The Big Welsh Weekend is now the Singletrack Big Welsh Weekend

Cannondale Factory Racing Team rider and reigning Marathon World Champion, Roel Paulissen, will be taking part in both days of race action at this year’s Big Welsh Weekend at Margam Park on May 30/31.

Event Organiser Martyn Salt is ecstatic to have such a big name at the event. “We have been working on this ever since the Earls Court Cycle Show, after speaking to Cannondale about getting Roel on board. The recent confirmation is really amazing news.”

The format of the Marathon means everyone taking part will be on course with the Marathon World Champion at some point, and therefore able to compare times over the same course and in the same conditions. It’s very seldom that riders have an opportunity to do that.

Martyn goes on to say “The Big Welsh Weekend is all about riding, talking, watching, racing and enjoying Mountain Bikes and to have Singletrack on board for 2009 seems a perfect marriage I hope we’ll both be very happy together. Margam is pretty unique in having 25km of raceable trails, great access to challenging led rides, all it’s visitor attractions, a nice campsite and all less than a mile from the M4 we think it’s a pretty unbeatable package and it’s in half term.”

The Big Welsh Weekend is two days of riding and racing at Margam Park in South Wales. The race action consists of Round 3 of the British XC series on the Saturday, where top Brits Oli Beckinsale and Liam Killeen are scheduled to be competing alongside Roel. Sunday is the official Trek British Marathon Championships around Britain’s longest race course (25km) with the top riders covering 4 laps for the full 100km. Past winners include Nick Craig, Jenny Copnall, Ian Wilkinson and Sally Bigham. Roel will be taking part in both days of racing as well as being at the expo for the weekend to answer any XC/Marathon questions you may have.

In addition to the race action there will be lots of things to watch and take part in including trials demos, rollapaluza, leisure rides, free kids races and much more.

Friday May 29th
0900 Site opens for camping
1200 Event Registration and catering open
1330 Led ride within Margam Park (needs to be pre booked) – 3 hour ride
1400 British XC series Course practice

Saturday May 30th
0900 British XC series course practice & Registration opens (open all day)
0930 Led rides within Margam Park (needs to be pre booked)
1000 British XC Series Race 1 – All womens categories and Youth/Juvenile male
1100 First Andrei Burton Trials demo
1230 British XC Race 2 – Elite/Expert/Sport/Junior Male
1330 Led rides within Margam park (needs to be pre booked)
1500 British XC Race 3 – Masters/Veterans/Grand Vet/Super Vet/Open
1700 Rollapaluza begins and £1 Pasta party
1800 Free Under 12s races
1900 Trek pre race party begins.
1900 Rollapaluza finals

Sunday May 31th
0800 Registration open
0930 Registration closes
1000 100k Trek British Marathon Champs
1003 100k Open event start
1005 50k Open event start
1010 25k Open event start
Pre entries close Tuesday May 26th or when event is full (whichever is earlier)

Exhibitors confirmed include Trek, Singletrack, Swinnerton’s, Torq, Quaver Catering, Felt, Orbea, Ducati, MSC, Weldtite and the Hope Sh1t Shifter bike wash.

www.bigwelshweekend.com

And here’s our original story on the event.