[Closed] When the world comes to town (EWS content)

Go on then Mike I will follow for updates, good luck.

Good luck Mike & enjoy 8)

Awesome! Looking forward to your updates.
Good luck! 😀

Now stalking you on Strava to see how you get on.

Hopefully not in the crash reel!! The blanks for Jan/Feb on strava may give an indication of my potential here.

Looks awesome. Good luck with it and a regular update would be great. If you are offered live tracking let us know so we can follow you on the trails

Good luck ! Ride fast and safe !

Tracks look great! I'm jealous, have a great ride and play the long game 🙂

Looks lovely..good luck.

well jealous, enjoy

what are the course stats?

Stages 2 & 4 are steep new starts into existing trails, 6&7 brand new trails.
Just pushing over the 45km and 1500m mark for the day. Not got the times for the stages yet.

LIKE. Our world went mad for a week (and about 6 months before of mad digging before that) when it first rolled into the tweed valley, but I suppose we're more used to the whole roadshow. The event itself was still mindblowing enough, enjoy it!

Evening all, updates from day 1.
Its nice and dry, the little town of Derby has been transformed into the big bike village the population is probably 20x normal.
Got through 5 of 7 stages today, the regular trails are that, as normal but a bit faster... The new trails are well interesting stage 2 is steep and loose and about ankle deep in dust. Best features so far are either the 1m wide slot between some granite boulders (elbow met one of then) and the 100m rock garden and on stage 4 made a nice corner with (personal achievements moment) sven Martin cheering and heckling me as I went 🙂 not quite enough bandwidth for pics yet but working on it.

Loving life at the back being nice and letting the people with names on the shirts get through.

And right now we have a wood chopping display #tassielife

wow, great stages!

Look so good to ride 8)

[quote=Northwind ]The event itself was still mindblowing enough, enjoy it!

Not ashamed to say I shed a wee tear both times I've crossed the finish line at the EWS

The first one I was just floating around the pits on a cloud of goodwill to all men, absolutely high as a kite 😆 Same at the endurance downhill to be fair but nothing else has ever come close

"When the waves crash,
Don't let me just hear it
Let it burst inside my chest"

Awesome stuff - have a good race!

Looks amazing on Pinkbike! Shame it's not massively conveniently located for the rest of the world to visit...

Enjoy it Mike! Rotorua was my third EWS and easily the hardest. That said, despite the horror conditions on race day, I made all the transition times fairly comfortably (actually, "comfort" is the wrong word, I was a crampy mess but had a few minutes to spare). I too was quite teary on completion of this one and that was only partly due to 65km worth of rain/mud/grit in my eyes.

For me, practice days are the real fun of entering EWS events as an amateur but sadly I chose to limit my practice days a bit to save the legs for the race. They still brought some special moments though. Sitting in the shuttle line behind the Canyon team listening to Barel/Barnes/Leov/Thoma discuss bike setup was fascinating. Keeping pace with a train of pros including Sam Blenkinsop and Keegan Wright down stage 6 was awesome. Having Chris Ball shout "Perfect!" as I minced my way down one of the hardest sections of the race might be my proudest moment on a bike.

Before the race I had made up my mind that it would be the last one I entered. Risk of injury, poor fitness and general responsibilities of adulthood all being factors. I'm already reconsidering... I've no doubt that in 10 years time people like me will get nowhere near the main event. We should all make the most of it while we can!

Lol its all about the atmosphere, sat round a fire listening to a mate blast out tunes on stage. We also just nabbed the last if the lasagne before Sven Martin could order. Bets are on though I've gone for Richie, mate says Sam as the storms might be coming.

Best bit is how many folks from all over the world are loving the trails. Frothing, stoked and all that. Off at 830sm tomorrow...
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2858/33065230554_a21d038043_b.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2858/33065230554_a21d038043_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/SnRX4Y ]Pete rocking the #Ewstasmania for the 2nd time, great tunes over dinner too[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewsmith/ ]Mike Smith[/url], on Flickr

I think this might be my favourite thread ever on Singletrack. Good luck for the race.

Beautiful awesomeness.....

