Some heavy rain, cold winds basically tough conditions.
Still as I walked around the knackered riders sneaked in some jibe about my roadbike lol.
After all the crap they still kept their smiles.
Well done to them all. 
Fair play - it must have been horrendous there today. I had been tempted to enter but when I woke up this morning I was so glad I hadn't.
Bad? I found it tough riding there to watch! (walked most of the way)
I think the organiser could had more activities but it was chucking it down.
I'll do it next year but I'll be driving home and not camping.
Apparently the toilet contents starting to stack up...
It really wasn't that bad apart from the first lap. I had the misfortune of doing that first lap and it took 1hr 10mins after queuing to enter all the singletrack and the bridge, I was lapped before I got half way round the course! That was the worse hour of biking i'd done in a long time and I was ready to give up then.
The course soon dried really quicky and although there were lots of sideways moments it was running pretty fast towards the end doing 35 minute laps.
There were lots of accidents so I hope none were serious.
it was a brilliant day despite the weather (i got a good start so enjoyed the first lap 🙂 ) apart from one of our (LVIS) girls breaking her leg on the singletrack climb but thanks to Sarah from "the girls" team for looking after her. If anyone has contact details for them, we'd love to say thanks properly.
Was it on the log crossing at the end of the lower quarry trail? I passed the incident of my final lap (people were already assisting) but for some reason the paramedic quad went down the upper quarry trail and got stuck instead of just going in at the metal gate at the end.
Hope the break's not too serious.
yeah, that's the one. They got a bit confused in the quad. Luckily we have two doctors on the squad and they were quickly on hand to help.
I have to say I thought the "event village" was a bit of a joke and the camping was very limited on space with no room for expansion plus no car parking for visitors.
It's not as if it's the organizers first year after seven I would hope it wouldn't be just a shambles.
Shame
I think that the problem there is that they're limited in the space available by the Ashton Court estate. I guess that maybe they're reaching the point where it's about as big as it can get. My wife managed to park ok though when she came to spectate.
Can't say that it in any way affected my enjoyment of it though.
I thought it was a great event - really enjoyed it for the 4th year.
The organisers got severely let down by Cotham Rugby club who had promised two rugby pitches for camping plus the hard-standing car park but when it came to it, they only allowed a single rugby pitch for camping and parking.
ten out of ten event. Shame about the weather but hey ho thats life. Pics later opnce Ive unloaded the camper......
I had a cracking day.... had to get my laps in early for the team as I had a wedding to be at an hour away at half 3!
First lap was mental, but pushed on to get it done in a little over 45 mins. Laps were then about 36-37 mins until my seat fell off!
Mud was still very slippy when I left at 1.30ish tho.
I thought it was brilliant! Despite 'mist' on Friday night/Sat morning the course dried out and rain held off. First time for me and thoroughly enjoyed the course. Thanks to all involved!
Brilliant day, I'm having problems moving this morning!
😐
Bugger - whilst I'm 'pleased' the event was a success I'm pi$$ed we called off taking part at 5am yesterday - with hindsight we were wrong.
Good work people! fanstastic day, good atmosphere despite the early weather and gloopiness. It just made the singletrack all the more, err, interesting...- who wants dusty trials anyway? 🙂 at the end of the day I almost snuck in a sub 30 lap despite a tumble so it did speed up.
Can't really complain about the parking if everyone(including us , doh) tries to drive in after 8 expecting a 9 start.
Hope those injured are ok- massive thanks to the brilliant marshalls and St Johns Ambulance and Paul N for organising it again.
As a rule I don't generally do eventing, but I did this one and It was really good fun.
I went out first for my team - The first lap was ok since it was a fresh surface, as I went round to do the second lap it was really claggy. Lap 3 was claggy and by lap 4 is was starting to dry. After that it was fine!
The delayed start was a bit of a mess, the camping was a bit squeezed and the loo's weren't allocated in the correct ratio, but all in all, a great vibe and a great course.
For those occasional riders on the course, those first few laps must have been very hard - hats off to them.
And I finally met the infamous Peter Poddy, who had the best bell in the world!
Anyone know if the final results will be available online?
bbf pics [url= http://paul-knott.fotopic.net/ ]here[/url] no time to comment as the F1 is about to start..
Anyone know if the final results will be available online?
Probably after all the events today, surprised I didn't bump into you Colin.
I didnt expect to need lights near the end , shame I didnt take any . Roll on next years event .
