A stacked weekend of racing lies in store as the Northern, Midland, Eastern, Southern and South West Mountain Bike Cross-Country Regional Championships all take place this Sunday.
With past winners including the likes of Liam Killeen, Tracey Moseley and Paul Oldham, fast and furious racing is guaranteed as riders vie to be crowned 2012 Regional Champion, while riders will be spoiled for choice with all of the organisers saving their regions best venue for one of the most important days in the racing calendar.
North East and West Regional Championships
The Aske Estate near Richmond, home of ITV’s Krypton Factor assault course and host of the 2011 British Cross-Country Championships, with a lap described by British Cycling Mountain Bike Coach Phil Dixon as ‘the best UK course outside of Dalby’s World Cup course’.
Eastern Regional Championships
With a history of mountain bike racing stretching back two decades, Thetford Forest (IP27 0AF) was the natural choice to host this year’s Champs race. Famed for its buff singletrack and bombholes, big ring racing and high average speeds will be the order of the day here.
East and West Midlands Regional Championships
Consistently the racers favourite course in the region, Hanchurch Woods, overlooking Stoke-on-Trent returns to host the regional champs for a second time. Fast, technical singletrack is the signature style on a new spectator friendly loop.
Southern and Central Regional Championships
Wasing Park, twice host to a round of the National Series, this will be racers only chance to preview the location for the 2012 British Championships. The succession of steep climbs and drops break up the flowing singletrack and keeps the heart rate sky-high.
South West Regional Championships
The former UCI World Cup venue of Newnham Park is the quintessential South West race course, mixing singletrack once raced on by the likes of Tomac and Overend, with new technical trails that are a trademark of the Fully Sussed organising crew.
Entry on the day is available at all of the races, with riders of all ages and abilities catered for. You’ll only be eligible for the championships if you compete within your region. Forranking points, British Cycling national single points are up for grabs.
The Scottish Championships will take place in Aberfoyle on Sunday 3 June, with the Welsh Championships scheduled for Sunday 2 September at Coed y Brenin.