Updates, Updates, updates.....

Looks fantastic! Thanks for sharing and good luck!

Doing great Mike. I've been keeping an eye out for your stage results on the
[url= http://www.enduroworldseries.com/live/live-results/ ]EWS Live results[/url]

Well, you weren't last.

Brilliant thread Mike. Keep up the good work and good luck. Smash it as the young MTB youth say . 😀

Massive thumbs up to anyone just finishing this event!

Looks pretty gnarly man:

PS Good full face helmet advert at 0.47 sec in....... 😯

You lucky lucky bar steward I hate you 😉

Those trails though!! wow lush and then some.

Well think I was last in the Men's my mate Tom had a timing fumble at the end of stage 1 which will be corrected later.

So in summary...
2 days of practice was great, split the trails up and did each track, had a handle of the existing stuff and got my eye in for the new trails, dropping in behind the likes of Curtis Keene and Jarrod Graves was interesting, had a chat and a joke with a bunch of the pro's and other riders over the 2 days out there. The biggest issue was with dust mostly stage 2 and bits of 4 were deep with it and so was a lot of 6 apart from the slab.

After a great meal and some help from the Scott/Giro lads with a new better fitting lid and some heckling of the media boys it was time for the race.

As usual sleeping in a tent meant I heard every single rain shower over night and the big one just before it got light...

Quick assessment of the ground conditions over breakfast and a break in the weather said it might hold out ok. (Famous last words)

So off to the race village which was buzzing, great to have so many friendly faces around to keep the nerves in check while I waited for my start slot. Up on the stage with a French dude called Nik who was travelling around the world on holiday, nearly fluffed the interview and then off down the ramp and an 11km pedal to the start of stage 1.

Stage 1
Not too stressful as this one has been part of some XC races too and nothing to trouble me apart from the pedalling, the French guy passed me on course as the rain started to fall, got the the end of the stage and entered a wall of noise with air horns, loud hailers and all that along with heaps of people cheering my name as I went trough. Cleared the stage and got asked for my 1 word summary for the Facebook live feed - Greasy

Stage 2 simple pedal back up to the first of the new stages, this is the one with the gap between the rocks, measured as 1m minimum I clipped an elbow in practice. On the way up the rain really started to come down, it was really getting heavy, goggles were pointless at this stage without some tear offs. 3 mins before we started there was a clap of thunder above our heads

Lined up and started the stage, easy going across a slab and then over some rocks, I could hardly see anything and struggled to stay anywhere near my line, into the tech section and my brain made a swift exit as I was struggling for grip and direction so I commenced some enduro running in and out of ankle deep mud. Lots of tripoding followed as I fought my way down through the stage and a few more dismounts and getting caught up in stuff. Finally hit the flow trail at the exit and pedalled as much as I could but I was mentally shaken after that one. Conditions felt somewhere between Morzine and a Pearce DH in March.

Up to stage 3, was a bit worried about timing up on this one and ended up riding the climb with Isabeau Coudrier (she won) and Casey Brown which got me up there, wished each other luck and off into the rain again.

Stage 3 - one of the existing ones again, hardpack and fast which was a relief but by this stage the rain and cold was getting to me and making everything greasy so fighting the back wheel at times I hung on in there for another massive crowd finish into town.

We had went through the village at this point so a quick go at cleaning the drive train that was complaining stuffing as much food in as possible and a full change of riding gear in the portaloo later I was off up the hill.

Stage 4 - another new start flat pedal into 100m of rock garden and then some tight turns, this was the point I realised my head was gone! Really struggled to hold and lines and commit hard in the now ever present rain, knee pads kept departing down to my ankles and this was a stage that was dispatching wheels at a rate of 1-2 per hour. Easier riding than 2 but much higher consequences. Out of the tech after some bad decisions in the rock, nailed the tough corners in the slop for the crowd and then went on to pump every one of the jumps to the finish.

At this point I was mentally broken, arm pump was hammering me, legs were getting heavy and it was still raining hard. I was very close to chucking it in at this point and having a beer (there was a bar there) but instead I set off for stage 5, a short shove up the side of the trail coming down, so we were watching racers as we shoved. Made the start line with about 5 mins to spare, Hit the gels and other stuff hard and set up again.

