The Final XC NPS of 2011!

Date: Sunday 14 August 2011
Event: NPS Round 6 (Final NPS round)
Venue: Castlewellan Forest
Host club: XMTB McConvey Cycles

Full details (videos, Garmin routes etc..) can be found on the Ulster XC site HERE

Online registration is now open and will close on 12th August at 8pm!

Race Fees: Adults: £18 (€20) *, Juniors: £9 (€10) *, Youth: Free
* Please note that there will be a £5/€5 penalty for adults registering on the day.

All proceeds from the penalty fee will be donated to St Johns Ambulance. All riders are advised to pre-register for the event as this greatly helps the organisers to ensure accurate and quick results following the finish of races.

 

Course Description: This year’s main course will be a familiar one to those who raced the Ulster Series here in 2010. Located at the far end of the lake the 4.6km (2.8 mile) track twists, turns, climbs and descends through the forest using the forest paths, fire roads and a number of single track sections.

As has been the setup for the past number of years the lap starts and finishes on the main fire road adjacent to the lake. From the start line the riders will have approx 500m of gently rising fire road on which to spread out and battle for position before turning into the first single track section. Upon reaching the traditional top of the first climb the track continues upwards this year for the senior riders taking you towards the highest point of the lap. The Under 14s will split at this point rejoining at ‘Spaghetti Junction’. Before topping out however the track takes a left into the second section of single track called the Archer’s Trail. This trail has a bit of everything with tight technical ascents and descents as well as fast flowing corners and a number of stone walls and drops to negotiate.

Climbing from the Archer’s Trail you have a quick burst back on the fire road climb before entering the next single track. A tight and technical climb with multiple lines takes you to the top of the mountain and onto the ‘Loggers Trail’. First used last year due to felling operations, the Loggers trail is fast and flowy ending with a number of steep drops. The main loop then joins with the Under 14’s course and both then make the final decent of ‘Moorish Tower’ and the ‘Waterfall’.

A quick blast along the fire road takes the riders out towards the Cypress pond. In a change to last year’s course the track cuts off early utilising a section first used by Banbridge CC to cut across and join the Cypress Pond Trail. This last kilometre of trail passes surprisingly quickly and before you know it you’ll be dropping into the iconic section above the finish line. The two wall crossings and the final drop into the finish will demand concentration right to the end.

The Under 8’s, 10’s and 12’s all have new laps for this year. All are located at the top of the start straight and use a stretch of the fire road and the area of forest on its right.