Anyone interested in this or going?

I’m going to marshal while the Mrs goes racing. Should be fun

http://www.airmaiden.com/maidenduro-registration.html

ah crap I hadn’t considered that they’d need marshalls, think I suddenly know I’m doing that day 🙄

Personally, I wouldn’t say that the Caberston trails are particularly “newbie” friendly..

So this isn’t sexist, no?

that didn’t take long. seriously? wgaf?

It means newbies to endooro racing

So this isn’t sexist, no?

I think it’s a great idea, given 99.9999999999% of the usual enduro field is male, this gives the ladies a chance to try it without the usual machismo atmosphere, which to be honest puts me off enduros, because I’m so beta, yo.

From a female perspective it’s a brilliant idea – tweedlove Vallelujah had approx 450 riders, only 17 were female. International had around 25 out of 650. There are multiple reasons for this and I’ve experienced quite a few of them.

I’d be doing this event if I hadn’t just broken my ankle. Might go watch if I’m able as it will be a brilliant event. Air maiden do a lot of women’s events and they get great feedback from a wide range of riders.

I think this is a brilliant idea. Most of the golfie trails are easy enough, some have tricky sections but are mainly good fun flowy trails. I’ve told Lynne that I would marshall. The Air Maiden weekend looked fantastic, long may these events continue.

And a repost to the sexist comments…. yeah sure, whatever.

The male dominated field represents a massive barrier to less confident and slower riders, which does mean it affects women more heavily.

A more level field and friendlier atmosphere is definitely a way to encourage racing amongst the ladies, at least if what my my own Mrs tells me is anything to go by.

So yeah, get back under your bridge.

p.s. one or two of the stages are optional for the newbies IIRC

TBH my experience of enduro racing even at the pointy end is still friendly and welcoming… The International was a hard day for people but it wasn’t testosteroney, by and large. But it’s appearances that count. (tbf I think an army of Hervelos could be pretty intimidating too!)

I think this is awesome… But I also think we need more entry level and unserious events, there’s definitely been an enduro arms race over the last few years, especially in Scotland where they’re often pushing the limits of what’s smart for an amateur event with no barriers to entry. So it’s not just women that could use a little help I think. I was so lucky to get into it basically on day one of the New Wave Of British Enduro but I know I’d find it harder to start now.

I think there are 60 plus riders entered in this – that’s more women than I have ever seen at an Enduro ! Clearly filling a need.

So this isn’t sexist, no?

Their chaperones get a free entry so it balances out

That’s good going… I think they get about 100 for fox hunt, even with red bull and pretty nominal entry fees and that. You racing Hels?

Ha ha Northwind – one day – when I get fitter ! Am helping Lynne run the event.

Clearly filling a need.

Oh, it’s not that kind of thread….

I think it’s a great idea to have events like this, the more the better.

But I also think we need more entry level and unserious events, there’s definitely been an enduro arms race over the last few years, especially in Scotland where they’re often pushing the limits of what’s smart for an amateur event with no barriers to entry. So it’s not just women that could use a little help I think. I was so lucky to get into it basically on day one of the New Wave Of British Enduro but I know I’d find it harder to start now.

^This^ – I keep looking at enduro’s and talking myself out of them, partly because following a few on social media they seem to be bigging up how hard they are making sections. Releasing videos of x number of riders binning it on the same corner doesn’t help either. Whilst funny they don’t make me want to sign up!

hels – Member

Ha ha Northwind – one day – when I get fitter !

Come on, you raced the EWS! A bit.

I raced the EWS VERY selectively. Binned the saturday completely. I think that would be my approach if I raced again, for example, I could have managed/bimbled down most of the STI last weekend I reckon except Pro-Spacker, and the long slog to get to it. Just do a fake mechanical like an XC racer who can’t be arsed that day.

But I also think we need more entry level and unserious events, there’s definitely been an enduro arms race over the last few years, especially in Scotland where they’re often pushing the limits of what’s smart for an amateur event with no barriers to entry. So it’s not just women that could use a little help I think. I was so lucky to get into it basically on day one of the New Wave Of British Enduro but I know I’d find it harder to start now.

And run it without all the thousandth of a second timing systems to keep the cost down and I think you’d be about right.

