I'm very tempted by this as I've done a few XC races, but these cater to whippets on uber lightweight hardtails – this looks like it would be the perfect event for me (good at sprinting for short durations) and my bike (commie meta 5)

I've read some pretty negative comments about past events… are they really that bad and would it be a waste of £30 to enter?

The concept is a good one, a ride around the forest with your mates then getting competitive over special sectors with timing. Unfortunately they almost always get the timing bit wrong so it just turns into an expensive ride around the forest with disappointment at the end.

Worked fine for me in the December one, had a great laugh, think it was the best one so far for the timing, besides you get a T-shirt!!!!

As Blazin says, a great concept but badly organised.

Did the first 2. After the first, with 1 sections results being adandoned, i thought the second would be better. It wasn't, there were once again a few problems including marshalls leaving sections early!

I shan't be doing another, just not worth it IMO. Just turns into an expensive ride on trails i can ride for free any other time.

…and +1 to the 'great concept but badly organised'

Great atmos too and the summer ones have had decent weather.

I've done the first two, as nickegg says they had to miss out one section from the results on the first event. For the second event my chip timing was way out on one section and I spent about two weeks afterwards emailing the timing company trying to work out what it was likely to be (although they were very nice about it).

It's tricky as organising timing over such remote areas is difficult, but they need to switch to a different timing company with newer, more sensitive kit.

They have issues with marshals who don't space people out enough on some of the sections – particularly the hill climb if you do the enduro option.

The slight overcrowding could be controlled with set start times or setting people off in waves of some kind – but that might take away from the relaxed atmos of the event.

Do it anyway and see how you get on, if they manage to keep the timing under control you'll probably enjoy it!