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  2007
  > REVIEW
  2006
  > REVIEW
  > ELBNO - SM
  > RHAYADER
  > BUILTH WELLS
  > BAD GOISERN
  > SELKIRK
  > RUTHIN
  2005
  > REVIEW
  > ELBNO - SM
  > RHAYADER
  > BUILTH WELLS
  > BAD GOISERN
  > SELKIRK
  > RUTHIN
  2004
  > REVIEW
  > RHAYADER
  > BUILTH WELLS
  > BAD GOISERN
  > SELKIRK
  > RUTHIN
  2003
  > REVIEW
  > RHAYADER
  > BUILTH WELLS
  > RUTHIN
  NEWS...
  16.05.08 NEWS before the Ruthin Round HERE>>
  25.04.08
Latest News from the first round.
HERE>>
  17.04.08 Report from the first round HERE>>
  10.04.08
Latest News before the first event of 2008.
HERE>>
  29.03.08 Website updated - New Season is HERE>>
  31.01.08
Online Entry now OPEN.
MORE>>
  28.12.07 Website updated - Entry facilities coming soon.
  19.09.07
7 down, NONE to go….at least not this year. MORE>>
  Foot-And-Mouth - Please clean your gear: MORE>>
  04.09.07
Ruthin News. MORE>>
  Merida on holiday 2008 – win a mountain bike trip in Austria MORE>>
  12.08.07
6 down, ONLY 1 to go. MORE>>
  20.07.07
Selkirk here we come
MORE>>
  12.07.07
4 down, 2 to go (3 including the Austria round) MORE>>
  06.07.07
Latest Builth Wells Summer Marathon update
MORE>>
  27.06.07
Latest News... MORE>>
  16.06.07
MERIDA OUTSIDER UPDATES WITH COURSE PROFILES.
MORE>>
  07.06.07
Latest News... MORE>>
  17.05.07
…2 down 5 to go. After last year’s rather muddy May event in Rhayader the first dip into English marathon territory was another one to remember.
MORE>>
  08.05.07
It is only a few days now before the 1st ever English round MORE>>
  01.05.07
It feels that the season is truly here MORE>>
  17.04.07 ELBNO and SPRING MARATHON MORE>>
  10.04.07 ELBNO / Spring Marathon – LAST UPDATE MORE>>
  23.03.07 ELBNO . MORE>>
  23.03.07 Chain Reaction Cycles voucher - make sure you enter early! MORE>>
  23.03.07 Aviemore round – the Outsider. MORE>>
  23.03.07 Penrith round – Cumbria Bikefest MORE>>
  23.03.07 Salzkammergut Trophy 2007. MORE>>
  13.03.07 The Outsider event and line-up ... MORE>>
  22.02.07 Latest NEWS. MORE>>
  19.12.06 NEWS 2007 Entry form available to download….... MORE>>
  'CycleActive price draw - winner revealed!.... MORE>>
  23.10.06 NEWS The Outsider - New Event….... MORE>>
  The 2006 mountain bike season is heading towards its deserved winter break which inevitably means that the 2007 season is creeping up on us. .... MORE>>
  26.09.06 We have just got back from our 2007 planning excursion to Scotland . .... MORE>>
  14.09.06 NEWS Update: Merida Ruthin…only a couple of days to go….... MORE>>
  25.08.06 Well done everybody who took part in the first ever Merida TransWales ’06. What a week! I am sure it will take us all a while to recover from this adventure. .... MORE>>
  09.08.06 NEWS Update:Merida TransWales ’06…only a couple of days to go….... MORE>>
  02.08.06 NEWS Four down one to go! We have just returned from the event in Selkirk and we can only agree with the all comments we have had that it has once again been a superb event for everybody.... MORE>>
  26.07.06 NEWS Update:
It’s the last week before the Scottish round of the Merida 100 MTB Marathon in Selkirk opens its doors.... MORE>>
  11.07.06 NEWS Update:…was it hot or what? This year seams to be the year of extremes... MORE>>
  22.06.06 NEWS Update:
The last weekend before this year’s summer marathon in Builth Wells is upon us.... MORE>>
  News update 15.06.06
Less than three weeks to go before we will welcome everybody at the ‘summer’ event of the Merida 100 Series... MORE>>
  01.06.06
2nd Round Rhayader Event... MORE>>
  1st Round of the Merida 100 MTB Marathon Series 2006 in Builth Wells 8-9th April... MORE>>
  20 Reasons why you... should ride a Mreida 100
1 No faffing with maps: just point and play... MORE>>
  Vertebrate Graphics, MTB Guidebooks...MORE>>
  MTB-Marathon Jersey NOW IN STOCK..MORE>>
 


















