was a big dog virgin until today. what a great race so friendly, a big thank to all organisers for awesome course etc and to all those who thanked me for getting out of way when they wanted to come past. gentlemen all of you

roll on next year

Ditto! Now where are the pictures!

I popped my Dog cherry today too, was very good!!

results are up on timelaps now

where are the photos normally from all those photography guys?

That was a brilliant event – fantastic trails, great atmosphere, commentary and prizes too – loads of nice things and even £50 for 3rd solo – although I have just had to spend £80 replacing my saddle which snapped after 3hrs 🙁 Still, what a fantastic day and a hell of a lot better than SITS looks!!

GB

Just got back, aching and brusied but had an ace day.
Great atmosphere, brilliantly organised and once the course dried out, cracking singletrack!

Just wanted to say a big, big thank you after my chain snapped on the second lap
(that will teach me to go into a race under-prepared.)

to #078 Paul Floodgate who gave me a powerlink and #350 RacingChihuahua who lent me his multi-tool for the rest of the race (did you get it off Rory)!
I really do hope you both didn’t need them it during the race 😕

What can I say, the Big Dog brings out the best in people!!!

If you read this or you know them PM me and I will send a little thank you.

Awesome day! Thoroughly enjoyed my return to racing after an 18year absence.

Gee – very impressive performance – were you on the Salsa? If so, you very politely passed me at one point so I decided to try and keep up down the next descent which I just about did, and then on the next fire road it was like you switched on a jet pack and shot off into the distance!!

That was awesome! Apologies to anyone taken by surprise during my more audacious downhill overtaking manoeuvres, especially the chap who toppled over as I launched past him up the far side of the bombhole… 😉 I’d have been quite quick if it hadn’t been for the massive tubeless fail ten minutes in, when my rear tyre got slashed open as I passed someone at the bottom of the pre-Badgers’ descent and then from a couple of laps in having to balance standing pedalling (back=happy & fast) with seated spinning (cramp avoidance). XC racing does hurt when you’re not used to it!

That would be me !

You are forgiven

Top day out! Horrendously sketchy first lap (probably not helped by the Rocket Rons) but course dried out nicely after that and became a blast as it got drier and riders thinned out. Ended up 5th in solo vets – just sneaking on to the BD extended podium – ace!

Cripes, that first 10 minutes to the top of Badgers is hard work though – the legs weren’t happy about that.

Hughjayteens – yes that would be me on the Salsa. I was very glad the course had dried out by the time I started lapping people – having some control over direction was helpful! The first couple of laps were really funny on some sections as it was a case of hang on and let the bike do it’s thing…

Brilliant course once again, a massive thank must go to everyone who worked so hard for months putting it together. They worked nonstop all day way before we arrived and way after we all went home. Our group left with big smiles and very hungry for curry…..

Don’t forget the kissy lady! We won the mixed team and got treated like superstars. Thanks to the sponsers (Leyzene, Chapeau) for the amazing prizes and to the organisers and marshals for putting on a great event. It was such a fantastic end to a day of riding with my mates on wicked singletrack.
My family came down too and they thought the atmosphere, coffee and cake were superb.

Awesome day, such a friendly event with a great vibe, will be there for sure next year.

+1 for all that has been said above. Great event. Great course and I had a first class day out. 8th in the teams for me. Not too bad.

turns i managed to do whole race without even seeing the sign for the bombhole!!! must be blind
just so happens i chucked a right eveytime so never went through it. appears right was quicker anyway according to my sidekick

I think you’d lose quite a lot of time on the bombhole, as you’re riding about 150′ rather than 30′ and losing and regaining height. However it’s great fun and I got quite a cheer each time I came through at full tilt (even got some air off the roots on my quickest run!) I’ve ridden that trail 51 times according to Strava but I smashed my PB on that final run from fireroad to football pitch yesterday. 😀

I popped my Big Dog Cherry this weekend thanks to my mate Dave asking me to join them as the “Mixed” part of a team, what a great event, I have been racing for years and this surely is to me what racing a mountain bike should be about, thanks to you all for being so friendly and polite on course and what a great course it was.. we got a 3rd place too.. will defo be back next year!

1st time for me too – epic course, what a great event. Now where are all these pics?

Ackie? I was 78 with the power link. Glad it helped, it’s been sat rusting on my bike for a few years. Despite some chain suck in the mud I had no need for it.

Great course and friendly event as ever. First time I’ve ridden the course in the wet and found the chalk interesting to start with.

Thanks noodle for agreeing to ride, knew you’d love it!

A great weekend of socialising with a bit of hooning around awesome singletrack thrown in for good measure 🙂

Mithras again thanks for the link email me your address and I’ll pop a replacement in the post for you.

Bump

Found some photos from one of the photographers on the course

http://www.rideagain.co.uk/v/Bike/BigDog12/OnCourse/?g2_page=1

100% awesome fun all day!

I had no idea how ridiculous the jawbones looked with yellow lenses in!

Gee – I attempted to lend you a saddle as the compere asked if anyone had a spare when you went past half way through but I think the post was the wrong size.

I’ll certainly be back for next year and will hopefully start to get riding regularly again beforehand!

They’re quite Chemical Brothers HJT but to be honest yellow is a high fashion risk colour generally! Makes it easier to spot yourself in photos though:

chiefgrooveguru – Member
Makes it easier to spot yourself in photos though

As do green tops seemingly!

Thanks HJT – I came through with 2 laps to go and there was a saddle on a post, but the post was too short so they removed the saddle for me when I came through with 1 lap left and so I decided I could put up with it for one more lap as I didn’t know where 2nd/4th were in terms of losing time. Very good of you to help! It wasn’t totally broken, just running on one rail rather than two…

honest yellow is a high fashion risk colour generally!

one of the marshals told me that my green top and yellow bike combination didn’t go together!… I didn’t know the fashion police were attending the event.!.

to #078 Paul Floodgate who gave me a powerlink and #350 RacingChihuahua who lent me his multi-tool for the rest of the race (did you get it off Rory)!

Ah, tool was mine, didn’t manage to track it down on the day but will chase Rory to get hold of it. I hung around at the end of the lap but didn’t spot you coming in.

Hope you got everything sorted.

Gary

Third Big Dog in a row for me, I love it!

Great course, great atmosphere and standing on the top step of the retro pairs was a big bonus 🙂