Date: Sunday 24 June 2018
Event: NPS XC Round 4
Venue: Tracton Woods
Host club: MBCC

Course Description:
There are a few changes to the loop that we used at last year’s NPS due to bad weather and Coillte tree felling, but the club has worked very hard over the last couple of weeks to bring it back to its full glory!!  The course is approximately 4.3 km long with 190 metres of climbing per lap.  With the same start/finish as last year you head up the fire road for about 500m, take a sharp left and head straight up “B-line” which is approximately a 4-6 minute gradual long climb to the top. You then decend. The start is short and steep and then turns into a fast and flowy decent to the bottom of what’s called the “tunnel” where you come to a bridge and head up the hill.  Just over the bow of the hill you veer off right, still climbing, till you reach and ride over an open ditch. From here you’re on “M50”, some fast flowy single track with a few technical sections,  jumps and hairpins which then drops you to the next climb of the day “Hill of Death”. It is short but vo2 max.  After that you drop down what is known as the “Bomb Hole” and out through the “Minefield” which is full of roots. Next is “Playground” a tricky decent with some small jumps which will lead you back down onto the fire road where you can catch your breath before the last climb of the lap “Skylite”.  This takes you right to the highest point of the woods, along some fast, technical, off camber single trail before you start to drop down again onto “Rock and Roll”, a nice and fast section with flowy switchbacks which leads you on to the “Tnt” drop off to the fire road and back around to the start/finish.

The  youth course will be located close to the start/finish area and about 5 min walk from the main parking field.

Sign on: Tent by start/finish area

Race report 2017: here

Directions: Tracton woods
L3210, Tubbrid, Co. Cork, Ireland.
Click here to view in google maps – https://tinyurl.com/y8enlvb7
Co-ordinates: N51.761574, W8.392463

Race Timetable: 
09:00 – Sign on opens
10:00 – Under 6s fun race
10:15 – Under 8s
10:30 – Under 10s
10:50 – Under 12s
11:15 – Prize giving for Under 8s, 10s and 12s
12:00 – Under 16s, Senior 4 men, Senior 2 women, Senior 3 women, Under 14s
13:30 – Prize giving for Under 14s, Under 16s, Senior 4 men, Senior 3 women
14:00 – Senior 1 men, Juniors, Senior 1 women, Senior 2 men, Senior 3 men,
15:45 – Prize giving for S1 men, Juniors, S1women, S2 men, S3 men, S2 women

NOTE: SIGN ON CLOSES 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE START OF EACH RACE.

Senior beginners (S3 women – S4 men)
The sport will only grow when we attract new people to give cross-country racing a ‘go’.
For 2018 both the Senior 4 men and Senior 3 women have a reduced entry fee as per a proposal passed at the 2017 Cycling Ireland Off-road Commission AGM.
Also for 2018 the Senior 3 women’s race will share the Under 14s course as per a proposal passed at the 2017 Cycling Ireland Off-road Commission AGM.
Both the Senior 4 men and Senior 3 women’s races should last less than 60 minutes.

Under 6 race: The Under 6s race is just for fun. It is an introduction to off-road racing. It is all about the achievement of starting and finishing. If your child can complete the course with ease and is ready for the next challenge please have them try the Under 8s race instead. There is no lower age limit on the Under 8s race.

A and B lines: Where the course presents “A” and “B” line options, riders should take the line according to their ability. Participants who opt for the “A” line must not deliberately dismount, run or walk through the feature. Those who do so may be subject to time penalty or disqualification.

Practice times:
For the main course
09:00 – 11:45
13:15 – 13:45
Practice time is available on the Saturday afternoon.  – 3 pm to 5 pm
NO PRACTICE ALLOWED ON COURSES WHICH HAVE RACES GOING ON

Pre-registration: – OPEN
Until 22 June 2018 (8 pm)                 

To see who has entered click on the link here.  (Password to open – “TractonWoods”)

Catering: Mobile coffee van on site

Gridding: Will be based on the results from the current NPS league – but only for riders who pre-register AND pre-pay.

Notes: Ensure bicycles are in good working order and that bar-ends have been fitted.
No electric bikes or motorised bicycles permitted.
No cyclo-cross bicycles permitted.

Additional information:
None

Facilities: Tracton Woods
Car Parking: Parking will be in the field across from the Tracton Woods’ entrance . Please follow marshal’s instructions at all times.
Toilets: Portable toilets on site
Showers: No
Bike Wash: No
Café: Mobile coffee van on site.
Gazebos: Contact the host club if you are looking to erect a gazebo in the start/finish field.  Gazebos must be on-site before 9 am.

Host club website: MBCC
Race organiser: Brian McCarthy  (email)
Contact number: (ROI) 0879490080