Date: Sunday 14 May 2017
Event: Ulster XC Series Round 4
Venue: Castlewellan Forest Park
Host club: Shimna Wheelers
Course Description:
The Start/Finish Area will be located in one of the Scout Camp Fields just off the Crow’s Road within Castlewellan Forest Park. It will be clearly signed from the main Carpark.
Main course starts on grass area and then proceeds onto an old harvesting trail with a nice sharp climb before continuing onto the Trail Centre the wrong direction!
The course then heads back onto a great natural wooded section with two ditches to climb over before getting back to a short fire road section.
On to more Trail Centre Course with some technical sections before a fast but cautious sharp decent into a natural forest at the back of park.
After that it’s a fast spin down a fire road with some time to get a breath of air before another short natural section which will take you on a section of Trail Centre.
Back on to another grass area which takes you towards a rock garden section beside the Pump Track and then it’s the last push home towards the Start/Finish. Course is 3.4 miles.
Kids course will be based in and around the Start/Finish Area and will run over various distances, all will include natural sections, grass, paths and Trail Centre Routes.
There will be some limited parking in the Scout Camp Fields beside the Start/Finish and this will be for people with gazebos. Anyone wishing to park in this area needs to be there before 9:30 am
One more field slightly further down Crows Road will be available but after that traffic will have to park in main carpark. It is only a 5 minute walk away.
Castlewellan Forest Park has lots of facilities for all the family including play areas, a maze and the lake walk. There is a camp site which can be booked through the Forestry website.
Directions: Castlewellan Forest
Located adjacent to the town of Castlewellan, Co Down
Click here to view in google maps
Co-ordinates: N 54.258506, W 5.942659
Race Timetable:
09:00 – Sign on opens
10:00 – Under 6s fun race
10:15 – Under 8s
10:30 – Under 10s
10:45 – Under 12s
11:10 – Prize giving for U8s, U10s and U12s
12:00 – Under 16s, Senior 4 men, Senior 2 women, Under 14s
13:30 – Prize giving for U14s, U16s, S2 women and S4 men
14:00 – Senior 1 men, Juniors, Senior 1 women, Senior 2 men, Senior 3 men
15:45 – Prize giving for S1, S2 and S3 men, Juniors and S1 women
NOTE: SIGN ON CLOSES 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE START OF EACH RACE.
Practice times
For the main course
09:00 – 11:45
13:15 – 13:45
Practice time may also be available on the Saturday afternoon. 3 pm to 5 pm.
NO PRACTICE ALLOWED ON COURSES WHICH HAVE RACES GOING ON
Race Fees:
Seniors: £15 (€15) if you pre-register and pre-pay,
£18 (€20) if you pre-register but don’t pre-pay,
£20 (€25) if unregistered.
Juniors: £10 (€10)
Under 14s & Under 16s: £5 (€5)
Under 8s, 10s & 12s: £2 (€2)
Under 6s fun race: £1 (€1)
Pre-registration: – OPEN
Until 5 May 2017 (8 pm)
To see who has entered click on the link here. (Password to open – “Castle”)
Gridding: Will be based on the results from the current Ulster series league table – 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.
Facilities: Castlewellan Forest
Car parking: See notes in course description above
Toilets: In main forest park car park
Showers: Only available if you are camping
Bike wash: In main forest park car park (£1 fee)
Café: Yes in main forest park
Gazebos: Are welcome close to the course (see note above)
Camping: A campsite is available on Forest Service site.
Host club website: Shimna Wheelers
Race organiser: Michael Clarke (email)
Contact number: 07706 648318
