New Mountain Bike Event At Hamsterley Forest

Entries are open for what promises to be one of the most fun and challenging mountain bike events of 2010: the Hamsterley Forest 1-2-1 Race Series. Competitors will have to tackle both a cross-country race and Hamsterley's legendary downhill course. For an added challenge, they'll have to ride both on the same bike! The winners will be the riders who score the best over both disciplines. The racing takes place over the weekend of September 25th and 26th, with the cross-country event on Saturday and the downhill discipline on Sunday. Profits from the event will be invested in trail building, maintenance and other cycling activities organised by the Hamsterley Trailblazers. Event organiser Dave Nicholson of the Hamsterley Trailblazers says: "Hamsterley Forest is loved and feared for its big hills but we're really levelling the playing field here. A bike set up for a good downhill time is likely to struggle on the cross country event, whilst a bike that flies through the XC laps might be out of its depth on the downhill courses. The same applies to the riders! So it's all about tactics and compromise." The XC course will give riders a chance to ride some of the new trails built by Hamsterley Trailblazers over the last year, including "Section 7", currently under construction. It should prove a demanding challenge for all riders. The Downhill event will be staged on some of the less technical runs in the forest, to be fair to riders without downhill experience – but a fast time will still require a blend of skill and iron nerve. Racing begins at 1100 on both days, with the downhill courses open for practice from 0800 on Sunday. The Hamsterley Trailblazers 1-2-1 Race Series is sponsored by RedApe Bikes of Bishop Auckland who will provide technical support on site. Camping will be available in the forest on Friday and Saturday nights. There will also be a BBQ on Saturday night (all included in the entry fee). Entry costs £42 for two days' fun. Entry forms and full rules and conditions can be found at www.hamsterley-trailblazers.co.uk