The First iXS Macavalanche is a Great Success!

We're pretty confident a certain 94 people weren't thinking about Will and Kate on Friday. There eyes were fixed northwards to the Glencoe Mountain Resort and their minds well and truly fretting about the carnage about to ensue at 3pm on Saturday morning.

The first iXS Macavalanche was borne from the mind of No Fuss Events, who seem to be very good at organising races that break from the norm. This mass start downhill race from the summit of Glencoe Mountain, with its inspiration taken from the infamous Megavalanche, is the first time a race like this has taken place in the UK, and long may it continue!


Riders took their bikes to the summit using the many chairlifts on the hill, then after taking in the epic views if Glencoe Pass and Rannoch Moor, walked the course. The taping had been inventive and riders would have to negotiate what remained of the winter's snow, peat bog, fire track and all the other delights of the mountains of Scotland.



Once the riders had recovered from their trek down the mountain, a short wait allowed riders to refuel for the race ahead. From 2pm onwards, riders were taken to the summit 5 at a time in the helicopter. A 2 and a half minute ride in the chopper brought back memories of Wagner for more than a few.


The Le Mans start is becoming a firm favourite with the guys at No Fuss Events and the Macavalanche was no different. A steep gallop up a snow bank to the bikes made sure there was a suitable quantity of bikes and bodies all over the shop from the off with the snow making it difficult for everyone. 2 large snow banks had to be negotiated before solid ground resumed for but a moment, then back into the snow for another flip over the bars.


From the top of the Cliffhanger Chairlift, the ground became firmer with more rocks entering the mix although the occasional peat bog caught riders out as the ground lost all firmness. Fitness paid off as riders galloped into a headwind along the fire track to the Poma lift and down the start of the brutal downhill track, spearing off across the hill before the downhill track fires straight down the hill.


The final leg was a flat out grassy run, peppered with axle-deep ruts, soft bog sections and large rocks that had the legs and arms burning. Just before the finish, whatever strength you had left was required for a ditch huck. Then under the iXS easy-up to breathe heavy for a few minutes before sharing tales of the run with another suitably knackered rider.


iXS, Straitline and Nuke Proof sponsored riders Joe and Hannah Barnes took the Senior Male and Female wins respectively. Joe put in a stormer of a time with a run of 10 minutes 59 seconds, over a minute ahead of second place Neil Donohue.


Nuke Proof's Alastair McLennan took 4 place overall and 1st in Veteran Mens on his Scalp, with Crawford Carrick-Anderson battling on his Lapierre Spicy against enduro specialist and iXS/Answer tea rider James Shirley in hot pursuit. Hotlines' own Declan Deehan got lost on course and had to ask for directions.....


Thanks to Frazer, Spook and Chloe at http://www.nofussevent.co.uk/ for the organisation, Daniel at http://www.glencoemountain.com/ for the assistance and the pictures and everyone for turning up and making it a great event!

All photos appear courtesy of Daniel Loots - Glencoe Mountain.