Welsh Gravity Enduro – Autumn Series

hardly raced at all this year, got an itch to scratch. noticed that the WGE are running an autumn series, 2 dates remaining in sept & oct (cwmcarn & afan)

Anyone racing? Anyone recommend the format?

you ride 3 stages as many times as you like on 5hrs – but how long is the loop generally? can you not just spin/push back up?

I love the series (hence why we sponsor). Great tracks, v friendly, cool format. length is up to you. cwmcarn and Afan will be probably 15km min, up to 30+ if you’re feeing energetic.

I smashed my arm up last weekend so no racing for me, but I will still be there.

I’m in a similar position, not really raced much this year and last year due to a new arrival in the family. Entered a couple of these races and they’re great for getting back racing. Highly recommend it.

I’ll be at Afan, wanted to do the other two but I’ve got stuff on on those dates

My riding mate has been bending my ear to enter – we’re pretty local to Afan and CC and know the place like the back of our respective hands which would be an advantage on the bits that are part of the current trail centre network.

I haven’t raced in years and years and I didn’t like it much then, too much pressure on myself, fear losing more than wanting to win (not that I would even get close) and don’t want my delicate ego knocked when it’s proven in cold harsh minutes and seconds I’m not as good as I think I am, so it was a resounding no from me.

The only thing that’s making me think twice is that the only 2 races I ever really enjoyed were the Kona Mash-Up races held at Afan years ago, same format (I think) timed downhill sections only, have as many goes as you like – I believe the only real rule was you did have to complete a full lap within the course of the event, that was it. Sections weren’t taped, but by their nature there are very few ‘French lines’ anyway.

Full lap of Twrch is 15km, I don’t know what sections they’ll race, unless they plan to remove MX barriers they’ll be fairly short with minimal climbing. So sections like Airwave you can go around and around constantly there’s a fire road, some of the later sections would require more of a hike, but Trwch rarely strays far from the road forest drive anyway.

I still might enter.

I did the torrential rain-hit Afan round earlier in the year.

Despite the horrendous weather and puncturefest ( race report[/url] ), I liked the format….short loop, have as many goes on the 3 or 4 stages as you like with only the fastest time counting towards your overall time; chilled out and you can do the stages in any order you like so if there’s a queue, you can come back to it. Good particularly if you’re new to enduro racing or are trying to pursuade non-racer mates to come.

Would I do another WGES?…not sure. I might be wrong but I think it’s all purely existing trail centre trails, which to be fair is in many ways perfect for a winter series as the weather won’t really affect things, but, you are paying to ride (albeit race) trails you can normally ride for free.

thanks for the responses. it does say the CC one is 3 stages one of which id for the event only! which is why im more tempted by this one than Afan.

i like the sound of the format, and i really prefer 1 dayers!

or are trying to pursuade non-racer mates to come.

this too!