Bontrager Twentyfour12

 

Venue: Cotswold Farm Park
Event Date: July 14/15 2007

Report & Images: Joolze Dymond

 

Download Results TwentyFour12Results (250kb Xls Spreadsheet)

 

Brought to you by the letters 'M' and 'R': mud and rain were a very dominant feature of the event!

 

This weekend saw the second incarnation of the Bontrager Twentyfour/12 enduro race, a race within a race as riders choose to battle over 12 or 24 hours. With a brand new venue, courtesy of the ever helpful management team at The Cotswold Farm Park and an enthusiastic course designer, word was that this was going to be a toughie, with twists and turns and little surprises throughout the 11km course. As this event evolves under the careful guidance of Keith Bontrager and the hardworking Inevent team, it is fast establishing itself a nice little niche in the enduro calendar.

Hopes were high as were the entries of riders new and old keen to get to grips with the promised challenging and testing course.
With July fast becoming a complete washout, many fingers were crossed that maybe, just maybe this event would be spared. On the Friday things did not bode well as torrential rain coupled with near gale force winds threaten to flatten the campsite, however on Saturday we all awoke to blue skies and a fast drying track.

 

The gun was fired at 12.00pm and the race was on - slowly as it turned out as a small bottleneck at the first singletrack, despite the organisers, rerouting the first lap to ease congestion. Still the racing got stuck in, quite literally in places as the main feature of the course thanks to the inclement weather was a sticky glue like mud. Undeterred, the hardy souls battled on and were rewarded as the course dried out to some excellent fast singletrack and some very testing sections. Probably the biggest "Marmite" moment had to be the mogul field towards the end of the course. It was a pure love/hate relationship as you were sent off in wild directions weaving backwards and forwards, swooping up and down, 3 lines interlaced until you finally were spat out of the end to make your way to the welcome sight of the finish line and with it hopefully a cuppa or a beer.

The first 12 hrs went like a dream, with near perfect conditions, making the event a fantastic experience. As the first part of the racing was over many competitors retired to their campsite and started their own celebrations with plenty of beer and tales of battles fought being replayed until the early hours of the morning, or that is until the dreaded rain return. And return it did, with a vengeance. As the 24 hr riders toiled on the heavens opened, turning the once plush trail into a mud fest. Riders became harder and harder to recognise as one brown blob after another, just merged into the background. Still the British Bulldog spirit continued and the riders dug deep (quite literally for some) as they battled their way through the worsening condition. Finally at 12.pm the race was over and loud cheers were given for each and every finished as they slithered exhausted over the line, to be greeted by Keith Bontrager and a film crew!

 

The last man back was course designer Rob Lee who backed his efforts by riding the 24hr solo, and took the win, despite being pushed all the way by Ian Leitch, coming home with nearly 200miles under his belt. Leitch took a very muddy second with single speeder Matt Carr taking 3rd. Keeping it in the family, was Sally Lee, who took her first win in 24hr solo racing, with an impressive 17 laps, making it a husband and wife double gold. Behind her 3 girls racked up 14 laps a piece, but it was Kate Cheesewright who took 2nd with Tracey Miles, now with two 24 hr races under her belt in just 1 month, taking 3rd - her challenge continues as she goes onto SITS in August to do it all again.

Mixed 24 hr pairs was taken with an impressive 20 laps by the Dales Mountain Biking team, with N&P in 2nd and the Bikefax team in 3rd. While it was the impressive Woo ha Rammits who took a comprehensive win in the men's 24hr pairs, 4 laps ahead of DH Cyclesport.
Defending champions won the open women's 24 hr team - London Phoenix Chix despite being a woman down to start and then losing another member to a well-earned holiday in the early hours of the morning took the honours once more! West Drayton MBC girls battled on to take 2nd.

 

Cheltenham Cycles had a tough battle on their hands with MTBWales and The Builders M, in the men's open 24hr category. But in the end they managed to take the honours with MTBWales having top settle for 2nd while Builders M took 3rd just ahead of the tough single speeders who in their quest for world domination took 4th.

It was 3 old dodgy blokes and a bird racing for Climb On Bikes who took the mixed 24hr race. Consisting of team manager Paul Davis (or Mavis as he's affectionately known), Warren Miles, who in between racing was looking after his wife Tracey on her 24hr solo ride, Paul 'Daddy" Gibbons and last years 24hr solo winner, Sara Randle, they confidently and consistently opened up a commanding lead, with a clear 4 laps ahead of 2nd placed Fig Rolls racing.

