Ard Rock - Sport vs Epic, what's the difference?

The timing slip usually gives an overall elapsed time and individual stage times - I think an aggregated stage time also

The timing slip usually gives an overall elapsed time and individual stage times – I think an aggregated stage time also

That's what I thought as well but there's no mention of that at all on the website.

Not sure about the timing but they ran both on the same route last year, Mrs not happy because she wanted a big XC loop as pre-covid and would end up walking parts of the DH stages so didn't bother going.

From previous experience, that's what the timing slips will show - regardless of which event/category entered. There may be some differences between how they work out the finishing order (e.g. results based on overall elapsed time or aggregated stage times), but i'd agree that the website isn't completely clear on this. I'm unlikely to ever be troubling the podium, so it's a total non-issue for me.

Do they give out a prize for the epic?

The sport is supposed to be non competitive, just a chance for people to ride the enduro at their leisure and get timed on the stages for shits and giggles.

Maybe the epic is a time for the whole loop and the fastest few actually win something?

Maybe the epic is a time for the whole loop and the fastest few actually win something?

I believe that's how it worked in previous years, I'm doing both the Epic on Friday and the Sport on Sunday, as I thought they would be different style of races. From the website though the description for the Epic is:

The Ard Rock Epic event is timed using an ‘Air’ timing chip system which starts and stops when you pass the timing beacon. You will be timed on stages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 and your accumulative time will give you your result. To start your chip make sure you scan it at the start flag and return your chip to get a result when you get back to the event village. Failure to hand in a chip will result in a £50 fee. If you withdraw from the course, you must return your chip for safety reasons.

and for the Sport it's identical:

The Ard Rock Sport event is timed using an ‘Air’ timing chip system which starts and stops when you pass the timing beacon. You will be timed on stages 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 and your accumulative time will give you your result. To start your chip make sure you scan it at the start flag and return your chip to get a result when you get back to the event village. Failure to hand in a chip will result in a £50 fee. If you withdraw from the course you must return your chip for safety reasons.

I can't see any mention of anything that says it's not exactly the same as the Sport.

Over the years the Epic started out as a timed loop of the whole Enduro course, then changed to a separate (timed) XC loop, now is back on the Enduro course with timed stages? Interesting, but it's also on same day as Sprint / Enduro practice, how's that going to work?

in the last 5 years
- enduro main event has always run all stages on the saturday, practise friday
- sport event always sunday (same stages), more relaxed, finish gates/bigger jumps may not be exactly the same. ie stage2 last corner cut off last year

-2018 the epic was a 40km XC loop headed out west, the mamils enjoyed it, many mtb'er hated it.
-2019/2020 event not on
-2021 the epic was put on the regular ardrock enduro/sport course ie full 7 stages. they got a dry day, alongside enduro practise people.

Sprints added with 3 or 4 (maybe 5 stages) as an intro and to get more riders out.

kiksy, you'll be doing the full ride twice. at least sunday you wont be riding blind. if you have good fitness you'll be fine.

ps. in terms of the sunday sport event if you look at race times, ignoring the top10% riders, times aint much difference between the saturday and sunday :0)

IMHO They really need to invite past riders to the Saturday event based on past timings/results,
rather than a free for all booking system.

I did the epic last year and was supposed to do it this year before i spannered myself on monday.

You do get an overall time for the course on the Epic but we got ranked on our stage times last year. That was annoying because i would have finished in the top 1/3rd on overall, but was bottom 1/4 on my stage times.
I originally signed up to it pre covid when it was an XC race, but i own an enduro bike so could pivot across to the 'proper' course they run it on.

Realistically it's no different from the sport, just on a friday so you can get pished and heckle on the full enduro

They time the sprint/enduro practices in a way that doesn't bother you in the epic.

IMHO They really need to invite past riders to the Saturday event based on past timings/results, rather than a free for all booking system.

Get yourself on the podium, and they do! Not me, but daughter did one year.

@fooman, a long way off for me :0), although it'd be nice to ride saturday and join the party on the saturday night, rather than attempting to stay sober for the ride sunday

yes fully appreciate they do for the podiums, top riders etc

its more to exclude the riders who don't look like they've ever ridden a bike off road, I've seen some really poor riding on stage one and two on a saturday.

it'd also mean the sunday event was that little bit more chilled.

Over the years the Epic started out as a timed loop of the whole Enduro course, then changed to a separate (timed) XC loop, now is back on the Enduro course with timed stages? Interesting, but it’s also on same day as Sprint / Enduro practice, how’s that going to work?

I'm going to answer my own question here regarding practice and racing on same day;

* The Epic sets off Friday AM stages 1-2-3-4-5 while Enduro practice is only stages 6-7
* Then in the afternoon Enduro and Sprint practice 1-2 while Epic is reaching 6- 7.

Obviously done to get yet more ticket sales in, with Sport and Epic being effectively same, also means more blind stages for Enduro - I suppose if you want to practice more stages you will now need to by both an Epic and Enduro entry in future.

I wish they didn't allow multiple bookings so more people get a chance. Also it doesn't help if someone books for six to start together but they are all different speeds so someone ends up starting in the wrong place either having to overtake a lot or be overtaken

Realistically it’s no different from the sport, just on a friday so you can get pished and heckle on the full enduro

…is the reason I’m racing riding tomorrow and not Sunday