Grizedale R6 2019 – Rider Briefing

Here is the rider and spectator information, we are aware there is a lot of information but please read it thoroughly, and know what you need to do and what rules to follow. More information will be added as we approach the event.

Reminder this is a ONE DAY EVENT, FC Grizedale will not be allowing access to any taped trails in the run up to the event – once taped it will be closed until the event, anyone on a taped stage without marshals (even a usually open trail, or something you often ride) will be penalised. If the FC ask us to DQ perpetrators of riding taped trails then we have too – you have been warned!  Stages will not be announced until sign on opens. This are additional rules to this event that we must follow to be allowed to use the forest.

Danger ! Racing mountain bikes is a dangerous sport. You should ensure you’re familiar with the warning signs, stages should not be hit at race speed until you are comfortable with your ability on each stage.

As always we rely on volunteer marshals to make these events a success, if you know somebody who would be interested please ask them to fill in the form on this page, we could do with a few extra marshals – please get it touch.

Round Sponsor is Grizedale MTB

Please follow our signs and marshal directions.  We have very limited space for very large/wide coachbuilt motorhomes in the “Kennels” car park. Our parking team will decide if your motorhome qualifies for parking here, but it does not include sprinter/transit/crafter size vans, they must be on the fire road. See yellow markings on the map below.

Due to the wet weather we’ve activated the alternative parking plans, field parking is not an option this weekend. Cars and vans will be parked on a fire road, large/wide coach built motor homes will be allowed on a small section of hard standing car park we have secured.

Those that raced the October 2017 event will know that backup plan and it works well. You will be a little further away from the visitor centre but the parking system works well and its way better than cancelling the event due to no parking. This is the 9th event PMBA Enduro have run at Grizedale and just the 2nd time the wet weather parking plan has been activated.

Please follow the marshal instructions and signs.  Please DO NOT attempt to park in the main Grizedale car park, if we cant keep the event from effecting the normal Go-Ape and Grizedale car parks this will end up as the last ever Grizedale enduro. Event traffic is defined as any vehicle carrying a person for the event, even if you have 3 people also in the car that are “going for a walk” or have a Grizedale season pass – if the FC see bikers in the car park I’ll get my ass kicked, even if you pay the £8 to park there.

All our parking is FREE to race event traffic.

Spectator Info
A route from the visitor centre to a designated viewing spot will be available.

Entry’s, Results & Series standings
Entry list is  HERE
Series standing will be available on this LINK
The results link for R6  will be HERE

What to expect?
ENDURO : 4 stages, 12 miles, 2400ft of elevation

The 5 Enduro Stages

Stage 1 – Loose lips – one of the Bogle crag “locals” descents we have bagged for the event. Starting straight into the rocky, rooty, gnar with a fun and flowy bottom section, the locals wanted to keep this one a secret – hence loose lips (sink ships).

Stage 2 – Viking – The Classic Grizedale enduro trail, almost 800ft of descent over 3 varied sections from Parkamoor to Coniston Water

Stage 3 – The Black – The only full trail centre stage, you want some huge air? Its possible on this stage.

Stage 4 – Blind mice & Bluebells – One of the trails we built for the 2017 national champs, then a big fire road sprint to bluebells, before another sprint down the end of the North face trail all the way back to race HQ. A very physical and technical stage, to end the event and series on.

Catering
On site cafe will be serving for the weekend.
Sunday they will open early at 8am for Bacon/sausage baps & tea/coffee.   Full menu available from later on in the morning.

Tyre Choice

We of course suggest the awesome Vittoria tyres, with superb 2-ply enduro sidewalls as well as grippy rubber compounds in a 4C construction, with graphene 2.0.

With plenty of fast sections we advise a MARTELLO  rear and up front for off piste grip than a MOTA up front . Ask at your local bike shop for these tyres, however Vittoria will also be providing technical support in our race arena and will have a range of tyres for racers on the day. If you do need tyres at the event there will be a special discounted price on tyres, air liners and sealant.

Race Arena and Technical support.

We are fortunate to have great support for you at the event, please support our sponsors as they support your event.

Sixth Element – Product Display & Advice; Team pit area
Orange Bikes – Pro-pit area
Sport Ident – Timing and results screens

Parking and race arena

There is NO CAMPING or overnight #VanLife possible at Grizedale. Please use the campsite down the road, or motorhomes can go to Hawkshead.

Official Photography

DialledinUK will be there snapping away for the Official race report and free photo album, but they also very much appreciate the support from Rootsandrain purchases. It’s what makes it possible for that team to show up and snap away!! They’ll be doing pics from £5 and full album sets of individual riders for £14 (best value by a mile) sets can be anything from 5 photos to 20+ photos, please try and support our little collective working to give you a great range of shots. Please do remember that these are for personal use, if your sponsors want to use them for commercial use (social post sharing is fine with photographer credit) then please get them to contact us.
DialledinUK is comprised of

Jerry Tatton  JWDT Photography
Adam Sherratt and Jerry Tatton are DialledinUK

Their space on roots and rain can be accessed here

Every entry is also a raffle ticket!
At the end of the series we have a raffle, for the 2 BIGGEST prizes of the year. We have a week’s holiday, with most meals at Ride Slovenia for two people; and a £3000 voucher for Orange Bikes to spend/put towards on whatever bike you want. Every entry is a raffle ticket!

