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Vattenfall Innerleithen Classic Enduro
Event: 28th - 29th May
Promoted by: Innerleithen MTB Racing
Venue: Traquair Forest, Innerleithen
Report: Helen Findlay
Event Details
It wasn't picnic weather this weekend but that didn't dampen the mountainbikers' enjoyment at the Vattenfall Classic Enduro.
Riders raced over two days on the course designed by Steve Deas of i-Cycles in Innerleithen. They came from all over the UK to take on the Visit Tweed Valley, The Bike Lodge and i-Cycles stages on Saturday. The race was held over two days on a circuit of around 30km, with times recorded for completing special stages during the day. These times were added together for each rider to give their overall time for the Enduro.
After day one, it was clear that the battle was back on between local man Gary Forrest (pictured) and former world class Downhiller Crawford Carrick-Anderson. 20 seconds had separated them at the Winter Enduro in January, and at close of play on saturday only 4 seconds lay between them, with Gary sharing fastest time with Chris Buchan.
Saturday night entertainment was provided by the Dual Slalom, a short sharp style of racing where 2 riders take each other on over the short grassy course in an elimination contest. David Winton took the victory for the Seniors and Niall Morrison the Juniors.
On Sunday there were some tired legs in the carpark, but nothing could keep the riders back from the challenge of the Aim-up, Traquair Arms and Innerleithen MTB Racing stages, and it was all smiles as they finished at the bottom of the hill in the sunshine.
After a fun afternoon of racing, Gary Forrest took the victory in the overall with a finishing time of 28.51. Crawford Carrick-Anderson won the Vets race in 28.59, Niall Morrison the Juniors in 34.50. Emma Guy was fastest woman of the weekend with a time of 39.06. Cash prizes and bike clocks went to the fastest male and female riders and vouchers from Alpine Bikes for the rest of the podium places. Full results are available here: http://www.innerleithenmtbracing.com
We spoke to Gary after the race: "I had a great race, rode pretty clean and only made one mistake when I lost my bike on a corner so happy with that. It was good to race on some nice natural trails, Steve at i-Cycles designed a cracking course".
Colin Ormston, Vattenfall's Head of Onshore Wind Development UK who presented the prizes on Sunday said: "Vattenfall are really pleased to get behind this event which provides such a unique mountainbiking experience. It has been a fantastic weekend and by supporting the Vattenfall Innerleithen Classic Enduro as part of our continued commitment to the community we hope to contribute to success of building sustainable tourism in the Scottish Borders."
The organisers Innerleithen MTB Racing would like to extend their thanks to Vattenfall for supporting their event and their ongoing support to the community, and to all the local people who helped to run the event and contributed to a brilliant weekend at the Vattenfall Innerleithen Classic Enduro.
Next event at Innerleithen is the Tweedlove Crosslove race at St Ronan's primary school on 17th June. Check the Tweedlove website for details.
British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.
