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NEWS... |
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03.08.10 Selkirk event report HERE>> |
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28.07.10 Selkirk Event News HERE>> |
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06.07.10 Grassington event report HERE>> |
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30.06.10 News update before the Yorkshire round HERE>> |
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24.06.10 IMPORTANT NEWS from the Grassington Round HERE>> |
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25.05.10 News and Photos from the Builth Marathon HERE>> |
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21.05.10 News from the Builth event showground HERE>> |
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19.05.10 Only a couple of days before the Builth event, latest HERE>> |
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26.04.10 Youtube videos and more from the first event HERE>> |
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19.04.10 News report from the first of this years Marathons HERE>> |
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09.04.10 News from the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells...HERE>> |
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06.04.10 Only a couple of days to go before the first event of 2010 - latest event news HERE>> |
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26.03.10 Only a couple of weeks to go before the 1st event of the 2010 season will kick off at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells...HERE>> |
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15.03.10 Temperatures are still low but there is no denying that spring is trying its best to break through. And with spring approaching the 1st round of the Chain Reaction Cycles MTB Marathon Series powered by Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport can’t be far away. In fact we are talking only four weeks from now. HERE>> |
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10.02.10 For 2010 the Chain Reaction Cycles MTB Marathon Series is being supported by Mercedes-Benz and the Mercedes-Benz Vito Sport van. This versatile vehicle delivers on style without compromising practicality. The Vito Sport will be on site at the event, showing off its assets and why it’s got the mountain bikers’ seal of approval.HERE>> |
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2009 News HERE>> |
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2008 News HERE>> |
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2006 |
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2006 Review: Builth Wells Summer
Marathon
The Jewel In The Crown
From one extreme to the other, the sun comes out to play with a vengeance
whilst Builth sees its greatest courses ever…
Following on from the muddy attrition of Rhayader where India’s
full quota of monsoon rains had fallen in the lead up just one month
before, the 2006 Merida Bikes MTB Marathon homecoming to Builth Wells
for the Summer Marathon could not have been more blisteringly different.
Builth was the recipient of scorching hot sunshine that guaranteed
buff and scarily fast trail conditions. The 2006 series definitely
swung from one extreme to the other.
Set in the beautiful and unspoilt landscape of mid-Wales on the banks
of the winding river Wye, Builth Wells is the spiritual home of the
Merida Bikes MTB Marathon Series with a long standing and unbroken
pedigree. Set amidst rolling and broiling hills peppered with woodlands
and blanketed by open moor land, preening valleys and a landscape
shaped by majestically ancient and on-going geological processes,
Builth is right on the doorstep of some of the highest quality trails
in the UK. Having already hosted the ELBNO and Spring Marathon season
opener earlier in April, the main event Summer Marathon – together
with its full compliment of 25, 50, 75 and 100km marathon distances
– was about to unleash nothing less than the very best trails
that Merida Bikes MTB Marathon main-man and course designer extraordinaire,
John Lloyd, could muster.
The introduction of the new 25km Mini Marathon, CycleActive’s
skills tuition for both adults and children alike, the full-fat events
village swollen to capacity, the Saturday Pedro’s Spin warm-up
rides, and the focus on entertainments for non-riders – including
the screening of the football World Cup matches courtesy of the 42in
Merida Bikes MTB Marathon plasma screen TV – led to the campsite
swelling significantly with 1,100 riders and many more non-riding
entourages making a full weekend of it; it has also led to many parent
and child as well as family entrants tackling the 25km Mini Marathon
on the Sunday which, in our book, was truly a great sight to behold.
The Merida Bikes MTB Marathon family is growing like never before
and mountain biking families have definitely arrived. Welcome to the
fold.
Sunday itself saw temperatures in excess of 30°C much to the delight
of the ice cream lady in the event village who was making a killing.
But the heat brought a double edged sword to bear on proceedings:
the dry and quick running trails led to great riding with many riders
chomping at the bit to squeeze out every last mph of speed from both
themselves and their steeds, whilst the unforgiving heat remained
unrepentant with many riders suffering under its ferocious onslaught.
But the good news was that there was very little black top on the
courses: John had done a fine job of maximising the dirt, throwing
in lashings of singletrack, Garbanzo descents, and doing his utmost
to lay on unforgettable trails for the pedal happy marathoners. “It
was amazing,”’ said one rider who had travelled as far
a field as the Isle of Mann, “With very little tarmac or fire
roads, this was a magnificent feat of applied local knowledge and
access negotiation – as an event organiser myself I know how
long that can take. The course was truly superb and contained so many
absolute gems along the way. Brilliant!”
If Budweiser is the King of Beers then Builth Wells is without doubt
the King of MTB Marathons: even after seven years and eleven mountain
bike marathons it continues to come up trumps, surprising both virgin
and veteran Builth Wells marathoners alike time and time again. With
John ever on the hunt for great trails to put together for the greatest
mountain bike marathon courses, and co-organiser Mike rounding out
the Merida Bikes MTB Marathon experience for all at the event village,
then Builth looks set to build on it’s already rock steady foundations
in 2007 and beyond. Go to http://www.mtb-marathon.co.uk/events/builth_wells.php
to see what aces they have up their sleeves for this coming season.
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2006 |
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