Llangollen BNES 2022 – Rider Briefing

Here is the rider and spectator information, we are aware there is a lot of information but please do not use this as an excuse for not reading it thoroughly, and knowing what you need to do and what rules to follow. More information will be added as we approach the event.

Danger!
Racing mountain bikes is a dangerous sport. You should ensure you’re familiar with the warning signs and tracks 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,  if anyone has friends or family with them who can marshal please get them to sign up.  Handy way to spectate with no spectators allowed.

Round Sponsor is One Giant Leap Llangollon

Parking, camping and race arena

We have camping, sign on, parking and toilets all in the sheep farm where OGL is located.

Dogs are welcome – but please pick up after them, and be aware we are on a sheep farm with sheep in neighbouring fields.
Spectating is restricted to the lowest area of stage 5, you will not be allowed onto the bulk of the hillside for spectating.

You must camp with 2M gaps between camp’s for fire safety, and you must not have more than 2x11kg gas canisters in any campervan. Please locate, and take note of your nearest fire point, and if you do not know how to use a fire extinguisher please Watch this video before arriving

Tan Y Graig, Llangollen LL20 8AR
Google maps – dropped pin

Entry’s, Results & Series standings
Entry list is HERE

The results link  will be HERE  bear in mind there will be LIVE TIMING on the day, so you will be to check this link to see the times after each stage. The upload box will be on the main finish field exit / route to the next stage. If you visit the campsite and dont go out the correct exit you will not get an update. You can bob through the upload area from the road if you want, and get an upload.  Results will update online within 10 mins, so by the time you are at the next stage you will be able to check the previous stage times.

What to expect?
Fast, rough and steep DH tracks with some “enduro” link sections. Tightly packed onto 1 hillside with 1 way up to all stages.

5 Stages  

Stage 1 – Gentle Giant
The main line with a little tweaking, the easiest stage of the day.

Stage 2 – Einherjar
Starting a little further down the hill this is the stage Kev built last year, improved again for 2022.

Stage 3 – Ride the Lightning
The lowest elevation start of the day, but that just means you are eased into the stage, its just straight into the guts of the hillside.

Stage 4 – Gully line
While based around the upper part of “Ride Portugal” the roughest DH track on the hillside the gully end is full enduro and is also “the stage with the climb” contrasting the first half of the stage with the rest its really a stage of 2 halves.

Stage 5 – Esquilo
Using parts of Son of Squirrel and Ride Portugal this was stage 1 in 2019 and its steepness surprised many, improvements for 2021 were well received and will be used again.

Total lap stats
12 miles
3800ft elevation

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 having booked dry weather we advise a MARTELLO rear, and up front the new MAZZA. Ask at your local bike shop for these tyres.

Race Arena and Technical support.

Beartrax – Llangollen’s local bike shop will be onsite for tech support and spares
Vittoria – Showing the excellent tyre selection
Loaded bikes – for all your bike storage and transportation needs
Podium catering – for the hungry
Bar and Bean coffee and drinks – for the thirsty
Sign on and timing.
Portable toilets and showers.

JWDT will be there snapping away for the Official race report and free photo album, but they also very much appreciate the support from Roots and rain purchases. It’s what makes it possible for that team to show up and snap away!! They’ll be doing pics from £5.75 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.
Jerry Tatton  JWDT Photography

Other Photographers

Please email me if you want a photographer band, without a pass there will be no stage access. We are on private land, and there is no spectating catered for the bulk of the stages. You will need a risk assessment and PLI.

Prizes
We will be having podiums at Llangollen – top 5 for every category. A reminder that the only chance to claim your prize is at the prize presentation, we do not post prizes.

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday

Setup days – no part of stages/race arena are open to the public, our course marking team are on the stages so for their safety please keep away.

Friday.

Midday : Race arena opens, free camping available. Portable loos & showers on site. Course walks possible.

Saturday.

Marshal Brief 08:30

Sign on will be open from 09:15 – ** Select your Sunday start wave**
Catering open from the morning – time TBA
Practice starts 09.30 from arena – Stages open 10am.
Practice finishes 17.30 – stages closed after this time.

Sunday.

08:00 marshal brief

08:20 Timing chip collection opens for women.

08:30 First riders depart (Womens only group)

08:30 Timing chip collection opens for men.

08:45 First mixed group departs

09:00 Stage one opens

12:00 All racers have departed

12:30 first racers back

17:30 last racers back

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

The Venue:
Tan Y Graig, Llangollen LL20 8AR
https://goo.gl/maps/JTe33xjxF682oyjB9

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.
A full medical plan to ensure we are not reliant on NHS services has been produced under CV19 guidelines.

Nearest A&E

Timing
As per all PMBA Enduro events, we will be using the awesome SI Air+ contactless timing system, the preferred system of the Enduro World Series.

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 – on ground Fires are not permitted – you will be ejected from the site.

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

Parking is FREE for the whole long weekend, Friday-Monday.

Camping for Caravans, Campervans & Tents – FREE for the whole long weekend, Friday-Monday.

Follow the instructions given by the parking marshals during the weekend

Race lap: The exact start times will be confirmed/selected on the weekend. Competitors will set off individually – choose your start time at sign on

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.

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. **Be aware if the marshal chooses to wear a face covering there will not be a whistle**

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 – please try to give maximum space to overtakers.

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/chaperone. 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.

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

Ages are taken as age on 31st December 2022.

Go Pro’s / Action Cameras –  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.  **Be aware if the marshal chooses to wear a face covering there will not be a whistle**

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 not banned, however there is little spectator areas provided.

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 areas. Please note that we will be required to restrict photography/media passes at this event.

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. There are narrow roads and you may be required to stop and reverse if 2 vehicles meet going opposite directions. Parking will be on grass

Toilets & Showers  : Portable 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