 

The Fun 24hr category was taken by the colourful Monkey Mafia team, who narrowly defeated JJERB with both teams racking up 22 laps, just 13 mins separated them in the end. In the Just for fun category, KB and Friends team won racking up a comfortable 22 laps in the allotted 24hrs, despite the conditions with Tortoise Trainers taking 2nd.

In the 12hrs the Donut Appreciation Society consisting of Mountain Mayhem solo winner Anthony White and Expert Rider Adrian Scott had a hard battle on their hands with Clee Cycles in the men's pairs, but eventually took the win. While the XC Rated girls, Nadine and Maddie not only took the win in the women's 12hr pairs but Nadine took the Queen of the Night title too boot with a blisteringly fast night lap. Between them they racked up a creditable 14 laps giving them a 3-lap advantage over 2nd placed International tree Hugging Society.

 

Torq Racing had a cracking weekend, racking up an impressive 3 wins in the 12hr, taking the mixed category, the men's team and finally the men's solo with James Lister successfully defending his title from the previous year. On top of this team rider Marcos Schier picked up the King of the Night prize, for the fastest night lap, a set of Exposure lights now graces his handlebars. The girls of the Rusty Looking Chain team took on defending champs Shecycles Flumpettes in the women's 12hr team category, and came out on top, 2 laps clear.

 

The Mixed 12hr pairs was taken by the TrekVW/TF Bath team, while behind the battle was well and truly on for 2nd with 5 teams each racking up 12 laps. It was the Full Moon Trail riders team of Wendy & Marc cashmore who took second just ahead of F1 Mix. Jenn Hopkins riding her faithful single speed rode a hard race through the sticky mud to take the win in the women's solo 12 race, with Julie Dinsdale took second just ahead of Carolyn Binns.

As the racing finished so did the rain and as the hundreds of competitors started packing all thoughts were on next year. There was a huge approval for the new venue, as promised the event offered that little bit more, with some really tough sections made doubly hard by the intrusion of British weather, but undeterred the competitors battled on and as many said come mid week all the worse bits would have faded and just the great memories of camaraderie and banter and some great riding would prevail.

 

Want to relive some of those moments? Or just want to see what it's all about then you'll be happy to hear that there was a film crew at the event. Countryfile presenter and co owner of the farm park Adam Henson, despite hardly ever riding a mountain bike previously threw himself into the strenuous world of enduro racing, as he competed as part of the Keith Bontrager Just for fun team. Coverage of the event will be on Countryfile, Sunday 22nd July, get the telly on and watch the fun.

 

Rider Comments:

Adam Henson - Countryfile presenter
This is my first ever mountain bike race let alone a 24hr endurance race oh and actually about my first time on a mountain bike as well! It was extraordinary really I quite enjoyed it in a sadistic sort of way. It's amazing to see so many people here with such different abilities, to have amateurs riding with champs. It's a really good social event; the camaraderie between all the riders and teams was fantastic. I really enjoyed it and even though it got wet, muddy and sloppy it didn't matter. I'm sure the mud is all part of it too I personally couldn't really get into that on a daily basis but going out doing a lap of the race, knowing it's going to take about an hour, compared to going to the gym or just riding a bike normally, an hour is about right. When I knew the lap would take about an hour I could cope with that, but the guys that rode the 24 and 12 hours solid I have the hugest amount of admiration for them, they must be so thick-skinned crazy mad men (& women).

 

I hope to do this again next year, hosting the event here on the farm I really hope they do come back. I understand that the riders are pretty happy with the course besides it going through the woods and it being a bit slippy in places. We are on reasonably dry land here this Cotswold brash it's has stood up to the rain pretty well. So we're hoping that it will happen here again, whether I ride or not is another thing! But to be honest by next year I'd have probably forgotten how horrid bits of it were.  It is possibly one of the most surreal things I've done in my career, I've done all sorts of weird and wonderful things for Countryfile, I've been in the World Championship Toe Wrestling, I've been in the World Championship Chicken Race, where I trained a chicken off the farm and took it on a race, this is probably the most strenuous thing I've had to do for Countryfile so far.

