Winterleague

The Black Combe winter league is a series of 6 races intended to support winter training. It starts with a road race of roughly 10k and finishes with a dash up and down 'The Combe' but most of the races follow low level off-road routes.

The races are at 10:30 on Sunday mornings.

Sun 01

Po House

10:30am on 01 January at Ralliss

A road race of about 10km with one long, steady hill and some undulation. Please bring tea, cake.

Sun 08

Appletreeworth

10:30am on 08 January at The Hawk

A six mile race on forestry trails and footpaths around the top of the Lickle. Route is flagged.

Sun 22

Birkrigg

10:30am on 22 January at Birkrigg crossroads

Six miles of grass and woodland footpaths in two laps. No road. Meet at the crossroads under Birkrigg. Usual handicaps.

Sun 05

Roan Head (TBC)

10:30am on 05 February at Roanhead car park

Beach, dunes and runnable grassland...if the warden lets us in.

Sun 19

Broughton XC

10:30am on 19 February at Broughton square

Five miles of mudslide over two slightly different laps of Broughton Park and the lines.

Sun 26

Black Combe

10:30am on 26 February at Whicham Church

Straight to the top and back by the main climb.

There is a competition for all with trophies being awarded to best man and best lady overall. It is four races to qualify. Scores will be worked out using a similar system to last year. 1st person back scores 1 point, 2nd – 2 points, 3rd – 3 points and so on. Overall scores will be the sum of the lowest (best) 4.

The difference this year – Non attendance of a race will earn you a score of the number of competitors plus 2 but with a minimum of 12 points e.g. 6 competitors -anyone not racing will score 12 points. 17 competitors – anyone not racing will score 19 points.

Results are announced straight away in the forum and then eventually summarised here. The winners will be worked out over breakfast after the last race up Black Combe and the trophies eventually given out at the club's Christmas dinner.

Next up: Broughton XC on Sunday 19th Feb at 10:30am

The league is handicapped and the races all have a chasing start. The handicaps are (loosely) based on your expected best performance at the start of the season. This year they are:

Keith Nixon0
Liz Leech05:00
Dave Hobbins05:30
Helen Walker06:00
Penny Moreton07:30
Helen Gee08:00
Cynthia Crawshaw08:00
Nicola Vogler08:00
Claire Watson08:30
Sue Lomas09:00
Jo Francis-Nicholls10:00
Hazel Tayler10:00
Viv Riley10:30
Val Gill10:30
Robin Smithurst10:30
Rob McKeever11:30
Phil Newton11:30
Colin Benn11:30
Ken Lindley12:00
Mike Hartley12:30
Karl Fursey13:00
Donella Crawford13:30
Darren Foote14:00
Andy Gittins14:00
Rob Saunders15:00
Dave Scott Maxwell15:00
Dave Watson15:30
Ross Howard17:00
Richard Beard17:00
Paul Kingsnorth17:00
Peter Grayson18:00
Dave Parminter18:00
Sue Ross18:30
James Goffe19:30
Mac Knowles20:00
Chris Grieve20:30
Pat McIver20:30
Dave Binks20:30
Jackie Casey21:00
Will Ross21:00
Chris Fellows21:30
Peter Kay22:00
Mike Jewell23:00
Pete Tayler23:30
Simon Rodger24:30
Mike Vogler25:00
Jamie Baron26:00
Steve Kelly27:00
Mike McIver28:00
Carl Edmonds28:00
Richard Watson28:00
Lizzie Adams29:00