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Ballacuberagh , wow that's proper hardcore nobody has cleaned that with witnesses , that I know of , Kale claimed he did it while on his own but that doesn't count . Anyway the government won't pay £8000 for the best advert the island could get on TV so I don't see them paying out to have all that machinery to make tracks ok for us
robarnold - Member
Thunderpants: I've heard straight up Druidale on't rumour mill. Can you confirm or deny?
Ramsey Neil - Member
As I say I am sworn to secrecy , however if you were to come into the shop and threaten Julian he may just tell you . Should be a good fun 3 weeks with everybody speculating where it will go .
Rob, for the rest of us off the Island, please go and threaten Julian and post up here or just PM me 😉
If anyone's going to do it it'll be Kale, I suppose - I got up to about 20 metres from where the top gate used to be but I was about buggered by then so I just pushed up that really steep snotty bit 'cos I couldn't be bothered trying to ride it.
I am an old man, you know 😛
If it's that bad/steep they'll never send 1700 "racers" up there. Will they?
If Julian has anything to do with it, then we'll be going up Ballacuberagh !!
the government won't pay £8000 for the best advert the island could get on TV
Another golden opportunity missed 🙁
I've done it twice (4:13 and 3:49), great event, can't afford it this year so I have an entry for sale...
3.49 cynical Al - great time!!
So do any veterans of this event have any good tips for the big day?
If we are still guessing alternatives to Ballacob, what about Tholt-y-Will?
ab:
Try and get away with the front group from the start. It usually zips along at a good pace and tagging on and staying out of the wind will get you to the bottom of the first climb fresh and out of the bad traffic.
Don't burst a lung up the first climb (wherever that may be) then smugly watch as all the lunatics who blasted past you up there slowly get despatched through the remainder of the race.
The first major fireroad descent to Brandywell checkpoint is rocky and punctures are frequent. Take it easy and save yourself some time and hassle.
Save some energy for the final third...there are three tough climbs after halfway (Slieau Whallian, Glen Rushen and Cronk Ny Arrey Lea) so don't get to St Johns blowing out of your arse.
Find yourself some space for the Sloc descent. If you're half decent downhill you will make up minutes down there, try and elbow past any stragglers before it gets too techy so you get a good clear run at it. It narrows as it gets more techy so passing is hard.
Enjoy the views and the atmosphere! Have a beer waiting for you at the finish!
ps. Tholty...are you insane?!
I've been made privy to some 'insider information' and know the new sections replacing Ballacob and it will increase the climb by 300ft
It sounds better than Ballacob and should reduce the traffic
There are some slight changes further South as well
Can't wait!!
Rob that's pretty good advice except for the 3 climbs in the second half of the race . Cronk Ny Arrey Laa is surely a descent not a climb , the last big climb is the road section up The Howe to the finish . Hope that gives you the chance to say I stand corrected 😆
Did you mean the climb up to Cronk Ny Arrey Laa from Eary Cushlin?
Old Rob is getting the Cronk Ny Arrey Lea descent mixed up with Eairy Cushlin ascent
Probably a comeover!
Thanks for the advice. I will be on the look out for people elbowing past me at the top of the Sloc and try not to hold people up at the bottom! Is there much other technical stuff apart from Arrasey?
Is the trail from Ballaugh to Bullrenney ridable? That looks like it may add the required 300ft of climb (and 300ft extra of descent!)
Boltonjon, Ramseyneil, I do indeed stand corrected.....I was in the middle of a night shift is all I can come up with as an excuse.
:hobbles off in search for some orthopaedic shoes: 😀
boltonjon - Member
I've been made privy to some 'insider information' and know the new sections replacing Ballacob and it will increase the climb by 300ftIt sounds better than Ballacob and should reduce the traffic
There are some slight changes further South as well
Can't wait!!
Jon, please can you email me the gossip ref route change?
Email address in profile.
I won't say a word and I'll get you a beer at registration 8)
The only alternative that add's another 300ft of climbing I can see does the extra on tarmac.