,

In the transitions none of the enduros I’ve done have been ‘testeroney’ and I’ve met really really brilliant people at them. However, in the actual race stages it’s a different experience….for no reason other than its a race and everyone wants to do their best. Worst was being barged out of the way with no shout of ‘rider’ on stage 2 of Vallelujah this year. Just before the rock drop so no need for it at all and only the 2nd rider who’d caught me on that stage.

Having to continually stop to let the guys past completely ruins the race for me, my practice times are always way better because my runs are uninterrupted. Doubt I’ll be back on the bike this year, due to current broken ankle, but I’ve already decided that I’m not doing any more of the big enduros because of these types of experiences. Next year, I will do any of them that make it more accessible to women, like air maiden or PMBA.

I agree there should be more entry level events, but saying is far easier than doing, especially since BC/UCI dropped Enduro.

BC/UCI dropping enduro was a benefit to larger organisers, but to the local more club organised races, it’s been a major blow for enduros.

At the moment, from our club’s interpretation of the BC rules, affiliated clubs can’t organise anything that isn’t a recognised race format. The question has been asked, but we’re still trying to get a definitive answer, that isn’t a classic BC/SC staff non-committing answer.

However anybody non-affiliated doesn’t have that restriction, but non-affiliated organisations are more likely to be profit making, so they’ll want to maximise profits, which in turn means they’ll most likely want to be seen as organising more challenging and social media popular races.
So you’re stuck in a catch 22 situation.

That does suck julz. Especially the dickhead. It’s not so much a gender thing as a speed difference thing mind, there’s plenty of guys having much the same experience, an issue of the format… And to be fair the bigger events are always going to be focused towards the harder terrain and faster riders.

I don’t have an answer other than full seeding- which also sucks- or just reducing numbers, but it’d be good to have better ways to stagger rider speeds around the field. I felt like vallelujah was quite bad for it this year (I marshalled, didn’t race, and it was one huuuuge block of 20 second gaps on my stage, hardly any breaks), maybe because everyone was in a rush to get round because of the weather, and maybe because of the high numbers but there wasn’t as much ability to judge your group as usual… In the SES I was racing hardtail last year and I’m really not that fast anyway so I knew I was getting passed every stage, but mostly I was able to manage it with the other riders, at Vallelujah there’d be no chance…

FWIW the International was 20 second gaps for a long time but there were big chunks where you could have 5 minutes- it’s just not possible to plan where those gaps are, as it stands. T-mo shepherding the seeded girls around and everyone managing their slots was a really nice thing but seeding is basically a bollocks imo.

Have you done any of Aaron Muckmedden’s events? There’s still catching and passing obviously but the feel’s usually pretty different.

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+1 on Muckmedden, for anyone especially beginners. My last experience at Forfar was of semi-organised chaos mind you, but the vibe was good, courses fun for all abilities and reasonably priced, it’s obvious where the additional cost for one of the Tweedlove events go when you compare the slickness of the whole thing but for grassroots racing it’s great. Unfortunately missing Comrie and Forfar this year as on holiday for both but hoping to do Perth and Falkirk in the autumn.

Standing basically in the fire for about 12 hours at the falkirk race, rotating like kebab meat, trying not to die of cold before the night session kicked off, may be the definitive muckmedden experience 😆

Pretty much!
Though it was pretty memorable at Forfar spending nearly half my total race time sitting watching some kids races using the final stage so we couldn’t, and then waiting them to set the stage up before we could use it.

All fun in hindsight, I guess!

Northwind, yep did Comrie croft last year and you’re right it was an easier affair and don’t think I was passed once. But there were a lot less riders and stages were short. PMBA races are generally like this but bit more technical and slightly longer stages.

I was meant to be riding STI and did the Thursday and Friday practice. Ended up bottling the actual race because of prospacker, but broke ankle on the Saturday anyway.

Tweedlove told me they’d had a lot of feedback from female riders after Vallelujah and were actively looking at how they could do things differently. Funnily enough I was stickered as ‘fast as’ for Vallelujah but I think they’d done that for every female, cos fast I ain’t.

I’ll hopefully be weight bearing by the time maiden Enduro comes along so hoping to,get along to watch.

Going by the notice posted on the gate at the golf course… It’s going to be a good event. Decent choice of trails…..