Stage 5 Black Dragon- one of the early tech trails, lots of rock rolls and slabs to have fun on. About 2 corners in my back brake stopped being predictable and just became noisy, the front was doing something, arms were hanging and legs were heavy. Into the 3 slab drops/rolls and I had no confidence in my brakes at all, went sideways on the exit to the first one and jumped off before going over the next one- more enduro runs....
Got hooked up in some of the other corners as my lines were all out the window, the last big roll requires you to set up and turn before dropping down the narrow ridge into a catch rut... somehow got it, caught the rut and with the extra pressure of my testicles colliding with something held it to pedal out.

At this point I was really broken inside, I walked the bike out of the exit, through the now flowing river bed at knee height and headed for the climb. It's a long singletrack climb with a few false summits, riding to the garmin I was trying to remember what distance the start was, realising I wasn't going to make it I stopped and at what was left in my bag and accepted the 1min penalty.

Stage 6 Brand New trail Troutie.... The penalty taken I then had to slot in where there was a gap, so in with some much faster boys, mabe the no brake would help. A cheery as ever Chris Ball was at the top sorting out some issues. Quick hello and we agreed the conditions were all a bit "Scottish" The run started with a typical loamy section which was now a collection of ruts and roots, with the mental game gone along with meaningful brakes this was interesting, managed one big save before a big OTB into mud, back on let a guy through then hit the slab - the just ran a pressure washer down a ridge line slab... (Pics to follow) mad the first exit with a massive G Out that claimed Paul VP in practice into the technical section with the biggest group of hecklers and managed to hold the line that evaded me in practice clean through before more tripoding in the slop into the lower slopes and just couldn't make the body commit to the high line under the Trout so bounced my way through as Nik (local from here came past - our last words before leaving was if I see him I'm screwed as I will have lost so much time) as he fought his way down the last slop chute towards a flight of steps I lost another line and got my self out to the timing.

End of the stage and everyone is looking battered, short link to the last one, there as a guy who had lost his CO2 so lent him mine and ended up missing the S7 stat line so another penalty - I didn't care at this stage.

Stage 7 new start to some old trail so back to more red clay to slip and slide in, held it though all of that, pedalled with whatever gear worked and crossed the line.

The final roll to the even village complete timing chips removed and that was it, EWS 2017 Round 2 Complete
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2846/33115083553_7dbb2a55d0_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2846/33115083553_7dbb2a55d0_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/SsgsCr ]Raced, chased, rode, lived #Ewstasmania after party time[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewsmith/ ]Mike Smith[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3953/33928853755_89f7f9b308_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3953/33928853755_89f7f9b308_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/TGbfaa ]#Ewstasmania[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewsmith/ ]Mike Smith[/url], on Flickr
Pics to follow

Well done Mike for persisting and finishing.... I'd have died at about Stage 3.

and a far more competent view of the stages.
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2936/33793256152_c51d2d2862_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2936/33793256152_c51d2d2862_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/TucgHs ]End of #Ewstasmania[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewsmith/ ]Mike Smith[/url], on Flickr
and me enjoying stage 8 after a shower

Glad you finished it, some good results from the Brits, especially the women.

Fantastic write up Mike. Well done.

Great work Mike. Excellent that you kept going when you felt like stopping. You'd have been kicking yourself if you hadn't carried on. Looked an amazing course (before the rain).

what's the width between those rocks?

Width is 1m in the narrow section, running 780's I managed to catch my elbow in there

Great write up, thank you.

