{"id":18509,"date":"2019-10-31T13:53:25","date_gmt":"2019-10-31T13:53:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/muckmedden.co.uk\/?p=18509"},"modified":"2020-02-25T08:33:32","modified_gmt":"2020-02-25T08:33:32","slug":"uks-most-spectacular-enduro","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/muckmedden.co.uk\/2019\/10\/31\/uks-most-spectacular-enduro\/","title":{"rendered":"Fair City Enduro 2019 – The UK’s Most Spectacular Enduro"},"content":{"rendered":"

The UK’s most spectacular Enduro just got even more spectacular-er<\/em> <\/strong><\/h3>\n

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Last weekend our very own Fair City Enduro further cemented its reputation as the UK\u2019s most spectacular Mountain Bike Enduro.\u00a0 Come on, what did you expect?\u00a0 Where else can you see a Mermaid pull a suicide no-hander through a cloud of green smoke? (apart from in your dreams when you’ve eaten too much cheese on toast).<\/p>\n

As seems to be the way these days, tickets sold out weeks ahead of race day with over four hundred and seventy sign ups and a big waiting list.\u00a0 Absolutely amazeballs!\u00a0 After months of dig days to get the trails running and draining sweetly (thanks to all the trailbuilders!), with three weeks to go the heavens opened and it didn’t stop raining for a fortnight.<\/p>\n

Bang goes all those buff berms, or should I say…..splat?\u00a0 \ud83d\ude41<\/p>\n

With one week to go there was still an unsettled forecast but at least the rain had stopped.\u00a0 Maybe, just maybe, the trails would dry up before race day?<\/p>\n

By the time we started course-taping on Thursday things were looking up.\u00a0 The trails had gone from super-slippy to super-tacky and the forecast for the weekend was looking good.\u00a0 The weather Gods were smiling down upon us and it looked like conditions would be near perfect.\u00a0 Ya dancer!<\/p>\n

Red Bull Rampage just happened to be live on TV the night before the race, so once we’d finished taping the Muckmarshals headed to the offices of our Sponsors Smart and Co. to watch the action unfold on the big screen in their media room.\u00a0 Pizza, beer and Red Bull Rampage is the perfect way to get stoked for race day!\u00a0 Thanks to Graeme and Doug at Smart & Co. for supplying the biggest pile of pizza I’ve ever seen and to Black Isle Brewery for sending down a few cases of delicious #MTBeer for the crew.\u00a0 Absolute legends!<\/p>\n

After the usual sleepless night going through every possible worst case scenario that might happen on race day (an angry goose is unlikely to pop the Haglofs arch, but it could happen..) the alarm went off and I pulled back the curtains of the Muckin’ caravan to reveal a crystal clear (but still dark) sky.\u00a0 Even at this un-godly hour you could tell the sun was coming out to play.<\/p>\n

The crew set up the start\/finish area and got the tunes on whilst caterers and traders trickled into the event village and a constant stream of vans and cars headed into the car park.\u00a0 I grab the timing stations and head up to the Marshal briefing.\u00a0 Was that E.T. I just spotted in the car park?\u00a0 It’s going to be a good day.<\/p>\n

8am – Kinnoull Shed<\/strong><\/p>\n

Old-hand Muckmarshals catch up, whilst first timers wonder what the heck they’ve gotten themselves into.\u00a0 Tom the Safety Officer gives his usual reassuring safety briefing to Marshals and Medics before we hand out course maps, radios, lunches and the familiar orange vests.\u00a0 All the Muckmarshals help themselves to one of our fancy new Muckmarshal mugs and merchandise from the box of delights before getting into position on course.\u00a0 It’s almost time for the first wave to leave the event village and excitement is building in the forest.<\/p>\n

9am – South Inch, Perth<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first wave departs the event village.\u00a0 Riders from all corners of the UK (and in various states of crazy fancy dress) climb high above the city in the autumnal sunshine to enjoy spectacular views of the River Tay on the way to the summit of Deuchny Hill.\u00a0 Riders have seven timed stages to ride today, ending with the infamous \u201cCliff Run\u201d descent to Perth.<\/p>\n

As always, some riders were there to embrace the fancy-dress theme, have a laugh and enjoy the fantastic trails on offer, while others put their game faces on as they sought to earn points for the coveted 2020 Enduro World Series.\u00a0 Everyone enjoyed blue skies, sunshine and the laid-back Fair City Enduro vibe.\u00a0 The sun was shining, queues were minimal, the trails were running sweetly and Team Muck were on form.\u00a0 What an amazing bunch they are (insert huggy\/love emoji here).<\/p>\n

As far as the racing went, local boy Ruaidhri Forrester stormed a packed field to take the overall win for a THIRD time, confirming that he really is the king of FCE.\u00a0 The fastest female was Jessie May Morgan (MSC Tires UK) who put in a fantastic set of stage times to beat all-comers on the day and become the seventh fastest female in as many years.\u00a0 Who’ll be the first female to take the title twice?<\/p>\n

Special shout out to the riders who were representing any of our Sponsors on the day.\u00a0 Graeme from Smart & Co. was our lead rider and checked all tape and signage was in place before the race started, Sixth Element’s Mike Clyne took the overall in Vets, whilst Keith and Lindsay from Terra Venture swept all seven stages dressed as devils on their MSC Tandem!\u00a0 Tom from Comrie Croft Bikes took the Hardtail victory and the “E-Power Rangers” from Progression Bikes stormed the Ebike category.\u00a0 Well done all.<\/p>\n

I won’t go into the other details of the race too much, but you can click here<\/span><\/strong><\/a> if you want to pour over the full results and here<\/span><\/strong><\/a> to view the full image gallery, there are some absolute beauties in there!\u00a0 Well done to everyone who made an effort to get dressed up and embraced the “spirit of FCE” on the day.<\/p>\n

I tried to capture the day from an event organiser’s point of view on my GoPro and the results were…\u2026.well, check it out below to find out.\u00a0 Let’s just call it “art”.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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