Ups and downs... It was dry, which is always a bonus for Wales. Good atmosphere at the start line with everyone in high spirits and keen for the off (despite being assaulted by some horrific music over the PA). Racing along the beach was great fun - worth the price of entry on its own. Flat out for a good 6 km. Into the technical stuff my poor bike handling skills were exposed. I was on the ground a couple of times, but all part of the fun! Getting into the single track section on the first lap is the mother of all pinch-points, and those of us who'd started near the back just had to stand and queue... but we were all secretly glad of the enforced rest. Some VERY up and down bits were possibly more than a cx bike is meant for. How the tandems got though I can't imagine! I got as far as time-trialling down the beach a second time, smokin' fools all the way
and back into the technical stuff when my rear mech decided to say goodbye to the hanger, take a trip around the cassette and smash into the front mech bringing my day to a very abrupt end!!!
So, it is a fun event, well worth getting to if you can. I might well be back next year... maybe single-speeding it?