The event…
The clouds loom grey, the thunder booms, the registration queue stretches away.
Anxiety builds, greetings are made, coffee is drunk.
Preparation, anticipation, practice runs are rough and sketchy.
Trails are steep, twisty, techy, loamy.
Long break for lunch in the sun, picnics (panics), reviews of bruises.
Race Time; head back out (no one quits)
Stage 1 done, heart escaping, mouth so dry.
With courage and encouragement, the rest blurs by
We did it! Europhia, exhaustion, pizza and beer
The stats…
10 girls ALIVE Enduro racers (majority for the first time)
1 girls ALIVE volunteer marshal
38 female entries (15.6%) out of 244 total entrants (much higher than most events which average 8-11%)
6 timed downhill stages
Zoe, our Charity Co-ordinator and Mountain Bike ride leader marshalled the event wearing her gA yellow hoodie answering lots of questions about gA, and the photographers mentioned it was great to see a large group of women taking part!
Full results of the event here.
