The return of an endurance classic – here comes the Kielder 101!

There will be a new endurance event held at Keilder forest in 2015, for those of us who lamented the demise of the Keilder 100, last held in 2012. The Keilder 101 is to be held in Keilder Forest, and loops its way across the border from England to Scotland, taking in some of the best terrain the area has to offer.

Pic by Sport Sunday

This year, it’ll be 101km. If this is a success the plan is to expand it to a full 101 miles in future years. Andy Williamson at organisers Seismic Events said: “We’ll use what we learn from this to unleash the 101 miler next year. We want it to become an annual event, using the best trails available and to help push further trail development in the future.”

“The route uses lots of singletrack and, though rideable on a skinny-tyred CX bike, isn’t ideally suited to them. The new breed of slacker, disc equipped, fatter tyred CX/Adventure/Monstercross bikes may well be ideal though. We want fat bikes, SS, tandems along with MTBs (whatever the travel and wheel size). The first folks home will no doubt be heads down XC racers on MTBs, but the challenge is there for everyone to meet as they choose!”

Fancy some more of this? The Kielder 100, 2012. Pic by Joolze Dymond

Entries open tomorrow – the 6th of February, and there is a prize draw for the first 101 entrants.

For more details, click here.

Here’s the full press release:

BREAKING NEWS: KIELDER 101

SEISMIC events is pleased to announce the return of an iconic MTB endurance event in Kielder.

The Kielder 101 resurrects an old classic with a new twist. A competitive challenge for a range of bikes and riders, with big climbs, technical descents, and ample singletrack. The route takes riders through 101km of rugged and beautiful forest, over moorland and by lakeshore, on some of the most intricate and exciting trails Kielder has to offer.

Starting at Kielder Castle, the event winds its way from England to Scotland and back in a single loop. Months of careful planning with the Forestry Commission and other parties, has given us full access to the forest and inside information into its more hidden gems – this opens up a route unlike any done before. The event has also been organised to benefit the local community.

Competition classes for the Kielder 101 include:

Elite Men and Women, Masters, Veterans; and additional classes for Fatbikes , Monstercross and Singlespeed. Awesome prizes from our sponsors puts the icing on the cake.

Barney Marsh

Barney Marsh takes the word ‘career’ literally, veering wildly across the road of his life, as thoroughly in control as a goldfish on the dashboard of a motorhome. He’s been, with varying degrees of success, a scientist, teacher, shop assistant, binman and, for one memorable day, a hospital laundry worker. These days, he’s a dad, husband, guitarist, and writer, also with varying degrees of success. He sometimes takes photographs. Some of them are acceptable. Occasionally he rides bikes to cast the rest of his life into sharp relief. Or just to ride through puddles. Sometimes he writes about them. Bikes, not puddles. He is a writer of rongs, a stealer of souls and a polisher of turds. He isn’t nearly as clever or as funny as he thinks he is.