Just back from doing a course walk this morning to find some good photo spots. Wow ! This is going to be a hard race. It’s a challenging course for sure, lots of elevation, but then the descends are very tricky, with lots of roots, rocks and slippery boardwalks to catch out the weary. Finishing will be an achievement in it’s own right, a flat muddy field it is not !

Back at the hotel to dodge the Scottish weather, but back out again soon, so more reports and photos to come.

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lots of roots, rocks and slippery boardwalks

So you took photos of a doubletrack climb? 😉

Good luck to all racing!

Gutted not to be there to spectate.

best of luck to Gareth Hayes, Matt Page (MTBmatt here), Mark Spratt, Rickie Cotter, Mark Deacon (SS), and all the other brits involved!

Good luck to Julian Rider too- go Dobby!! 😀

Patience young jedi 😉 I didn’t get those shots this morning, only this afternoon. Everyone seems pretty up for it, I think it’s a really hard course to ride for 24 hours, the riders don’t. Which is why they are World Class Athletes, and I’m …err not.

Anyway, excuse my rubbish shots, I’m still learning.

Straight out of The Pits ad into the tree, and climb, climb, climb.

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And keep climbing up.

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Through the river bed

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Over the woodwork. This one is pretty grippy actually.

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Over the sketchy bridge, and then keep going down through a thousand fun switchback, back to where you started.

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That’s me for tonight. Off to bed, and up early for race day.

“best of luck to Gareth Hayes, Matt Page (MTBmatt here), Mark Spratt, Rickie Cotter, Mark Deacon (SS), and all the other brits involved!”
well said, I think Mark Spratt will do very well, very focus and determined rider when I supported him in the past.
Also keep a eye out for Michael McCutcheon from Ireland, again very detemind and just keeps going and going, he was 2nd at UK 24hour last year.

Should be a really good race. I be keeping a eye on the live feed.

Couple of good features over at UKXCNews:

http://ukxcnews.com/2014/10/07/wembo-rider-focus/

http://ukxcnews.com/2014/10/06/wembo-no-fuss-events-qa/

Saw Jason English do the 24 hr scott at Mt Stromlo, Australia two weeks ago, he is a machine. We were in a team of two and came third in the pairs, he did the same number of laps as us, won the solo and looked fresh on the podium, second and third in the solo looked pretty knackered. I don’t know how he does it, let alone being able to line up for a second race two weeks after his last solo outing.

Few more Brits that I forgot, Martin Smith, Rachel Sokal, Ant Jordan,
And the one and only Guy Martin be interesting to see how he gets on with out a engine 😉

Guy did alright at some other 24hr event earlier in the year didn’t he?

they off, laps around 40 to 44min don’t see them dropping to much at the end

might of been posted before link to live timming

They’re coming round after the first lap. Richard Dunnett in first with a flying first lap, come on Rich!!

I’m not quite sure how accurate the timing is though – is it missing people out?
I say this because there’s no sign of Jason English (insane Aussie defending champ), and some other quick people that should be around by now (e.g Ant White).

Also no sign of Jason miles or matt page.

via twitter, Matt Page is just in front of Martin Smith (Cotic-AQR)

Looks like quite a few riders have had their first laps missed off. Jason miles ,Matt Page,Ant White and Dave Powell amongst others

They’re all on the link above – Richard D wasn’t quickest

Timing looks to be sorted now. Going to be hard racing this course for 24 hours at the pace the leaders are going at.

so with 4 laps gone who’s going to guess total amount of laps for the winner?
I go for 32 laps

Rickie Cotter looking good, fingers crossed for her.

Craig Bowles in 10th. Serious effort for a privateer racer with no ‘proper’ pit crew, just his brother and maybe wife iirc. And he’s a seriously nice bloke too.

Plus one Pop Larkin. Go Julian Rider.

cant seem to access the timing page…..

Doesn’t work for me either, it was fine this afternoon.

Has live timing bombed… ?

Into the night shift, Way to go Gary Tompsett, Amy Baron-Hall and Giuliana Massarotto …

Looks like pedalhead is out. Reoccurrence of his ankle injury apparently. Shame as he was doing brilliantly.

Aye, crack on Gary T.
Guy Martin – 18th…… 😯

Some folk are just annoyingly good at stuff

After night time retirements, Craig Bowles now in 3rd. Amazing effort. Go on fella!

Terrahawk 7th!

Plus one Pop Larkin. Go Julian Rider.

He’s looking good there, leading his age group by 1 lap+ 😀

Rickie Cotter 2nd in Womens! 26 mins off the leader.

Jules rider is storming along, massive respect to julie his partner and pit bitch, for supporting the little baldy machine 😀

Ant whites times are coming down , jason english are going up. 6 minutes difference last lap in ants favour.

Only 15 minutes between them . 4 hrs to go , ants a strong finisher. Wouldnt like to be jason english right now.

…anyone up there know what state they’re in? How much has Ant W got left in the tank?

The only man that knows what ant has in the tank will not be on stw right now 😉

His last 2 laps have been 57 and 56 vs 1hr 3 and 59.

How ever thers still 14 minutes in it only 2 hrs racing. Barring major issues for jason he should retain it but he will have to work hard for it.

Poor effort not logging into stw whilst racing- priorities totally wrong tssk

GO Mark Spratt! 3rd not bad for someone who old enough to be in Vets!

Also don’t forget if you start a lap before the 24 hour you can carry on and it counts! (you have 2 hours to finish the lap mind)

Jason English has just put in a 51 min lap !

Jason English has just put in a 51 min lap !

Yikes, perhaps he’s been riding well within his limits and has decided to put the hammer down now Ant is breathing down his neck 😯

GO Mark Spratt! 3rd not bad for someone who old enough to be in Vets!

Most of the top ten aren’t this years model either.

With a lap gap back to third Ant should have 2nd tied up. Assuming he doesn’t stop for a picnic like at 24:12.