Wendy & Marc Cashmore - 2nd mixed pairs 12hr
The course was fantastic and if it had dried up it would have been really good, but as it was the first few laps were interesting. The results were a bit difficult they were great telling you were you were but didn't tell you how far in front or behind people you are, so on our last lap we thought we were in third and thought we were fighting to keep that spot and it wasn't until we hit the moguls when the guy behind me asked me what category I was in, when I told him I was in mixed pairs he started to sprint away. I thought we were about to lose our 3rd spot and I didn't realize until I caught him back up and asked him what he was doing and he said mixed pairs and I thought we were racing for third, so we had a hard battle done to the bottom and we got into the funnel before the finish line and I sprinted past him just to make sure I was in front going over the line. There I discovered he was racing for first we were actually second. So brilliant result in the end, I just wish we'd been more prepared.

Keith Bontrager
The event I think went well, the weather did its part made it interesting at the end, but no it was good. Yeah coming over to the UK always seems to give me the chance to test out all the special gear that I don't really get use in California. To be serious though I do actually like racing/riding in mud! I don't get the opportunity to do that very often as long as I'm on holiday here doing it, that's fine. We got the just for fun category, but it's weird I do this kind of race pretty often but this is the only one where I get 8hrs sleep between each lap. Can't wait to see what the British weather will have in store for us next year.

Anthony White & Adrian Scott - Men's 12hr pairs
That was an excellent race. It went pretty well, it was pretty gruelling in places the muddy conditions didn't help. It was very sticky very gloopy it just tired you out getting through it. Cracking weekend in all. We rode very well together, very consistent in our lap times we were only a few minutes ahead after 4 laps, then we managed to build a 10min gap, then that got whittled down to 8, which made us a bit twitchy towards the end, as that's not a big margin and we didn't know where they were. But in the end I think they imploded a little bit. Then the sun went down and we but a few fast laps in, but I certainly started to get a bit of cramp, probably not helped with all the alcohol I've consumed this week. It was a proper challenging course, its gotta be the most challenging 24 or 12hr course either of us have ever ridden. It would have excellent is it had been dry. The mogul field gave me mixed emotions, I didn't like it at first but towards the end it sort of cleaned your bike up a little bit. I couldn't figure out which was the quickest way through actually it was alright in the end you knew you were on the home run when you hit that. It was easy for me (Anthony) after Mayhem, but no it was quite nice to do some intense laps and yes I think we'll be back to defend our title,

James Lister - 12hr men's solo
Chuffed to get that one for the second year running looks like I'll be back next year to see if I can get the hat trick. I got quite a good lead, with 13 laps and a good time buffer, which meant I didn't have to go out for a last lap. The course was interesting, to be honest the first lap was awful and I didn't like it at all but as the race progressed it grew on me, it really did especially when it dried out it was really fast, the mogul field was a bit of a pain, it went up and down and everywhere but it was fast so really it was okay.

Matt Hart - Torq Team manager & rider in mixed team 12hr
Yeah Torq have had a good outing this weekend with 3 wins in the 12hr, solo men's, men's team and mixed team. That's the best weekend we've had, you can't do better than win each category you entered really the team did well.
I loved the race myself, every second of it except perhaps the last lap, it was a little bit too much exerersion for someone who had very little training in their legs. Great party afterwards a great giggle with all the team celebrating. The 12hr is great it's a fantastic format; I think there's room for a 12hr series.

Rusty Looking Chains -Women's 12hr team
It was fantastic we had a brilliant team and everyone worked really hard. The course was good, it was slippy and rooty in places we all got through it and we all did really really well. We all really enjoyed it and had a great weekend. Thanks too, to Royals for saving our bikes.

 

Anthony Roland - Men's 12hr team
Yeah good race, the team worked well together doing consistent laps, Rich got a great start, we just but in some blinding first laps and it was amazing really. Yeah the team had no mechanicals, no crashes, we just rode strong and we're motivated to win. It was a great course, enjoyable to ride. And with Marcos winning the King of the Night, it sort of capped it all for us.
Marcos - yeah I just went for it in the night, I focused my whole energy on that I rode the whole course, big chain ring all the way and just hammered it down.

Nadine & Maddie - Women's 12hr Pairs
It was a good race, the course was good fun, it wasn't at first but it just got better as the race went on. Probably not as tough as last year in my opinion, I rode 24/12 then and it just got worse as the day wore on, but here it just got better.
Winning the Queen of the Night was a bonus too, though it was a target of mine I just went out and rode as hard as I could.
The mogul field had to be the best bit, especially at night though it did get confusing though, lights going everywhere. Excellent weekend, shame about the weather for the 24hr guys though but that's Britain for you.

