I saw him)and it occured in the carpark / access track rather than on the course

kilo – Member
Didn’t realise someone was air-ambulanced off. Hope the rider is ok.
Was it definitely the air ambulance? Just after we arrived they were loading some guy into a normal ambulance which caused a log jam for people trying to leave. I think someone said it was a bust ankle (he as busy texting when I saw him)and it occured in the carpark / access track rather than on the course

That’s what they announced over the PA system and I did see a helicopter hovering above where I parked shortly after. This was about 30 mins after my race finished (so maybe 11am) and there was a massive queue of cars to try and get out. They said it the exit was closed for 45 mins due to the helicopter landing.

I did see the guy you mentioned on the deck near the exit so at a similar time, so maybe the organisers just got excited with their announcements!