Start Cycles ND(H)uro Round 3 – Kidland
The calm before the storm, a quick pedal up for photos on Saturday evening.
NDH have had a change of tack this year, organising more Enduro focused events, luckily on some fantastic tracks. Kidland, a stone’s throw from the Scottish Border is not normally open to riding, so the opportunity to get some laps in on tracks that are always described both lovingly, and with a hint of fear, wasn’t to be missed, even if it did mean an 11 hour round trip from North Wales!
The format was simple, open practice in the morning, followed by two timed laps on each track in the afternoon. Each lap was accompanied by a gruelling fire-road climb/pleasant spin and opportunity to catch up with old friends and new. With a pretty apocalyptic forecast including snow, rain, sleet, hail and wind a few riders didn’t show up, and a fair few elected to only do a few laps of the challenging tracks before calling it a day.
Stage 1(+3) had seen plenty of racing in the past, following a well run-in DH line for the most part. A mix of steep turns, off camber roots and flat out sections in a really dark bit of woods was just excellent, with riders getting to the bottom buzzing, and brakes steaming (well my review bike’s were!).
With all this mud and filth, bike failures were a common sight.
Stage 2(+4) included a bunch of overgrown and freshly cut sections. While the start involved a fire road sprint that threw you off camber into an even darker wood, it quickly headed out into more open sections with plenty of hidden rocks and slippery off cambers including a traverse so peppered with roots that many were just glad to get it out of the way!
Mud mud, glorious mud.
The weather was pretty foul to be honest, and while the sun briefly appeared it was heavy rain at the bottom and driving snow at the top! Normally I get too hot riding up in a full facer, but today was an exception! This offering from mother nature didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits, but certainly helped some big ruts form as the tracks cut up, creating some wild fun racing. Big thanks to Carl and his team for a great event, and for making sure that not every enduro race happens at trail centres…. mind you a cafe at the end would have been even better!
RESULTS
14-18 Boys –
- Keevan Edwards – 11:14.330
- Charlie Cranston – 12:32.090
- Benjamin Cornwall – 12:32.250
19-29 Men –
- Joe Young – 9:34.410
- Eric Fishenden – 10:59.170
- Jamie Bew – 11:03.880
30-39 Men –
- Brad Illingworth – 10:11.910
- Sean Robinson – 10:41.699
- Oliver McKenna – 10:52.880
Brad Illingworth seems to have enjoyed the day and another NDH win.
40-49 Men –
- Zac Hubery – 10:42.640
- Stephen Hardy – 10:58.390
- Lee Baxter – 11:12.020
Open Women
- Debbie Palmer – 27:27.490
- Lucy Chilvers – 46:28.560