A TransWales rider during a linking stage. (Image credit: TransWales)
The United Kingdom's enduro mountain bike scene will get a boost in 2010 with a new eight-hour event. The Muc-Off 8 will be run on a 600-acre private estate Pippingford Park in East Sussex on April 11. Solo racers and teams of two, three and four will compete for eight hours, trying to complete as many laps as possible, with only one rider from each team on the course at any given time.
The eight-hour format bridges the gap between the existing, more common durations of racing in the UK including six-hour, 12-hour and 24-hour events. Starting at 9:00 am and finishing at 5:00 pm, the Muc-Off 8 will occupy a single day of racing.
Organizers are aiming to attract 1,000 racers for the first edition.
"We are very excited to be hosting our own event and to meet our customers and fellow mountain bikers on what will definitely be a race day to remember," said Alex Trimnell of the title sponsor company Muc-Off. "We are working on lots of new concepts which I think will make this a very unique and exciting event."
The Pippingford venue is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and organizers are planning an environmentally-friendly event.
"Working with Pippingford park, the race course has been designed to avoid disruption to the wildlife on the site," said Andy Blow of the VOTwo event company. "We appreciate that we are very fortunate to have been granted use of such a wonderful piece of England and leaving it exactly as we find it will be the aim".
Event registration is open. For more information, visit www.mucoff8.com.
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Sue George is an editor at Cyclingnews. She coordinates all of the site's mountain bike race coverage and assists with the road, 'cross and track coverage.
