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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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2005 |
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2005 Review
The biggest ever Merida 100 series lays the foundations for the shape
of the future.
2005 saw the introduction of the first ever UCI sanctioned marathon
World Cup series to hurl marathon riding into the limelight on a global
footing. Back at home, British Cycling introduced the first UK National
Marathon Champs which saw Merida 100 regular Nick Craig crowned king,
while the Merida 100 Series itself grew into the biggest ever series
this green and pleasant land has ever seen: A tough challenge given
its already significant expansion in 2004 but one that Mike, John,
and the rest of the team were more than equal to.
A total of 5,075 riders rode in the Merida 100 Series across six separate
event weekends with a choice of 14 distances in three countries to
make the 2005 series the biggest and best yet. Together with the courses,
the slick organisation, the riders, all the enthusiastic and dedicated
volunteers, and the Merida 100 team’s secret magic recipe, the
events stayed true to their heritage as the original and very best
mountain bike marathon series in the UK organised, according to Brian
Harrison, by “the true masters of mountain bike enduros,”
Following hot on the heels of 2004’s debutantes, Selkirk and
Bad Goisern, was the introduction of the first ever night time marathon,
the Exposure Lights Big Night Out (ELBNO); coupled together with an
all-new Spring marathon at Builth Wells to open the series in early
April, the event used totally fresh trail in a previously untouched
area surrounding the MTB-Marathon’s spiritual home. With almost
800 riders tackling one or even both rides with some serious night
time kicks before taking on the 70km day time challenge, the all-new
series opener proved a great success and will be back once more in
2006. “I really, really enjoyed that,” enthused reigning
National Marathon Champ, Nick Craig as soon as his lights cooled,
“Because it’s early in the season with two shorter distances
[ELBNO & Spring Marahon] you could do both and it was really great
to get out on the bikes.”
Taking on the baton passed to it by the Spring Marathon, the previous
series opener Rhayader got up to speed in double quick time to continue
the marathon momentum. 900 riders returned to Rhayader for a bank
holiday of sun dappled trails and great camaraderie. The sadistic
actions of a malignant bog failed to undermine riders’ enthusiasm
and gave many folks fodder for some particularly memorable post-ride
stories. Rhayader also saw the first of the very popular Pedro’s
Spins Saturday warm up rides that were present and correct for the
remainder of the series. Using a roughly 10 mile loop that took in
the cream of the close-by trails at each of the venues, the ‘Spins’gave
riders the perfect opportunity to stretch their legs after their journeys
in preparation for the next day’s marathon. Which, as it turned
out, was a stonker.
The Merida 100 circus returned to Builth for the Summer Marathon and
returned with a vengeance. The weather combined with the already taxing
course made it one of the toughest marathons ever, prompting riders
like Jay and Maddie Horton to exclaim: “Bloody hell, what a
monster!” and others simply to mutter breathlessly afterwards:
“God I hurt!” But all the riders reacted to the less than
ideal conditions by getting the bit between their teeth and relishing
in the challenge, with the pay off of Builth’s much-loved final
descent helping folks through their darker times and back to base
safe and sound, tired and exhausted but grinning from ear to ear.
The Merida 100 then jetted off for its return to the Salzgammergut
Trophy in Bad Goisern, Austria. The previous year saw the event host
the Marathon World Champs while 2005 kept up the world class tip with
a round of the first ever Marathon World Cup Series. The setting is
perfect marathon territory – being, as it is, based in the Austrian
Alps and a UNESCO World Heritage region – and, for those with
an extreme disposition, the 53km and 101km options were again joined
by the 203km course with its 50% drop out rate. Tougher, indeed, than
a pair of old hob nailed boots.
The penultimate round of the 2005 series saw the Merida 100 uproot
from Wales for only the second ever time to return to the phenomenal
Selkirk, Scotland. 2004 saw this event burst onto the marathon scene
to rapturous applause and an immediate cult status from both the riders
and media alike, and 2005’s return was anticipated to be the
event of the entire series. Unusually for soothsayers, the prediction
held true as Selkirk swelled to full-strength with 1,050 riders pitting
flocking to the new alter of British marathon riding on some of the
very best trails in the world, as voted for by IMBA (the International
Mountain Bike Association).
Once again, Ruthin in north Wales was the series’ rear guard
in mid-September. The course had been massively overhauled allowing
the Clwydian hills to once again hold their heads up high with a testing
and technical course framed with beautiful scenery. 1,100 riders descended
on the small town to get their final Merida 100 marathon kicks and
to see the season out in fine style.
“We were bloody lucky with the weather,” said co-organiser,
Mike Wilkens, of the 2005 series. “The events were well received
from everybody with lots of positive feedback however we are still
trying to move forward by adding more course distances so everybody
can find the right distance for them, joining forces with CycleActive
to give people the chance not just to improve their physical ability
but also their technical abilities,” he continued. “After
a fantastic start with the ELBNO it has established itself as a regular
feature and we’re keen to develop that in the future. We also
hope that we’re making it a more interesting and enjoyable event
for beginners and families as well as enthusiasts by offering more
on the side with a bigger event village and improved facilities, while
maintaining the relaxed atmosphere of camaraderie.”
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2005 |
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