Fantastic event, really enjoyed the course. Many thanks to the American guy who stopped and tried to help me reinflate my tubeless rear tyre to no avail, as it turned out I had badly dinged the rim leading to a long walk back from the first descent after the bridge. No thanks to innovations tyre sealant that wouldnt even come out of the canister let alone go into my tyre.
really good event, i think after all the weather reports we were lucky!
thanks to all the marshals and cheers of support from passing riders ( was riding solo in green mule bar kit)
see you all nxt year
Nicks
My Fuggin knee hurts limping like a good un now, such a shame cos it was a cracking event, superb atmosphere, the kids from the ATC deserve a big thank you as do all who helped with the event. My wife and dog ( the golden retrevier) love it to
I did find the course a bit er testing with roots everywhere but that is the way the course is ( its a off road race ffs), lost the bike on 1 decent and twisted my knee that was me out of action.
So I have some unfinnished business so I will be back
Again Knottie????????
Great event, the first I've ever done. The start was a bit of farce, both times, and the first lap was just mental. Perhaps they need a longer run? The course held up really well and dried out really quickly, my Spesh Eskars were a bit draggy until it got drier, but they were the only tyres I had.
Loads of friendly soloists to chat to as I went round and plenty of thanks for making room from the quicker riders.
Where do I sign up for next year!
Matt
"Again Knottie????????"
Hell yes ! Mikes up for it too.
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I saw you a couple of times around the transition area mike, but you were busy, or I was busy, so I left it till later, and then all of a sudden it was over!
Jesus knottie I look as misearable as hell in that pic
I was enjoying myself honest 😀
I can only find one pic of me so far, and its after the event damnit!
After wondering what the **** I was doing standing shivering in the rain at 9.00 in the morning, the day proved to be very satisfying and great fun. Most of the course dried out pretty well after the first couple of very muddy laps.
Still got to clean my bike - god knows how many kilos of mud are caked on it 🙁
Everyone seemed better behaved and more courteous when overtaking this year.
Hope the young lady who broke her leg is OK - she seemed quite smiley when I passed her and the couple of people looking after her about 5 minutes before the medic on the quad bike got to her.
Big thanks to the Cadets for their encouragement at the bottom of the zig-zag climb and helping pull people out of the bomb hole.
Bring back the good weather for 2010!
Everyone seemed better behaved and more courteous when overtaking this year.
Agreed even the Torq riders were polite this year. 😉
i saw a few bits of bad over taking but you get that at every event!
took ages to clean bike .....
took ages to clean bike .....
Off out to do mine in a min, I don't usually use a pressure washer but..
Hmmm didn't take long to clean my bike with 5 laps worth on it. Maybe i avoided all the mud 🙂
Weather cannot be helped I guess, but the queueing was a bit annoying...
I was surprised how many "professional" SS soloists there were with team support, 2nd bikes etc. I thought SS was supposed to be a bit more low key 🙁
No idea where I came...
On the plus side - Cadets were cheery all day, polite riders and some very fast girls esp. the SS one on a Azonic frame with rigid carbon forks
Now to find some photos of me looking miserable
[edit] bike cleaning will have to wait until later in the week
Ss can be whatever you want it to be. Only the really serious ssers insist otherwise 😉
Queueing is impossible to avoid on a course with lots of singletrack. Get a good start if it's important to you 🙂
That was a great day, marred only slightly by Tess (Stow-Away off here)'s accident at the end. For those asking after her, she's currently in the BRI with a broken leg and waiting to have it pinned, but she's pretty chipper considering the circumstances.
Aside from that I had a really good time. The trails held up really well (although I doubt they'll be looking as good after today's event, judging by the state of some of the bikes I saw coming back) and it was a nice surprise to get third place in our category without having to sand-bag. 🙂
it was a nice surprise to get third place in our category
Silly Dave - couldn't find a partner and so raced solo. Forgot to tell the organisers until the end! Does mean everyone from 4th down in solo mens is unofficially demoted by a place...!
Here's Mr. Agreeable styling it up for the camera in the afternoon!
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😀
Top photo Sammy! I'll be spending next week practicing my bunny hops, specifically keeping both feet on the pedals. 😳 😀
Milkherd, I saw that Dave's officially 3rd on the results page. He just needs to clone himself in time for next years' race and he'll be in with a shot at winning a tasteless hat!
should you not be disqualified for being on a stolen bike ant?
send our quick mending thoughts to tess next time your in touch with her.
Flatfish, very disappointed that no-one attempted to do a citizen's arrest on me. 🙂 I'll pass on your best wishes to Tess.
Well done MrA & Celia a fine result.
