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I received notification just now that the Kielder is cancelled due to poor take up and no title sponser.
I'm so gutted. I've been training for a year towards this. 200 people have already entered. Not sure how many is required to make it viable.
I really don't know what to do now with the goal of the year gone 🙁
that is a shame, but 200 people is a tiny uptake.
I did it in year one, and there were 500 i think, the year after had well over that, maybe 800 people IIRC...
I think the asking price was way too much. Compare the price (50 quid) with sportives offering the same level of support, or even audaxes, and you see that it's not very good value for money.
Really? Bugger, where did you hear this?
Bearbones 200 as an alternative? [url= http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/pages/BB200.html ]http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/pages/BB200.html[/url]
that's a shame i did it 2 years ago. I think £50 was well worth it. i'd be hoping to do it again some time.
what did leave a sour taste is the money grabbing at the campsite. 🙁
I think the really bad winter has impacted enthusiasm and training for a lot of people trying to do that sort of event?
Really sad news
Completed it last year, great day in lovely weather. However the numbers were well down on the previous year - where I guess a lot of people had been put off by the atrocious weather
Perhaps with that many who will be dissapointed they could just all turn up and do it anyway, for free 🙂
That sort of race takes a committed rider - they wont miss marshalls and facilities, they will be busy riding.
As mentioned up there ^ by crispedwheel ... if anyone's looking for something else to do then you'd be very welcome at this years Bear Bones 200.
200 self supported kilometers in lovely mid Wales. Besides fitness you'll need some navigation skills and an ability to enjoy a certain level of suffering, might prove handy too.
It takes place on the weekend of Oct 12th/13th, it'll cost you £25 to enter (you'll get fed and the chance to go home with a coveted BB200 badge in 1 of 3 colours, depending how quickly you can complete the route). The present 'record' is 15h 18m held by Ian Barrington.
Sad news, I personally didn't mind paying £50 for the event as the organisation and support was fantastic.
I guess this mirrors the reduction in numbers for 24h events such as the Worlds 24 hour championship being cancelled a couple years ago.
Is part of the problem the fact that its on a Sunday this year...
I did it last year and took 11 hours to get round so that would mean finishing on a Sunday evening at 5/6ish and then having to get packed up and home ready for work Monday morning.
This is what has stopped me from doing it, that and the fact that I think it's kind of a "one off" goal ticked off for me!
If that's the case, then I'm gutted.
As for £55 representing poor value compared to a sportive(!), then I think you're well off the mark. Organising a single-loop race across two countries entirely off-road, including marshalling, food drops, signage, freebies, etc, for an event that lasts well over 12 hours is very good value, IMO.
I guess there's a limited market for this. I did it a few years ago, and it was great, both the organisation and the route.
I'm sure, unless you're in the top few %, aiming to win it, most people do it once, for the challenge. Once done, why do it again?
Some folk on Facebook complaining it's been cancelled even though they hadn't actually entered yet. I guess that's the organisers conundrum.
Come join us down under for Wildside in Jan, 200km, 4 days through everything. A mere £380 without support/shuttles or the rest.
It seems a real shame that events like this are getting cancelled, with Kielder being knocked on the head and no 24h of Exposure next year it doesn't look great for some of the endurance events.
From what I've read on here and other site recently, I was under the impression that endurance racing was getting a bit more popular. Obviously I was wrong.
It is not something I would do more than once.
Balls. had this filed under 'unfinished business', but wasn't prepared to commit until I'd seen a weather forecast... guess I'm part of the problem.
On the bright side I now have a free week in September.
Dosent the advance in technology like GPS spot trackers make this sort of race redundant ? Look at the excellent 400+mile race round the Highlands last weekend, it was devoid of marshall etc and basically free to do.
Couldnt others do something like that for these long distance events. Afterall they are hardly for novices, so the participants would not mind being a bit more self supported ?
I always wonder about the costs as a lot seems to be for stuff you dont actually need for an event, or could still do without. Prizes / goodie bags for a start ?
On the bright side I now have a free week in September.
At that speed, I doubt you'd be in with a shot at winning anyway.
Some folk on Facebook complaining it's been cancelled even though they hadn't actually entered yet. I guess that's the organisers conundrum.
It's just gone June, normally that would mean plenty of time left yet to enter for an event in September.
hostel arranged, event paid for, ready to see how much fitter I am this year. [[u]b]event cancelled[/b][/u]will be doing mary townley loop instead.
That's a shame.
It's just gone June, normally that would mean plenty of time left yet to enter for an event in September.
It all depends on when the organiser has to commit to paying the bills. Once stuff is booked it has to be paid for.
Sign up to events early or lose them.
will be doing mary townley loop instead.
Two laps?
willjones - Member
Balls. had this filed under 'unfinished business', but wasn't prepared to commit until I'd seen a weather forecast... guess I'm part of the problem.
POSTED 10 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST
You were going to entered an hour before the race?
I had planned to do it, but didn't want to commit until i knew I could car share, its a 5hr drive each way makes it an expensive race total, but the actual race is good value IMO, especially when an XC race is 25quid and lasts 1.5hrs, but it seems xc is back in favour, massive entries for most of the Gorricks etc
"It seems a real shame that events like this are getting cancelled, with Kielder being knocked on the head and no 24h of Exposure next year it doesn't look great for some of the endurance events."
