EPIC will be running an Introduction to XC racing in Djouce Woods on 12th july 2009.
Its one lap of the NPS course.
Its approx 7k long, technical and extremely enjoyable.
It will kick off at 12.00 along with the Sports racers.
Its €5 to enter, but you must get a one day licence on the day which is €15 .

This event is designed to test yourself and your ability to race or just have the craic, bear in mind that it this course is one of the most challenging XC NPS courses. Djouce being one of the finest places to ride your mountainbike.

Don’t miss it!

There might even be Prizes !!

Sign-on starts at 9.00 on the day.
EPICMTB

UPDATE:
On-line sign-on is now open for this event- click HERE.
Please ensure to enter online as this helps the hosting club a huge amount in the administration and organisation of the race.

The final XC NPS race of the year (NPS round Eight) is being ran in Djouce Woods, Co Wicklow by EPICMTB on July 12th 2009.
The 2009 NPS has been the most successful and hotly contested XC NPS in years and all riders are focussing their energies on putting their best performances in for this last race.

Richie Byrne and his team of expert trailbuilders have been very busy mattocking, raking, lopping and shovelling  some amazing additions and extensions to an already excellent MTB venue that is Djouce woods.
Djouce is undoubtedly one of the best venues in Ireland to ride and race your mountainbike, and this year’s course is will pay testament to that.

The course for NPS 8 is a different one to previous years, with the emphasis as usual on technical riding and almost DH style descents.
EPICMTB believe if it’s not hard and it’s not fun, then it’s not worth doing.

This course is 100% rideable, fast and twisty in places with only one handy fireroad and the hard-working club have built at least 4 new sections.
You will love it.
EPICMTB are also running a one lap Introductory category alongside the sports race for complete beginners.

The start will be in farmer Keegan’s adjacent to the lower car park, big thanks to Michael Keegan for letting the club use his field again.
Red Tag Timing will once again be looking after the timing, MTB Philanthropist Mark Kenny and K Capital Source are sponsoring the event.

Course preview:

From the field, the course will take you up XTC and left to the middle car park, then over the humps beside the road, Robin used for his Djouce Trail Challenge, then there’s a right hander into a new stretch of single track called Vertex.

This twists through the trees and comes back out on to part of the existing trail but straight away turns right onto the start of one of the fastest singletrack anywhere.
After a good long blast you come onto Robin’s Catskin trail – a bit of off camber mayhem and then on to the double track on the side of the dried up lake.
Then its rightwards and onto the walking track with the short steep climb, then a hairpin right on to an old, old singletrack that leads you to a bit of a fierce singletrack climb, this is the start of Supernova, which will bring you up and on to an area of felled forest

Across this at a gallop until a fast descent brings you back own on to the walking track, then its a lefthander back along the walking track and then a handy right on to an old DH track built by either Ross Rosengrave or Keith Brock or maybe both.
Its deadly, watch the roots.

Then back on to another old track, called Gwangi..along this and up towards the middle car park before turning left on to LimeJuicer hold on to your hats!

Then right back on to Gwangi at warp speed, before a sketchy fast left turn on to steep track with another almost immediate left hand turn and in to Fartknocker.

Take the turns fast and drifty till you drop steeply on to a fireroad, then right away on to the savage climb made famous by the K Cap Cup last year, up over the jump and back on to Gwangi again, then down on to the fireroad climb for a rest.

Up towards the lower car park before hanging a right beneath XTC and up the double track..then onto another Robin trail Bulldog but only for a short time before you take a quick left and on to Screwtop and a singletrack climb back up on to the doubletrack, and away you go back up to the finish line.
You have to do this race even just to ride the amazing course.

Sign on will be available online and on the day from 9:00am

Schedule:

Sign-on opens at 9.00am

Youth races start at 11.00

Sports, Under 14, under 16 and Introductobots at 12.00

Elite men 1.30

Elite ladies 1.31

Experts 1.32

Juniors 1.33

Vets 1.34

Masters 1.35

Thanks to the Offroad Commission of Cycling Ireland, Coillte, Mark Kenny, Grange Motors for their support in running this event.

Lap profile below.
Looking like an approx. 28 min loop (timed by a top 3 Master) so likely 3 lap affair for Master/Expert/Junior/Vet 2 laps for Sport/Ladies/Under16, 1 lap for Under 14, laps will be confirmed on the day.

Ok racers!
Distance and estimated lap time to follow but the route goes a little like this:

Start off with a short flat blast sprint along a fireroad to loosen up the pack before pulling a left hander up the wide dirt path.
Pick your lines to roll along the hardpack and avoid the big rocks and then through the short section of singletrack with the big roots before popping out onto the next fireroad section and veering right.
This fireroad is going to be a dual-way affair (like Carlingford was).
On the lead-out it may seem long as it stretches off up towards the 3rock aerials but at race pace you won’t be longing spinning along it, and you’ll be glad of the regular pace after the intense and extensive singletrack beforehand.

Up to the crest of the hill with great views out to Dublin Bay when you lift your eyes for half a second before ripping right into T-Connector – a peaty path through thick gorse peppered with the odd big lump of granite or two.

Out of the peat and onto very fast hardpack with a series of small dips and rocky outcrops to test your speedy-tech skills.

Then into the winding and much favoured single track section: Rock n Roll.

2 new extensions have been added to this trail since the MAX-XC to add more challenge and variety in particular a short and very rooty section littered with rocks to force a careful consideration of line choice – or just power through the middle of it!!

Finally drop out of this never-ending trail and onto a hardpack path – tear across this then over the camel humps and climb up Spartacus - a really nice singletrack climb through a heavily wooded section.

Break right at the exit – 5 seconds to catch your breath – then another climb up a sandy rocky path with hardpack sections to get gain some traction and speed on.

At the top of the climb bear in right, over the hump, and through Bungle - a loosely wooded short singletrack section with nice flowing humps and turns.

A right then a left at the exit brings you back down the fireroad you came up – but it’s at least twice as short because you are going downhill for half of it and you skip a large section of it because of the previous climb.

Stuff an energy gel into yourself and get that all that drink into you too because it’s nothing but extensive full-concentration singletrack when you hop in left over the rock bridge and into the brand new Quack section.

Quack is a really long fun trail – faster and more open than previous singletrack sections but with some cheeky kickers, tight testing turns and swooping dips and chutes to keep your eyes wide open and your brain ticking overtime trying to calculate the fastest line through this forest trail.

Finally exit Quack and onto the fireroad you started on – turn right up the wide dirt path and that’s one lap complete.

More detail re; times and distance soon…

Howdy all

Quick reminder re; online registration for NPS Round 7 run by MADMTB in 3Rock, Dublin.
Online registration is open for categories Under 16 and upwards, the other Under Age categories can register on the day.
Click this link to register online and avail of chip timing for your race!

Thanks and looking forward to seeing you racing!

MADMTB