KS – Style it up

Our instagram competition returns, grab some style in front of the photographers on our KS feature #KSStyleItUp and post on Instagram with the hashtag #KSdrop we’ll regram some.

Russell Spirit of Enduro Award

Every event the organisers, marshals, sign on staff and riders witness or hear about outstanding acts of resilience, bravery, kind heartedness and fellowship in the race community. So the “Spirit of Enduro Award” was born. So if you witness the spirit of enduro in someone, be they a rider, event staff, spectator or anyone else just fill in a form (in the sign on tent) to nominate them and we’ll present it to  worthy winner.

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday & Saturday.

Setup days – Grizedale Forest open as normal, however any taped stages will be closed

Sunday.

07:23 Sunrise

07.45 marshal brief

08.30 Sign On opens

08.45 Set off for practice
09.15 Stage 1 opens for practice

12.00 First racers off on race lap

14.30 Last racers off on race lap

17.30 podiums

18.00 done and dusted

18.37 Sunset

Sponsors are:  Hope Technology, Orange Mountain Bikes,  Vittoria Tyres, Sixth Element,  Datatag Security, Box Components, Sweet Protection,  KS Dropper Seatposts, Kirkby Lonsdale Brewery, Mudhugger, Saxx Underwear & Ride Slovenia.

The Venue:
Grizedale MTB, Grizedale Visitor centre, LA22 0QJ

Organisation:  SMK for PMBA Enduro

Race Director: Kev Duckworth email: pmbaenduroseries@gmail.com mobile: 07979 911337
Chief Marshal: Karen Long
Medics : Remote Medical Services – http://www.remotemedicalservices.co.uk/

Medical
RMS will be providing cover over the event. Full Medical Cover will be provided. Multiple 4 Wheel Drive Vehicles will be on hand if needed

Nearest A&E

It’s important you have a read of all the info here – It will answer almost any question you could possibly have, there is a lot here but please take the time to look through it…..

Fires – Fires are not permitted.

If you lose or damage your transponder you have to pay for it – The cost is £50.00

Parking is FREE for Sunday on our field only.

Camping for Caravans, Campervans & Tents – NOT Available onsite

Follow the instructions given by the parking marshals during the weekend

You MUST report to the set off point close to sign-on at your designated time to get your transponder switched on otherwise you will get no times for the stages, you will also receive a briefing before your race lap. Feel free to ask questions.

We will not confirm nor deny that Kev will be doing the rider briefing in briefs to highlight the comfort of the Saxx Underwear.   (Graythwaite 2018 was a one-off)

Red Flags / Yellow flags & Whistles: During practice Red and Yellow flags will be in use – The yellow flag means slow right down, There may be a rider on course or perhaps on the floor but out of the way. Red Flag means STOP This means what it says – There will be an incident ahead and someone’s safety is at risk if you continue. If this happens during your race run you should make your way back to the start of the stage and go again – When you arrive back at the finish you will notify the chief timer that you had a re-run and they will calculate your time.

Racing: Only red flags will be used in racing – If you are red flagged during racing, you should wait until you are given permission to continue by the Marshal, and then continue safely to the bottom and speak with the marshal who will let you know what you need to do.

Rider Etiquette: During practice and race you may come up on or be caught by another rider: Every rider must act in a polite safe manner at all times and permit any faster rider to overtake without obstructing. A reminder that all racers are roving marshals, if you see a rider needing attention you must shout to the next marshal and check with the finish marshal that your message was heard.

Track walk: It’s advised that you walk/inspect the trickier parts of the stages before riding – There are many features and varied terrain sections. Watch out for our 2/3 arrow caution/extreme caution signs to warn you of even trickier bits. If you see a Extreme caution sign there will be an easier rollable line which could be a separate taped line or within the main tapes.

Rules for Under 16 Riders
As organisers we have a duty of care to look after all our racers. Any racer that is under 16 years of age on the first day of the event must ride/race accompanied by an adult (Min age 18) support racer/rider. If the support rider does not wish to obtain an entry and race we will issue a wristband with ‘support rider’ and for this there is no charge – In this instance there will be no timings given and no transponder issued. The support rider/racer must accompany the youth rider for the duration of the event.

All PMBA Enduro events are available for ages 11+, however we strongly advise that parents entering children under 16 contact us beforehand, so we can advise you of what the event might entail and give you the information you need to make an informed judgement on the suitability of the event for your child.

Category changes for 2019

The main changes for 2019 are categories.  Working with BEMBA there has been an effort to standardise categories, and align with the Enduro World Series. This means we have dropped “Elite” and added U21 to the Mens, and in the women’s the highest age category is now Master 35+. To align with BEMBA/BNES Mens Categories U14/U16/U19 is now U15/U18/U21

EWS Cats (6)
Men : U21, Senior,  Vet/40+,
Women :  U21, Senior , Master/35+

BEMBA/BNES Cats (9)
Men :  U18, U21, Senior, Master/30+, Vet/40+, Grand Vet/50+
Women :  U21, Senior , Master/35+

PMBA Categories (12)
Men : U15, U18, U21, Senior, Master/30+, Vet/40+, Grand Vet/50+
Women : U16, U21, Senior , Master/35+
Unisex : Hardtail (additional category)

Ages are taken as age on 31st December 2019.