The reason the course appeared to dry out fairly quickly is that all the mud from the early laps is attached to my bike. If the managers of Ashton Court estate would like it back, do please get in touch...
Ant, i can confirm that the bristol trails group will have a lot of work on their hands! the lower quarry trail especially didn't hold up very well.
😡
Well, after doing so many events in the last couple of years that have turned into unrideable clag-fests, by 9am on Saturday I was mentally writing a post for this morning along the lines of "That's my last event EVER!! GRRRRR!!!" but no...
I have to say I was nothing short of amazed. Now I know those trails pretty well anyway, but after the rain stopped I slithered round my first lap (Mrs PP did our opening lap, and told me she liked the course!) and had a right giggle. Then as the course dried it got faster and faster and it suckered me in to riding harder and harder.... So I went slower on the climbs and faster on the descents, and my lap times stayed pretty much the same until my last lap (No. 7)
Yeah, the start was a shambles, but in a good way, the weather was cold and wet, but what a really great event, on a course that can handle the rain (Mayhem organisers please note this. Until your course improves drastically I'm not coming back)
Special thanks to the BTG for sorting said course. It hammered me to death and my arms and shoulders are still sore, but that's the way it's done, chaps. A pleasure to ride, IMO
😀
And I finally met the infamous Peter Poddy, who had the best bell in the world!
It is rather splendid, isn't it?
😉
Sunday didn't dry quite so well as Saturday from the reports then - the lower quarry trail turned into a right clagfest (not as bad as mayhem though i think). I did have to stop to clear out my forks a few times. Think it's probably my fault for running a 2.35 blue groove up front which have about 5mm clearance from the brace of my rebas... The home made beef curtain certainly didn't help with that either.
I ran rigid which avoided any mud/fork probs. I loved the course - still buzzing now 🙂
i can confirm that the bristol trails group will have a lot of work on their hands!
I'll have to suss out the damage this week and come up with a plan of action. I know that Ashton Court still owe us a few metres of trail repairs, and it would also be good to organise a really big trail day like we did in 50 Acre Wood earlier this year.
If anyone likes the idea of sorting the trail out and wants to be kept updated, sign up as a member at http://www.bristoltrailsgroup.com/forum/ to be included in our mail shots.
Good bits:
I was amazed that the course worked well and stood up to the rain.
Polite overtaking.
Challanging but enjoyable course.
Bad bits:
The start was a shambles. It would be very simple to organise it better with a slightly longer run, thereby avoiding the bottlenecks and having the start near the start area.
Also the transition area was a joke - quite dangerous with the public walking across it and riders trying to stop / start. With a few bits of fence you could have a good transition area like the Malverns. Not hard to sort that bit out.
It was also a shame that the course didnt run through the campsite - that would have provided a good lift of spirits and more spectating opportunities.
But having said all that Id do it again - it would be even more fun in the sun. The s4ite weather sort of dampend our spirits a bit.
First race back in a couple of years thoroughly enjoyed myself fun course lots of friendly banter quite lucky with the weather saturday could have been a lot worse. No event is perfect !!!! but will definately be back 🙂
I always felt start could be sorted by having the run to the bikes but then lead the pack in a rolling start down the road to the bottom of the deer park and then release the riders as they begin the big climb and complete the second half of the lap.
Ok, it effectively adds half a lap to the initial lap time but it's the same for everyone and it would quite probably eliminate all of the queuing.
Not that I finished due to injury but it was quite depressing queuing for the bridge for 15 minutes watching other solo riders already coming up to go through the bomb whole.
What happened Gary, are you OK? I saw you taking photos later on so I guess you can't have spannered yourself too badly. 🙂
I went hammer and tongs at Afan the weekend before (Penhydd, Wall, Whites and July) with our other Solo rider (who finished 14th, not bad for debut!) and noticed a knee niggle tuesday when I got on the commuter - it never really went away all week and forced me out on the fifth lap, not that it was going well, as I was having horrible drivetrain issues in the first few laps and a double puncture and faulty tube forced me to walk back, abandon and restart lap four...
A farce, was my 12 hour solo debut. I'll be back though! The one clean lap I had was a very chilled and comfortable 42mins so I was feeling pretty optimistic and settled before lap four and five ruined things...
Antony, got a wicked photo of you btw... will process them all in the week.
Stupid question, but where are the results? I can't find them on the website!
Gary, sorry to hear that, looking forward to seeing the pics. There's always next year eh?
Geforcejunky, try http://www.timelaps.co.uk