| Mountain Mayhem 2010 |
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| Results - MTB Results | |
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Club rider Rob Smith reports ftom the 24 hour event as club MTBers hit the dirt in this tough as it comes annual race.
Cyclists from the RN/RMCA were among the 2,500 riders who took part in this year's Original Source Mountain Mayhem, a 24 hour mountain bike endurance event. Now in it’s fifteenth year and based at Eastnor Deer Park, near Ledbury, the race attracts riders at all levels, from full on supported race teams and Solo riders to “have a go weekend warriors” in teams of ten. Pat Adams, the event organiser, had made good use of the parkland to craft a 9.3 mile lap that had a generous 1300ft of climbing in it.
With Royal being “a bit busy” right now the RN/RMCA entry to this year was a made up of a mixture of Dark Blue and associate members; with teams entered in the Sports Male and Sports Mixed cats as well as the all encompassing Inter-service cat and with half the squad never having ridden an endurance event before this year was going to be a “development year.” Excellent weather up to the event meant that the trails were dry, dusty and fast with the exception of a new set of single track which seemed to have been fashioned out of plasticine, over the 24 hrs it became a power sapping treacly slog full of breaking bumps and ruts. As always the race began with a run before riders picked up their bikes and attacked the course. Both teams got off to a good start with the lead riders completing their opening laps within minutes of each other; as the afternoon progressed and riders changed over both RN teams remained steady in the lower half of the top ten. Throughout the course there were groups of kids offering “hi –fives” to passing riders and spectators and riders offering shouts of encouragement to the accompanying sound of cow bells, we were just lucky the Vuvuzela has yet to make it to Herefordshire. As dusk gave way to darkness and the kids and cow bells went to bed, the temperature dropped considerably but RN A managed to maintain their pace and position in the inter-service cat whilst unfortunately RN B lost a bit of time and dropped out of the top ten. As dawn broke the kids got up and the cow bells were joined by a guitarist on one of the climbs. With the sun creeping upward in a cloudless sky the temperature rose warming the riders and, like geckos basking on hot rocks, both teams picked up the pace again. RN A started to chase down Army Cycling C team who were ten minutes ahead and RN B tried to regain some of the pace lost over night. With signs of fatigue beginning to show the finish couldn’t come quickly enough but there was just enough time for most riders to get one more daylight lap in to take away fresh memories of nailing sweeping flowing single track and of climbs conquered. Having to cross the line after the 1400 finish time or your ride doesn’t count means that towards the end of the race a lot of lurking happens so that once the hoot sounds there is a steady stream of riders coming in over the hill and into the finish to collect their finishers medal and receive the traditional handshake from Pat, the organiser. And the results? Service: 5 out of 22 Sport Men 32 out of 205 RN B Service: 13 out of 22 Sport Mixed 45 out of 112 Royal Navy Royal Marine Cycling Association is always on the look out for new riders. If you fancy being part of the RN/RM team for next year or are interested in any type of off road biking check the website www.navycycling.org.uk Article supplied by Rob Smith (pictured below courtesy of Sinead Mclaren)
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RNRMCA Riders Take The Challenge at MM2010
