Hope Cross Country Race Series 2010 Race 1

Race 1 is here! A new course has been designed incorporating the new trails at the all weather venue, Lee Quarry. The racing is sure to be demanding and exciting for all with the trademark "two courses in one" design enabling the less fit or confident to join in the fun of the main event whilst riding trails within their capabilities, so come and "have-a-go"! The racing is open to everyone and BC licence holders can get points. Pre-entry is very strong but entry on the day is available, registration opens at 08:30. Two exciting new sponsors have just joined the team, with Polaris Apparel jumping at the chance to sponsor the Lads and Lasses" category. With great prizes on offer for this youth category there is sure to be tight racing. Also joining the team are Buff who want to make sure we have the best protected marshals around with Express Asphalts providing hi-viz water proof clothing as well. If you want to help out on the day and get "Buff"ed contact the team via our website. Also Astounding Adventures have teamed up with Torq to offer additional spot prizes within the Have-go categories The proven race format enables the organisers to attract riders of all abilities, from first-timers through to the racing whippet straight from the BMBS. "We offer something for everyone, we know the elite will go out and race fast and hard, the Weekend Warriors will be more of a spread with most loving the technical downhill sections more than the ups. It's the Have-a-goes and the Lads and Lasses we really try and look after. Lee Quarry is an awesome dramatic venue and we want to give them a taste of racing and the quarry without them biting off more than they can chew" – commented Paul McKeown chair of the Brownbacks team. Working hard to promote women's racing the Bardon Aggregates have put up £200 of Leisure Lakes vouchers into each races' prize fund for the Racing Diva's and the series prizes is a pair of Hope SPXC6 wheels. This makes this one of the strongest prize funds in women’s racing and is sure to attract a strong entry. Spectators are more than welcome with a small event village at the quarry entrance toilets, food and hot drinks are available together with sponsor stands. A great plus for spectators is that Lee Quarry is a compact site where they can see the racing at many points during the event without having to walk long distances and in many places can see several parts of the intertwining course. Each event is a single race with a staggered start, and a common finish, all events in the series follow a common timetable: 08:00: Registration and Sign-on opens 09:15: Course opens for practice 10:00: Racer, Mountain Diva, and Weekend Warrior start 10:20: Have-a-go start 10:40: Lads and Lasses start 11:30: (ish) last lap given, racing complete by 12:00 12:30: Prize giving starts with the spot prizes followed by the main categories Brownbacks is all about people who care about mountain biking making things happen, and raising cash for local charities with a thousand pounds being raised in 2009. The series operates with the generous support of Lancashire CC who own and operate the site and with the patience and tolerance of the people who live next to the quarry entrance. As usual the team need lots of volunteers on race day for everything from sign-on, to marshalling to timekeeping. If you are interested get I contact via the website. A big thanks must go to the 2010 sponsors with some familiar names and some new supporters: Hope, Astounding Adventures, Leisure Lakes, Blazing Saddles (Hebden Bridge), Bardon Aggregates, Polaris Apparel, BUFF, CRUD, Minx Girl, Charlie the Bikemonger and the results sponsored by DHP11. Full details of the generous prize list is on the website www.brownbacksracing.co.uk.