  2003
       
  Builth Wells Event Review
Builth Wells, the venue where the original MTB Marathon event took place way back in the mists of time in 2000, with a total of 800 riders, was once again the flagship event for the 2003 series. This time, however, it attracted over 1,300 riders strutting their funky marathon stuffs in and around the picturesque town; it’s come a long way baby.

It might have grown in size but the Builth Wells round is still set in the beautiful countryside of mid-Wales, with its rolling hills and valleys, and some truly memorable riding, of which the Marathon team took advantage of by making full use of John Lloyd’s in-depth trail knowledge of the area. There might be more riders than there was first time around, but the spirit had not been lost: Builth Wells remained the original and best venue of the 2003 MTB Marathon series.

Unlike the previous year, where rains churned parts of the course into a quagmire, the weather on offer was nothing but the best Welsh sunshine, of blue skies dappled with streaks of Mr Whippy clouds - of the ilk only found in a Mint Sauce sky. Blissful,
“The course was superb, the downhills were fantastic,” said Daniel Sweet. “I guess we all saw what we missed in the mud last year!”

Unlike the other two rounds of the series, Builth Wells offered up the full quota of marathon distances to chose from: 50km, 75km or the full 100km. It acted as a perfect step-up for riders who completed the 50km at Rhayader to try the intermediate 75km before going for the full 100km distance at the final round. Not a bad little way of doing things really, and definitely one that many riders took advantage of.
The course was bone dry and the en-masse start through the streets of Builth has to be ridden to be appreciated: the huge snaking, writhing mass of riders billowing out from the event village, cheered and applauded by the locals lining the streets was a great experience guaranteed to crack a smile on your face as you pedal behind the lead car.

The closest many of the marathon riders will possibly get to the atmosphere and crowd support of riding of riding the Tour de France. After that, it was out and onto the hills, up a steady climb to the ridge before sharply flying straight down the side of the hill along some steep but open big-fun trail; and you know straight away that the course is going to rock! It’s about as perfect a 100km you’re likely to come across - great big climbs, oodles of singletrack, technical sections, fast, floaty and back tyre ass-rubbingly-steep descents all meshed with a perfect balance, for the big fun total mountain bike marathon feeling. Looking around the riders spinning and grinding their ways around the course there was not a single rider without a smile, a glint in their eye, or who hadn’t lost themselves to the heavenly riding; laughing, joking, cajoling and loving it.

“You totally lulled me into a false sense of security with Rhayader as Builth Wells was even better/harder,” Les Taylor commented. “It felt like someone had really used every ounce of their local knowledge on the course and really thought about it ‘cos it was fab!”

Builth ended feeling like a lazy day at some festival but with top quality riding on amazing trails with a real strong sense of camaraderie and fun: without doubt, an absolutely beautiful event in every sense of the word. Riders were chatting and joking as they went round, and then when they finally rolled over the finish line - whether under four hours, or over eight - everyone would be applauded home by the throng of finishers and supporters relaxing in the finishing arena.
“Everything fell into place,” summarised Mike Wilkens: “great weather, good people, nice location and plenty of positive comments about the new course.”

The atmosphere was unique, and if ever there was an event that catches the essence of a day in the hills in the sunshine, it’s the Builth Wells round of the MTB Marathon.
  2003

competition image


Merida Bikes TransWales '08
The 7 day MTB stage challenge.
Check the full story and the results on www.mtbtransuk.co.uk

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