The Welsh XC MTB Championships make a return, on Sunday 10 May, to the home of Welsh mountain biking, Coed y Brenin, with Dan Evans and Mel Alexander looking to defend their Senior titles.
The Championships, which are incorporated in the Welsh XC MTB Series Round 3 event, were last held in Coed y Brenin in 2012; but after a successful series promotion last year Clwb Beicio Mynydd Dyffryn Conwy and Dreigiau Coed y Brenin Dragons along with Natural Resources Wales Officer Andy Braund were keen to see the Championships return to the old trail centre site at Maesgym (on the opposite side of the A470 to the new Coed y Brenin Visitor Centre).
Off the start the course takes the “Tarw Du” trail out of the arena onto a steady and lengthy climb on open, stony forestry track. A stony descent then brings riders to a section of the old “Karrimor” trail – sweeping, bermed single track through the forestry. The course then weaves its way over rock gardens, tree roots and springy forest floor back to the arena.
In the Senior Men’s race Dan Evans will be challenged for the title by ex Welsh Champion Lee Williams, 2014 Junior Champion Dylan Kerfoot-Robson and Steven Roach, who has recently made a return to competitive mountain biking, and in the Senior Women’s race Mel Alexander will be looking for a repeat of her 2014 win against Ruby Miller. The men will have added competition from non-Championship Team Wiggins riders Iain Paton and Michael Thompson and the women, from Betch.NL’s Annie Last and Alice Barnes.
Exciting battles are on the cards in the Youth Boys’ category, where Simon Price will be hoping his good run of form will continue; in the Juvenile Boys and Girls, where Huw Higgins-Worrall will be looking to improve on his 4th place in 2014, and Nicole Clarke, to retain her title; and in the Under 12 Boys where North, Mid and South Wales rivalries will be to the fore. And can Grant Johnson hold off Pete Turnbull to retain his Grand Veteran title?
Online entry for the Championships and the Series has now closed; there will entry on the day for the Series only.
View the current Welsh MTB XC Series standings after round two.
Information from the organisers
Changing facilities and showers will be available at the new Visitor Centre. The parking for the event is at the Visitor Centre in a special event designated area. Junior entrants and below can park at the venue site. There will also be a secure place for storage of kit..
There is no camping available on either site.
Practice is 4.00pm to 6.00pm on Saturday 9 May 2015 and on Sunday 10 May 2015 until 10.30 am. This is with the exception of the bottom part of the course that will closed by 9.00 am as it is being used for the children’s races.
