Stunning weekend 😀

Thought the course was superb, and the beer-stop at the top of the climb was not only inspired but very, very welcome… and I took full advantage 4 times 😉 Beer-armour makes descending a whole dot faster, too.

A big thank you to the organisers, and especially the cheery marshals without whom yada yada yada.

Rode the Red route at Brechfa on the way home, too. Ace, triff AND brill 😀

(waves at Mr Sparkle)

ace weekend despite it being the first time on a mtb for what felt like a year.

thanks to the fella who gave me some mech help on the last lap – i was breathing so hard i never even asked your name.

Not so convinced re the beer options – The beer at the actual pub was far tastier and sold with the beer name rather than "light" or "dark"

The beer at the actual pub was far tastier and sold with the beer name rather than "light" or "dark"

The beers names were chalked on the wall (next to the tariff), but you really had to squint to see it 😉

Certainly was a super dooper weekend!

Has your lad recovered from saturday night sufficiently MrSparkle? He was looking a little pale when we left!

Hopefully see ya'll next year..

Good times.

Weather was hit and miss, but the sun shone for the race at least!

I'm still a bit gutted to have 'lost' the mini-bike final and a sexy ti frame (as no one said owt to me about a second lap!) 🙄

C'est la vie! 😉

I was supposed to be in the final for that but somehow never got to race.. as you said C'est la vie, who needs a titanium frame anyway?

nixon – we all know the real winner was the wee lad wearing the pss pot with the skillz 😉

looking at the video there seemed to be some underhand tactics by your competitor.

Has your lad recovered from saturday night sufficiently MrSparkle? He was looking a little pale when we left!

We made one unscheduled stop on the way home for a few deep breaths of fresh air (him, not me…)but once he'd got a sausage and egg butty down him he started coming round. Young folk today, eh!

underhand tactics by your competitor.

Pippa? More like Rammer!

Any pics of us on the TOD from the w/end anywhere? Not for me you understand, it's for the boy. Ahem. What do you mean 'attention whores' Sheldon? 😉

Did you make a full lap on the TOD or did the mechanical strike on the way up?

Post your pics up here!

I think I heard the ToD didn't make the beer stop unfortunately.

It bloody did! We had to push the bugger for ages as it snuffed it at the bottom of the hill.

Thanks to everyone got the mostly positive comments and were glad that you all enjoyed.

The steep climb was unavoidable to be honest, unless you would rather a long fire road climb? If there wad an alternative I would have used it.

Sorry about the catering on Sunday, I guess they enjoyed themselves abut too much on Saturday night!

As for the beer being too weak… Come on! 😉

Anyone looking to host the event need to send us a proposal giving us your plans and ideas.

We had an official snapper, I'll get the link posted asap.

Another great SS weekend.

And a tug'o'war! Finally something that I can win (with a little help from the rest of the Yorkshire select.

Thanks Matt et al

And postierich you cant even organise bringing your own filling for a hip flask so we'd better not expect you to put next years event on hey
Knew I was onto a loser when i came across to your camp and Matt was not there, only one that usually has a decent tipple in his flask 😉

Video of the start should be available here in an hour or so. Another vid of the last bit of the descent should be up in a bit (i.e. when Vimeo allows me).

Sure this will be unpopular, but i think you should of left the fireroad in, rather than the push – it was, for all but 2 entrants impossible to cycle up and shattering. Surely a cycle event/race, should emphasise cycling. I hate pushing bikes, especially if there's a viable alternative. Truly great wknd all round. thanks to all organisers

so gutted i missed this event was supost to be my first ssuk but ballesd up the planning for transport as well there will be more
glad there ar epics and vids so not missing out alltogether lol

Ace Job Matt, Andy, Annie + everyone else involved. Good to meet up with friends + ride bikes on a great course.
Really good to catch up with you Aiden.
Ace riding on Sunday in the blazing sun on some of the local gems.

Good weekend… I discovered I have OCD and like to arrange 200 bikes by colour. I also paid £10 (in the form of an aheadset bottle opener) to see a mans nipple. Odd weekend.

Its incredibly difficult organising a race, yeah some things could have been better (like less uphill and more downhill 😉 ) but it was ace.

Awesome event, and some great costumes…made me sad that I wasn't riding..

'Official' photos now up here: Click – high res files ideal for those of you with a blank spot on the mantlepiece. Any profits will be split with the Welsh Air Ambulance – they do a great job for mountain bikers and rely on donations for support.

I'm afraid my hosting won't easily let me make the images searchable by race number (and to be honest I'm a bit too lazy to tag them all anyway) sorry! It's worth skipping to the end of the gallery though for mini-biking and tug of war shots..

If you have any problems with the image download thing, then just shoot me an email. Details in the link above.

Cheers

Great event. I learned, amongst other things, that morph suits are the new baggies, pushing is OK even if you're not a downhiller, and that many 30-something men suffer from the delusion that they can breakdance. 🙂

My quote of the weekend, from Mr Sparkle, when I asked whether his son (last seen accidentally hitting himself in the face while dancing) was OK – "Eh, it's all a part of growing up".

Had an absolutely ace weekend!

Met a great bunch of folk, beat the sparkles and DaddyJim in the tug of war, drank a gallon of beer and had a joined Charlie mid race ride for a pic-nic.

Cheers folks, see you next year.

Word up Mustard,

hows your wrist feeling? Tempted by suspension forks now I bet!

I also paid £10 (in the form of an aheadset bottle opener) to see a mans nipple

I'd have got me cock out for a pint charlie 😉

A few edits for those who can't be bothered to wade through the whole album..

SSUK by Matt Cope

SSUK by Matt Cope

SSUK by Matt Cope

SSUK by Matt Cope

yep, a great weekend!

Ade – would have loved to have seen that Preston… next time! And why did we spend so long in the tug of war for 2nd place?? I didn't even get a bottle of a small child!

Just one thing that I've been wondering about for the last few days: in the bag of goodies, where they trying to send subliminal messages by including gear cables?

I vote for Sherwood Pines to be next years venue. No hills there.

Though for some of the turns through the trees 24" wheels and 400mm bars would be an advantage.