Go Pro’s / Action Cameras – We have been able to allow 1 new position for helmet cams this year, in race or practice. That is a factory fitted helmet mount. However we have clarified the rules on peak mounting, this must only be on top of the peak, not below. Please be aware it will be the start marshals call, if they are not sure you will be asked to remove it. If you are, please do not argue, they are doing their job; as always abuse of our marshals will not be tolerated. Stick on mounts may be fitted to your helmet, but not used, however we do advise against using stick on mounts to your helmet at all.

Please remember these are for your safety. Start marshal discretion is final on these rules, if they don’t like a “legal” mount for any reason please respect their judgement. These are in line with current UCI recommendations.

ALLOWED
Bike Mounts – below cockpit level
On top of Peak 
Manufacturer fitted helmet mount

Transitions: It’s compulsory to follow the marked transitions on your race lap, please obey marshals instructions.

Whistles: Every time a rider passes a Marshal they will blow his/her whistle. This lets people around know that there is a rider about and it also lets you know that in the instance of hearing a second whistle as you pass then there is someone right behind you.

If you see an injured rider: Please acknowledge you have seen them and continue to the next marshal to report the incident. If your race run is affected you are authorised to have a re-run

Spectators : Spectators are advised to follow marshal instructions, stay out of the taped zone and not to stand in crash areas. Please be aware of safety signs erected close to the track.

Photographers: A spectator with a camera is not a photographer, actual professional or amateur photographers who can show PLI & attend a safety briefing can get a special wristband and have access almost all area’s. Please note that venues such as Grizedale also require permission sought from the FC themselves also, with risk assessment – you can contact John at Grizedale for details of this.

Respect the officials and helpers & Follow instructions given: Anyone found to be swearing or giving abuse to any of our Event Staff whether that be Marshals, Timers, Helpers, Medics etc will be asked to leave the event. If you have a problem whether you’re racing or perhaps on behalf of your son or daughter then come and talk to any of the core team. (Organiser Kev  or Chief Marshal Karen) or any stage manager or marshal.
Those that know us always find we are reasonable and willing to listen and will help or advise the best we can.

Careful driving to event: Please be advised that when driving to the venue to be cautious while driving.

Toilets   : Permanent facilities are available

Litter: Please take your litter home with you. Please if you can check around your car before leaving. Litter includes goggle tear offs, inner tubes and gel wrappers – all these cannot be disposed of onto the floor, even during a race stage.

Race Timing: You will be issued with a timing chip on Sunday morning. You will be 100% responsible for ensuring that your transponder stays with you failure to do so will result in your time not being recorded. You will be able to set off 5-30 seconds behind the rider in front or as instructed by the marshal.

Armour: There are no specific armour rules for this event. Only that a helmet is compulsory. Full face helmet is advised. Knee pads & gloves are strongly advised. We can’t advise strongly enough that knee pads, gloves & long sleeves should really be worn. We expect some riders to use full faces helmets on the stages but remind you that unless you are walking with your bike a helmet is 100% compulsory to be worn at all times, correctly fastened

Health & Safety: Anyone wearing headphones whilst riding on course (with a bike) will be disqualified – No second chances. You have been warned! Helmets worn correctly at all times whilst between the tape. No pushing back up the track during practice or racing, no walking the course during race runs. Absolutely no travelling in the wrong direction on the stages at any time. The arrows will lead you to the next stage, or if you wish to session a stage you may need to consult the trail map for a suitable route.

BAR END PLUGS MUST BE FITTED – You will not be allowed to enter the course without them

Self Sufficiency : No outside assistance is allowed and no racers riding as domestiques. However helping a fellow competitor is actively encouraged, just not one team member carrying a huge backpack of spares while others race without.

You will see a number of the rules and regulations require you do to certain things at certain times – Failure to adhere to these rules could result in you having to ride back to the car park, go back down the field or be disqualified – I’ve tried to make it simple and straight forward for everyone.

SMK/PMBA Enduro reserves the right to modify or cancel the event if circumstances beyond the control of the organiser should arise. This includes cancellation of event due to extreme weather, acts of God, violence, civil disobedience and war.
If the event is cancelled we will not be liable for costs of travel fares, hotels, or any other expenses that may be incurred.
It is your responsibility to ensure the race is going ahead before travelling. We will do our best to inform you if the race has to be cancelled but we do not accept liability if we are unable to contact you. We strongly advise that you check before making travel and accommodation arrangements.
If the event is cancelled we would endeavour to reschedule if possible. Please be aware that we may be unable to refund or part refund any entry fee. We also may be unable to transfer your entry to another event.

See you all at the event; Kev as well as other members of the team will be around on Saturday and Sunday so feel free to ask any questions.

Regards
Kev Duckworth – Series Promoter