You’ll find all our race results on the Beastway Results server which Chris Clague has been working on, along with our own timing tech that’s way beyond off-the-shelf. And it’s a good thing too as we have a whole flurry of races coming up, including the BC Eastern Region Championships MTB XCO on Sunday 23 May, plus another XCO on Sunday 6 June as part of our whole series with nine Wednesday evening races from May into June when we are also running the Beastway London Summer Cyclocross series across four races. That’s hundreds of racers and thousands of laps to record times for, then interpret into race results and series standings.
It’s only the chip in your number board that makes all this possible, so look after it! We do keep a manual scribe of rider numbers through the line, just like in the old days but we find riders really like the immediacy of getting results before they get home from the race, along with all the detail we can provide of lap times and race analysis.
So let’s look at the big race coming up which is the British Cycling Eastern Regional Championships.
Shhh, don’t tell anyone but here’s our course plan and some other info for riders;-
Like it says up there in big letters; COVID regulations apply. That means not coming if you have any symptoms or are isolating for any reason in your household. It means distancing, mask-wearing and hygiene. It means not crowding at start or after the finish. It means checking-in with Test and Trace. It means no motor homes in the site and certainly no overnight stays or camping. We’re still checking about the Feed and Tech Zone because these are self-service only until we hear otherwise and it certainly means any equipment that is touched cannot be shared, which does make things a bit difficult unless you’re in a shared household. – Self-reliance is probably the best way to go, so carry some sealant and gas, maybe a quick-link, a bottle on your bike and away you go. Ride your luck and anyway a trip to the pits never won a race.
We do a contactless sign-on and only accept advance entry through British Cycling’s system. No pre-entry, no ride.
The cafe will be serving a selection of drinks, cakes and hot food to a distanced queue inside but you must take your refreshments outside. Toilets are open inside with distancing and a one-way system along the corridor.
There is lots of car parking on-site and even more along the opposite side of Forest Rd from the entry. Public transport is nearby, though you will need to check bike policy on trains to Goodmayes and underground to Fairlop which are within ten minutes’ ride of the Centre.
We need to find a way to distance the award of regional medals and prizes on each race as there is to be no podium.
BC are now awarding points. Our usual Wednesday evening blasts of one-hour, everyone on course with categories mixed is a Regional C points tariff. The regional championships is a regional A offering three times that points tally at precisely the time when points are very scarce and national events are coming up, where gridding can be key.
Our grid is socially distanced as regulations require. It’s 20 rows spaced at 3 metres with five places across an 8 metre road circuit. Yep, it’s 60m from the last row to the front. We prioritise based on known speed of each rider. It definitely helps if you’ve ridden with us before but we will also consider your licence status, if Expert or Elite, and we’ll look to find you in other race results. We rely on you to enter at least two days in advance of the closing date for consideration. Whatever, wherever you are gridded, that is one heck of a road climb and wide infield section from the grid to the line for first passage, meaning you can move up if we got your level of speed wrong.
Last things on gridding:- We try our best to get gridding just about right because we don’t want any bottlenecking AND our word is final so go to your allotted row and fit in. Starts will not be made with riders out of place and it will be evident who’s causing that delay, which may shorten your race and nullify any award.
Another thing that’s up there in big letters is that the Championships course will be subject to a test-run at round 3 of Beastway on 19 May. If you’ve not raced with us at Hog Hill before it’s worth a trip for you to get acquainted and for us to know from your result where to put you on the grid.
For the full series and race info, plus where to enter go to this page of the BC Events Calendar that lists all Beastway MTB races.
Note: You do not need to be a member of British Cycling to enter this race, and riders from all regions are welcome. In order to be eligible for the Regional Championships you must hold a racing licence from British Cycling and reside within the known boundaries of the Eastern Region. Check with BC if you have any questions about all that.
Here is the timetable for the day of XCO racing at the Regional Championships
Short course open from 09.30
10.00 – under 10 10mins short course
10.15 – under 12 15mins short course
10.35 – 10.40 Full course entry open for practice
11.00 – Youth & Juveniles 30mins
11.35 – 11.40 Full course entry open for practice
12.00 – Veteran Men 1h15
13.30 – Women (seniors, veterans and juniors) 1h15
14.50 – 14.55 Full course entry open for practice
15.15 – Men; seniors and juniors 1h30
We are sorry not to offer a devoted practice session immediately prior to the 13.30 start but our volunteers need to get lunch and take a short break in the middle of a busy day.
We would love to offer the razzamatazz of a podium presentation but it will have to be quiet pride for our race winners and regional champions as they pick up their own awards.
We are all always busy on race day. We’d love to stop for a chat and get around all the social media and messaging but we don’t because there just is not time. Please understand this is not us being unresponsive, it’s because we are concentrating to deliver a good event.
Have a great day’s racing and best wishes to the Regional Champions from your Beastway Team.
Venue address: Redbridge Cycling Centre (Hog Hill) Forest Road, Hainault. IG6 3HP
Beastway MTB 2022 