London Phoenix - women's 24hr team
Well Sarah is on her way to Singapore now, she left here at 6 to get to Heathrow. The things people do to get out of a few muddy laps at the end! Kelly couldn't make it so we were just a team of 3 to start then that whittled down to 2 for the last couple of laps. We were quite determined to win like we did last year, though we were the only team last year at least this year we had competition. To be honest we preferred last years course to this one but we did love mogul field though it was a treat at the end of the lap.

Cheltenham Cycles - Men's 24hr team
That was hard, very hard. When it dried out the course was superb up until 2 in the morning when we got really heavy rain, which just cut the course up. Well done to all the guys who rode really hard and thanks too to all the guys who kindly moved over when we were coming past, It was close out there at times, so that made it even tougher, our competition I think had a few mechanical nightmares and we were lucky that we didn't. It was tough at the end with the weather but overall it was really good.

Trek 69ers - first singletrack team 4th overall men's teams 24hr
Another good result for the 69'ers. The weather is the weather, but the big wheels keep on rolling. The course was brilliant, manageable in the mud really really nice when it was dry. It was excellent up until midnight then it just got wet again. Big wheels and one gear is the way forward and we're not gonna stop until we conquer the world.

Woo ha Rammits - 24hr men's pairs
We did teams last year so we thought we'd try pairs although I did say I'd never do it again here we are, but no never again it was hideous. The course was really hard, it would have been excellent if it hadn't rained but when it did it was just horrible, it was only the thought that we were winning that kept us going. It was too tricky for beginners, there were a lot of people walking but even in the end I was just giving up I couldn't be bothered but our friends who had not been mountain biking for very long it was very hard. It was unfortunate about the weather. The moguls were a great idea though towards the end they were wearing thin but it was better than riding round the edge of a field.

Rob Lee - 24hr solo men
Yeah that was tough. Possibly one of the hardest ones I've done at the moment but I don't know they don't seem as bad afterwards. Right now that feels like the worse one but it probably wasn't. Um designing the course was fun but I was riding round thinking 'oh man who put this in here?" crashing into roots and things, and then realizing oh that was me wasn't it! In retrospect there are a few parts of the course I'd change, its weird, there were some bits I thought would be dodgy if the weather was bad, but they were the bits that were really really good. And the one we thought would be excellent was the worst it got very badly cut up, so that was quite interesting. I got round in my head really, my trainings not been going very well and I designed the course and built it but I hadn't actually ridden it. I'd done like 5 laps in total, before today. Yeah I reckon I enjoyed it. In fact I'd have really really enjoyed it come Tuesday. Good to that Sal got the women's, she didn't do any training for this though, so she reckons. I won't ride this again, I'll come back and work on the course but I never ride an event again that I've won.

Sally Lee - 24hr Solo women
I don't know why I do these really, probably something to do with Rob. I'm really happy with the way the race went. At one point I was hallucinating in the woods, seeing people when it was just tree branches. I really liked the course it was a whole mix of different things the rain didn't help, it was a good course until the mud turned into glue and then it was awful I had to keep unclogging the wheels on one section every few yards. But delighted to have won, this is the first 24hr race that I actually completed so to end on the podium is excellent.

Jenn Hopkins 12hr solo woman
Lots of very sticky mud, not good for single speeds I now have very sore knees. It was an interesting course, this has got to be the hardest course I've raced on here in the UK but that's a lot to do with the weather, is it had been dry that would be the best course for a 24hr ever. It would be fantastic, because it's absorbing. I'm very glad I only went for the 12hr though; it started raining just after I finished. The moguls, well they were.. um? interesting, to ride round in circles in spitting distance of a cup of tea was just frustrating, in fact it was futile and cruel. Definitely interesting and different but very futile and cruel.

Dean Taylor - first 12hr solo picking up 6th spot.
It was a tough course but I pretty much enjoyed all of it really. I did the 12 as a pair last year, heard that this year was going to be a technical course a bit more interesting thought I'd give it a go. I can definitely say I don't think I'll ever step up to the 24hr though. The course wasn't what I was expecting, but I think the conditions changed it a lot, the whole thing would have been more ridable and more fun had it have stayed dry it became a big challenge for a different reason. I actually really liked the mogul field; it was probably my favourite bit. It was a big BMX track. I will definitely do some more 12hrs it hasn't put me off. Single speeders have already taken over the world, by stealth but nobody realises that yet!