Naughty Northumbrian this weekend (entries close tonight!)

This race is an absolute cracker

Im away on my hols otherwise Id definitely be making the trek up there

I have unfished business after my last effort!

its a proper challenge, definitely one of the toughest races ive done in the UK,

I thought about it. But limited info on difficulty meant I decided not to.

I’m not bothered about the distance and climbing. But the downhill stuff. Did the Boltby Bash which was straight forward but no other events of this type.

A few years ago it was reported to be mega hard/impossible to ride. There were videos of people sliding down slopes.

I think I’ll try and do some other events and enter next year.

I thought about it. But limited info on difficulty meant I decided not to.

This is the first one I’ve not entered, stages in past years have been VERY STEEP and technical, didn’t actually finish last time as I clattered into a tree on stg3. They’ve been digging new stuff for this years race, I wish I could have done it but already had plans 4 this weekend

I’m very glad to be staying somewhere with a warm shower this evening!

Good luck to those riding tomorrow

Were you the tall chap and his lad? One of you on a green mega iirc?

I dropped after 4, got so cold and wet waiting for three to open, then again for four as it was red flagged.

By the time we got going on 4 I couldn’t see anything by virtue of my goggles being sopping wet and misted but a complete hatred of riding without glasses and fear of getting mud in my contacts wouldn’t let me take them off so I was borderline picking my way down blindfold. (and on my bum a few times).
That level of sustained gradient is way out of my experience so needed more attention than I can give when I can’t see.
Needed more speed to clear my goggles, needed more vis to go faster, needed off my brakes to not fall over etc etc.

The wait at three and red flag at four meant we were caught by the fast folks – many of whom to listen to at the bottom had skipped several stages too and one of them was less than courteous on track.

I’m really not good at riding at riding in a crowd even on stuff I know and I’m comfortable with.
Decided that was enough for me.

Nothing techy really on the stages I did, just seriously steep in places and I’m really not used to riding that. Oh and gobs of grip on stuff that at home is like glass, that was a surprise!