Is that the plan?
I wasn't going to bother but fukit, if they're getting rid of ballabottleneck, I may as well. Be a good excuse to try out the go-pro properly.
Boltonjon, drop me an email at mattb at pokerstars dot com and I'll take one of those tickets off you at face value if there is one left. Also, if you're staying in douglas and need anything, give me a shout. I have tools, stand, workshop etc.
As for me. Well I broke my leg in 2 places (oddly enough, on the E2E route) and ruined my knee in oct last year. Had surgery to completely rebuild it in Jan, and will be aiming for a sub 5hr time this year, just to prove to myself I can. It'll be my 4th time doing it, and my baest time to date is 5:03.
Personally, I don't think Ballacob is too bad. There always will be a bottle neck. Even somewhere with that many riders. And it is a short push really.
I think for this year, the area across the moors is just very rutted and wet from all the rain making it much more difficult.
I wish they would publish the route, or at least give us an indication where we are going. I do understand that some of the route is private land so they don't want to publish a map as that would make some people believe they have permission to ride the route.
Also, Ballaugh is closed at the moment due to tree disease so they might not want people trying to ride there before the race.
For the additional climbing, there are other areas where they could add in some climbing to make up any lost by the route change.
I've also heard mentioned that we would not be going up Slieau Whallian but up Barnell, although this is mentioned every year.
First timer. Aiming fro sub 5 hrs.
I've done Ballaugh to the top of the Sloc 3 times in the last month in 3hrs (the allowed training route!) and a bit pissed that its going to change. (can anyone tell me how long it would take to get to Ballaugh from the start, and the descent from the sloc to the finish.....cant be arsed to try the whole thing out!)
No one seems to mention the change of the Pipeline. To me this bit is ridiculous and narrow to go up with so many people, and surely a better route is taking a left upto the round table...a tougher climb but at least you wont get congestion. It's then only a 1 min bomb down hill on the road ( and up a bit) to get back to the planned route??
The route last year didn't go to the top of the pipeline, but turned off across the farmers land (private) into the plantation and out near the bridge.
The first road section depends really. 45-55 min, but just be careful as you can waste a lot of energy going too fast in this section that will cost you later. I know of one guy who stayed with the lead group to ballacob and had bonked by the top and withdrew at St Johns.
Also, leave some energy for after eary cushlin as the track down to the sloc is tough, and there is still more across to above surby and the final climb to cregneash.
Sorry Johntheclimber - sworn to secrecy!!
Cat with no tail - email about spare ticket sent through
I don't see why people want to train on the course - the course (IMHO) is pretty horrible - there are much better climbs and DHs over there - so why ride Ballaugh to Sloc 3 times in a month??
Just had the email to say that the Ballacob funnel and mud bath afterwards is no more (at least for 2012)
Less than 2 weeks to go....
Maybe Summer will start by then
Just put 3 entries for this in the classifieds, must go today if anyone is interested?!? 😀
So what with that bitch of a head wind, the extra milage and the extra climb how did we all do?
On my Fat Bike I came in 59th place in 4hours 10mins 38secs
This is on my list for next year 🙂
Hard work, did turn into a bit of a slog at the end there when crossing the heathland and it started to have hailstone for us slower boys. Thoroughly enjoyed it though apart from having to queue to go down the first downhill through the forest only to then have to walk down it due to all the people ahead. The headwind was a bugger in places especially having to pedal hard to go downhill.
I thought the best part though was the marshals and the people watching, great to have so many turn out to watch a bunch of loons on bikes.
Punctured after CP1 as you were disappearing off in to the distance John, came in 153rd. Don't talk to me about the cramps.....ooooh the cramps.
Thoroughly enjoyed it though, in a slightly morbid way
I did 4:55 in 238th place (290 places better than last year).
So I am very happy and actually enjoyed the day a lot.
