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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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Builth Wells Event Review
The original and best underlines its heritage with the longest and
toughest ever MTB-Marathon course.
The Merida 100 circus returned to Builth Wells last year for a second
time but the birthplace of the MTB Marathon Series showed no signs
of becoming over the hill and retiring from the limelight to draw
its fat tyre pension. Instead, it upped the stakes to produce one
of the very toughest rounds the series has ever seen with a completely
different set of courses to the earlier ELBNO/Spring Marathons.
John had been working hard to add in some fresh singletrack for Builth
regulars, the majority of which lay on the longer courses in the forests.
Unfortunately the weather threw a last minute stiff link into the
plan by dropping a brief but heavy drenching of rain on the Saturday
night. Despite the sun’s best efforts on the Sunday, some of
the new trails just couldn’t dry out and the already challenging
proposition of the full 100km became considerably harder going.
“I thought people would find it really too tough,” Mike
revealed openly, “and that we would get a fair amount of negative
response complaining about how hard it was. But we didn’t. The
riders all said it was a toughie but they appreciated the challenge
of it. But,” he continued, “we will be reigning it in
this year so it’s not such a monster.”
As ever with Builth, the 50km route took in a huge slice of open moor
land with a smattering of forest trails and some big ring pedal to
the metal sections, whilst the cream of the forest trails were the
preserve of the longer 70 and 100km options. But all 1,100 riders
shared the crescendo of the final descent back into Builth which,
for the regulars, is the carrot on the stick with it’s fast
opening gambit off the top of the moor before it steepens into shrouded
singletrack that eventually twists its way home. “The thought
of the last descent kept me going through all the hard sections in
the first half,” revealed Matthew Wyatt of his 100km ride.
But Builth wasn’t simply the preserve of veteran marathoners:
there were plenty of first timers earning their first Merida 100 stripes
too. “I’ve attended several similar events over the last
couple of years but never a Merida 100,” Andrew told the team
afterwards. “It was fantastic; the food stops were truly motivating
as well as essential, the pasta was lovely, the campsite and facilities
were better than one could hope for and the t-shirt was a bonus. The
ride was great, with more challenging sections than other similar
events which served to wake me up. I didn’t get a massage but
hey, you can’t have everything!”
Both parties agree that Builth was indeed “a monster”,
and despite John’s concern that the damp conditions coupled
with the distance had made it “too hard” riders doggedly
fought their way through it all and succeeded in taming the beast
for all its intrinsic reward: “Although I came in about eleventh
from last,” said Martin Zepler, “I couldn’t stop
grinning on my journey home!” Yes, Builth in 2005 was bloody
hard but for some, like Peter Turnbull, that’s exactly how you
seem to like it: Builth was “a ‘proper’ enduro:
a testing course with lots of variety. I know I will be back for more
of the same next year.” His sentiment echoed by many others,
including Jay and Maddie Horton: “Despite all of our moaning
and groaning, we’ll see you at the next one!”
Builth is still the Daddy and still takes its seat at the head of
the Merida 100 table with enough vitality left in it to give its offspring
a serious run for their money. Both one of the biggest and most definitely
the toughest events of last year, 2006 looks set to lay the scene
for a re-match for many marathoners with unfinished business. The
weather is at the whim of the gods but with John and the team determined
to produce a weatherproof but challenging alternative to the behemoth
of last year, the odds are looking good for those scores to be settled.
With the all-new mini-marathon lined up and much more besides, Builth
will have something to offer both the die hard and the novice marathoners
in equal measure. |
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2005 |
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