My thought too. Not looking good! A lot of people might have to consider a change of focus in their racing/training.
Arse!!! I had unfinished business with this, I couldn't do it last year due to being on a HM Forces holiday 🙁 No SITS and no Kielder that sucks.
I think people should also consider doing the Relentless 24 instead, also in Scotland. Held in October every year up in fort bill.
shame, I would have done this, but unfortunately now take the approach of entering events close to the deadline, because of all the washouts last year wrecking kit and motivation,
these events need to take a crowd funding approach, i.e. reach a X entrants by Y date and it goes ahead,
Perhaps there needs to be an incentive to enter events early? 20/30% off type of thing if you enter before X date?
I hadn't got round to entering yet, but it as on my list. September is looking pretty blank now.
At that speed, I doubt you'd be in with a shot at winning anyway.
Hahaha! I would have been up there being drained of blood for a week setting it up.
I always wonder about the costs as a lot seems to be for stuff you dont actually need for an event, or could still do without. Prizes / goodie bags for a start ?
Even without those the costs are very high.
I guess this mirrors the reduction in numbers for 24h events such as the Worlds 24 hour championship being cancelled a couple years ago.
The 2011 Worlds didn't happen because 24HOA made a complete pig's breakfast of it, nothing to do with numbers. The 2012 Worls in Italy was organised by WEBMO and was an excellent event, and I think that took a lot of entries away from 24HOA's race causing that to be cancelled. WEMBO are staging the World's again this year (12/13 Oct) in Oz, truely amazing place if anyone is up for it? Got my entry in and flights booked 🙂
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Anyway, Kieler. (I had got my entry in by the way) Yes, a real shame, I really liked that race, despite 2011 giving me the only DNF I've ever had. It's a shame the Worlds clashes with the Tour of Ben Nevis, that's another great single-lap race a couple of weeks later, about half as long though.
Have SIP themselves got problems? Exposure not happening next year and now this? At least Whinlater went ahead eventually. I thnk the weather has a lot to answer for too, 2011 put a lot of people off.
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Anyone doing the Manx 100 at the end of July? Probably the nearest euqivelant in the UK (well, Britsh Isles, is IOM in the UK?)
It is a shame. As above though it is a challenge event for most with aiming to finish being the goal. Once you've done that, why do it again? It takes time to get fit and get things worked out. It takes money, not just the entry fee but petrol, camping food, training trips, spares etc. In 2011 I spend something like £500 on bearings, drivechain and servicing to get my bike running properly again.
The average punter will tick it off and be done with it. When you look back at 2009 and 2011 you might also forgive people for holding off until as late as posisble to see what kind of autumn we will get.
Why did Montane pull out?
I still have unfinished business. I think I was fit enough to get <10h in 2011 however the weather conspired against me and my bike so like most I limped home and was glad to have finished. Maybe it can survive but not as a yearly event.
I imagine Montane were committed for a certain number of years. Not that unusual to move marketing on to other things - just look at Mountain Mayhem over the years.
I had unfinished business with that 10h target too. Skipped last year as I figured having done it 3 years in a row I'd earned a rest, would probably have entered this years event in the next few weeks. Time to figure out an alternative plan I guess 🙁
Red Kite Events are running a 130k challenge on the 23rd June (as well as other shorter distances) supported by Continental Tyres, Nuun, Muke Bar. www.redkite-events.co.uk for more details.
"Perhaps there needs to be an incentive to enter events early? 20/30% off type of thing if you enter before X date?"
Some events have that already, It might have helped for this but its too late now 🙁 .
That would appear to be the obvious solution. Is there somewhere that would rent out 200 or so SPOT trackers?Trimix - Member - Quote
Dosent the advance in technology like GPS spot trackers make this sort of race redundant ? Look at the excellent 400+mile race round the Highlands last weekend, it was devoid of marshall etc and basically free to do.Couldnt others do something like that for these long distance events. Afterall they are hardly for novices, so the participants would not mind being a bit more self supported ?
I'm about to take delivery of 170 of them (the GL200 units), mainly for use on my own stuff. Would be happy to look at external rental though.
Currently developing + testing the website to go along with it. The possibilities are pretty exciting.
Any runners on here? You know how a Bob Graham Round works, Keiler come become like that for bikes.
Might be able to get that sub-10hr if I can wait for a sunny day!
"Perhaps there needs to be an incentive to enter events early? 20/30% off type of thing if you enter before X date?"
Or, how about enter the event early or it will fold?
Most of the people who stage events do it for no money and get a load of stress. Why not have a bit of faith and show some support? - Not specifically aimed at you BTW Michael, just a general comment.
Without a cash backer events need pre sales to cover projected costs. If pre sales are low then the event gets pulled.
Gutted I,m one of the not entered yet people £50 was a great vfm for what you got!
Been meaning to do this for a couple of years so I guess this is going to be my big biking gig of the year
http://www.selfsupporteduk.net/routes/Lakeland200.html
Anyone else fancy it starting and finishing in Staveley!
Rich
