Re trailfairy plan/b side- it’s been on the to do list to essentially rebuild it ever since EWS, but there’s been no urgency to it, I’d be very surprised if it’s in the race, it needs a fair amount of work to stop it turning to porridge when it rains. Could be wrong though. As Fabien Barel said to me, it’ll be a good trail when it’s finished. (btw, it was delivered to the spec requested!)
(*this is the royal we, I might stay in bed)
I think they’ve been pretty consistent to be honest.
2012 was a far easier course though- hardest stage was broon troot. Don’t know about length but it wasn’t physically that hard. 2013 was a big escalation
(it was berm baby berm/electric blue, broon troot, spooky-shallow-rave-hitsquad, then the fort descent IIRC. Oh and 2 bastard timed climbs!)