A few highlights from the challenge race on the saturday
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2886/33910044686_ded79455ec_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2886/33910044686_ded79455ec_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/TEvQSS ]IMG_6745[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewsmith/ ]Mike Smith[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2947/33565861660_04d9186f2a_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2947/33565861660_04d9186f2a_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/T96PfL ]IMG_6751[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewsmith/ ]Mike Smith[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2866/33821060041_25fccd4704_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2866/33821060041_25fccd4704_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/TwDLQR ]IMG_6985[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewsmith/ ]Mike Smith[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3928/33910143536_f164f84a5b_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3928/33910143536_f164f84a5b_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/TEwmgb ]IMG_7107[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewsmith/ ]Mike Smith[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2919/33565969470_3ce67db860_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2919/33565969470_3ce67db860_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/T97niy ]IMG_7082[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewsmith/ ]Mike Smith[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2942/33910182576_65213e8845_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2942/33910182576_65213e8845_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/TEwxSh ]IMG_7343[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewsmith/ ]Mike Smith[/url], on Flickr
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2922/33107755174_878a63547f_o.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2922/33107755174_878a63547f_o.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/SrBUa5 ]IMG_7456[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikewsmith/ ]Mike Smith[/url], on Flickr

Great writeup, sounds like a ridiculous day out! I'd love a go on those stages... Some of your experience sounds grimly familiar

Fab write up thanks, so jealous!!

Well done .
Excellent write up.

Well the highlights are up and time for a little reflection after a couple more showers and a good night sleep

Stage 2 is fairly unrecognisable to when we hit it in one of the heavy downpours...

Overall still so glad I entered but would have much preferred to have been racing in the dust on Saturday, my mud riding is nowhere near what it was.
Sat in the office feeling every bruise at the moment.

The bike still needs it's proper clean and fix up, not been brave enough to get to the pads yet...

Overall local lad Kaine Cannan pulled out all the stops as fastest Tasmanian on the day nicking 2nd on Stage 3 and 10th on the Brutal stage 4.
Former XC racer Rowena Fry was the fastest Tassie lady with 10th overall (the Scott lads were very impressed/scared watching her helmet cams from S4)

Some of the highlights is just how open this format is, watching pro's doing trail fixes to their bikes, having the same issues as the rest of us and rubbing shoulders/bars with some of the quickest guys in the world was impressive.
The look on the faces post stage is one that was shared all the way through the field, we may not have all had the same times/speed but I think everyone left it all out there over the day.
One of the points that was made a few times was this is biking out there, Enduro is a full day out you need to be able to do that without a pit crew, carry your food and water - if it had been hot those with no packs would have been suffering with only 700ml of water being available outside of the tech area (between S3 and 4) - a few comments about jackets but in the end of the day that wouldn't have kept me any dryer.

Organisationally and the media coverage is amazing and fast, full credit to the guys out there with the cameras, I heard a few were dropping cameras into bags of rice half way through the day. They were still all in the media centre Sunday night while we were partying getting all this crazy stuff out to you guys.

Equality - all the posdiums were called up together
[url= https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2915/33546496450_27babc9314_h.jp g" target="_blank">https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2915/33546496450_27babc9314_h.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/T7oyDQ ]EWS17_Tasmania_Race-2863[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/143752613@N06/ ]Enduro World Series[/url], on Flickr
It's the same achievement to win whatever catagory you are in.

So if you want to give it a go, deffinatly sign up for the challenge events (it will probably be dry), entrer the lottery and go for the main event if you can and want to.
Go watch, spectate and heckle as loud as you can it's something to be a part of.
Don't plan a sunny holiday around the EWS...
[url= https://www.facebook.com/smith.michaelw/media_set?set=a.10154270657620974.1073741882.668475973&type=3&notif_t=like&notif_id=1491823432284240 ]Facebook Gallery - should be open to all Mostly general and Challenge pics [/url]

Excellent stuff Mike. Part of me wishes there was more live coverage, but getting Live TV involved would most likely be the end of the pro/am aspect of the sport, which would be such a shame.

but getting Live TV involved would most likely be the end of the pro/am aspect of the sport

Sam Hill doing a facebook live from Stage 5 practice with a mobile strapped to his chest. Live TV is on the way out for a lot of things, Anka Martin was wandering around with a phone getting live end of stage reactions from people too

Very true. I'm glued to pinkbike and Instagram on EWS weekend. Lots of alternative coverage.
Again, well done and thanks for this thread. I've really enjoyed it and would love to do something like this one day.