So what with that bitch of a head wind, the extra milage and the extra climb how did we all do?On my Fat Bike I came in 59th place in 4hours 10mins 38secs
You had a bloody good ride John - I spotted you as you dropped into the start of the singletrack in Ballaugh plantation.
Rob's quick (and slightly out of shape) descent to there was a pleasure to watch too, as was the way he nipped inside three other riders on the turn into the singletrack section.
RobArnold
Good to see you on the trail sorry there wasn't much time to chat, maybe next time?
How did your mate get on with the snaped chain on hte CX bike?
I did'nt make it.Been training more than ever & picked up a strain / tear the other week.Doing that Wiggo sportive made things worse.Best laid plans..
Hardest E2E Ive ever done. I was bollocksed.
Having said that, Ive done no races this year. In fact my last mtb event was last years E2E! I blame it all on the Ducati Motor Company 😳
Was gutted to be beaten by the Ballbag by 1 effing second!
I gotta tip my hat to John Climber though. Remarkable ride on a 36+lb bike. Well done mate.
Not the best ride for me, came 601st with a remarkable 5hr 58mins 31 secs lol.
Looking at my Garmin I lost 38 minutes in the woods... I was stood at a standstill for 10 minutes twice while people that fell off on the roots got seen to. Was tempting to duck the barrier and run with the bike but everyone that did got abuse so I stood like a lemming 🙁
The wind was a nightmare, the last descent (with the wood work) was tough... if you stopped pedaling, you stopped moving, downhill. :S
JohnClimber - take my hat of to you!!! 4h 10 on a fatbike - legend!!
My sister said she seen you riding it back to Douglas after the race - double legend!!
I punctured twice and finished in 4h 27m - not happy with my result - but looking forward to beating it next year - i was 15 places down on last years event
Very tough with the head wind and my back is still a mess now
I reckon the course and the weather made it 30 minutes slower - what do other think?
Easily 30 mins Boltonjon, my ride felt like a 4hr time judging by my pace, and I finished in 4:37. As Bonz said, a second quicker than he did :D.
Andy R: was hoping nobody had seen that, front washed on a rock and I did well to catch it! Mark Tuson and I got impatient after a couple of minutes waiting once everything stopped in the singletrack so got our elbows out and a bit imaginative with our line choices! Don't think people were impressed!
John Climber: that was Jonny Galbraith on the cx. He punctured before St Johns too, think he came in around 4:50
I loved the event but some of the riding was downright awful - not being big headed - as i'm no professional - but the complete lack of riding skill was frightening!
The pace in which you caught people on the singletrack was incredible
I was lucky to miss out on the famous 'M25 of Ballaugh' singletrack - but i still got pushed of my bike when some egit tried to grab a tree trunk and got my arm instead
The overtaking was quite good fun though!! 😆
Not all of us are ex IOM downhill champions Boltonjon 🙂
Not all of us are [s]ex IOM downhill champions [/s] [i]utter headcases[/i] Boltonjon
FTFY
There was a lot of people at the ferry port moaning that they were pulled off the course at either first or second checkpoint due to the cut off times being the same as last year but the first 30kms being slower due to the changed course and the waiting around for those of us that are slower. Felt for them if they'd paid good money for ferry/ plane and somewhere to stay. But all in all a great course and it felt like a proper mountain bike event and now I know what I'm up against I'll be back next year to improve on my slow time!
Easy Robin - i've never won a DH event!!
However, I did feel quite sentimental when I was climbing up through Ballaugh plantation - as the last time I climbed that track I won my last ever race - a hillclimb competition!!
How old age has ravaged my legs & fitness! 🙁
Finished 641st in 6hr 6mins 40secs.
Normally I'd be very disappointed with that but having been advised not to start (left knee injury) I was pleased to make it over the line.
Got caught in the 'M25' Ballaugh Plantation bottleneck and the zero-visibility at the top of Eary Cushlin (pedalling blindly into the mist on the wrong side of the road) was interesting!
Credit to the guys who were out there working on the Cronk Ny Arrey Laa / Sloc trail for most of last week to make sure it was rideable.