3 Ring Circus entires open

[mtb1611]

With a later start, it makes a day trip from Sydney or Canberra a lot easier. Not everyone wants to camp out the night before.

50km race is also shorter than a 100ker, so a later start is possible.

I hear what you're saying, however I'd quite happily get up at 430am, as I did for the Fling, and start earlier, therefore finishing earlier (and no, I don't camp. I WON'T camp!). Guess it all depends on whether you're a morning person or not!

 

[aidan84]

I had a fun day out on the trails, despite spending friday shivering in the foetal position with the flu and saturday just trying to get my fluids back up. It was my first mountain bike event ever and I was impressed at the scale and organisation of the event. Got there around 7.30 and had no problems with parking.

I have ridden the course sub 3 hours by myself a few weeks ago but yesterday only managed a 3.12 which I was still happy with considering the bottlenecks going through the single trails and the fact I was still coughing my lungs up most of the way round the course. My new (to me) bike performed without fuss, jumping off those waterbars was pretty good fun.

Respect to the dudes on the uni-cycles, I think the first one came in around 10-15 minutes after me.

 

[mtb1611]

Pics are up here.

 

[top_oz_bloke]

That was a nice little event. My first 50k. Managed to bin it OTB (how???) on the first bit of single track but otherwise passed through without incident. Very happy to clear The Wall and scored a top 50 result to cap it off.

I like the Wild Horizons events. They have a really good vibe.

 

[mtb1611]

Very happy to clear The Wall and scored a top 50 result to cap it off.

Congrats, gotta be happy with that! Or should I say "those"? Either way, well done!

 

[Canbaroo]

Life as a backmarker

Managed a top 10 finish in the Grand Masters! OK so there were only 11 entries and one was a DNS… but I wasn't to know that.

For those of you who haven't experienced life as a backmarker let me tell you it's tough! Self evaluation on the start line is humbling, even before you turn a pedal.

The start gun goes, we all pedal like hamsters for 6k and arrive at the single track with 300-400 riders waiting to get on….. my bike computer tells me I was stationary for 14 minutes. Then 50m into the single track is a tricked up rock descent followed by a couple of tight bends. No flow happening here, we all want to have a look at this before lurching down, then settle in to a meander along the single trail….. no point in trying to overtake…. there's a dozen behind the go slow up front, it's early days and we're all on our best manners…. say nothing.

Then there's the first fire trail hill, nailed that, some are off pushing their bike already. Recovered modestly, then weeehah! down the first gully to THE WALL. Did I need that? NO! This was shit, everyone off their bike spread all across the track, no one is enjoying this. Maybe a 'B' line around 'the wall' like in the James Willo for the backmarkers. An extra 1k? I'll take that any day. The remaining single track opens up a bit I'm winding in a few strugglers and i'm quietly impressed with my form. Then from nowhere I clip a tree, spins me into the scrub, my back wheel comes off, chain rips out of the keeper on the duralier and the 20 riders I've spent the last 30 minutes passing cruise by. Finally get it all back together again after 5 minutes and hit the transition about 25 minutes outside my target time.

Out on the last 19k…… all fire trail the route notes say. Down a peanut butty, a Gu, take on some fluid and try and breath all at the same time. Up on the big ring, now I'm really moving the 29er along. Down another gully and a slog up yet another climb and then the same again. 35-40k into the race I can do without these shitty climbs. Me and my fellow grinders are all off our bikes legging it …. not happy!

It's deck chairs on the titanic at the back, we pass each other 4,5,6 times it's the 'downhillers V uphhillers' we become friendly foe and plot our revenge on the course setter. Finally the roads open out and it's back up on the big ring all the way to the finish… hopeing for a top 10!

Congratulations to my fellow GM's. 10 out of 10 [finishers] ain't bad for 60+ SOB's. Dope test and Birth Cert required for the dude who won the GM's ….. 2hr.22 I want some of what he's on!

SUGGESTIONS: [a] Staggered start times? What's the problem with this. It works pretty well in the Capital Punishment. Why not draft [as in sheep drafting] riders on to different loops after the prologue…. splitting the field about 50/50 on to the two main loops. Like….

Open Male 16-29 RED
Open Female 16-29 YELLOW
Veteran Male 30-39 RED
Veteran Female 30-39 YELLOW
Masters Male 40-49 YELLOW
Masters Female 40-49 YELLOW etc...

 

[Halo1]

SUGGESTIONS: [a] Staggered start times? What's the problem with this. It works pretty well in the Capital Punishment..

I agree a staggered start would allow the race to flow more on the red track.

 

[top_oz_bloke]

I checked out the results a bit closer today. Wow those elite guys are insane. Much respect to anyone in the sub 2:10 bracket. That is dream territory for me.

It's interesting when there are some split times to look at. Relative to the guys finishing around me it seems I'm slow out of the blocks and a crap bike handler but mustered a bit of ticker towards the end. But I knew that already

This was the first one that I've been in where the self seed start seemed to work pretty good. The whole race I was around guys who were about my level and I had a good cat and mouse effort with a little group that I seemed to be just off the back of. They would get away then I'd pull a bit back which repeated for k's and k's. Good stuff.

 

[Rida]

I agree a staggered start would allow the race to flow more on the red track.

+ 1

However the most obvious way to improve flow and prevent bottlenecks (either instead of or in addition to staggered starts) would simply be to do the 19km "Yellow" ring first, followed by the Red then the Blue. It seems obvious so it's not clear why the current Blue, Red, Yellow format is being used.

I finished in 2.37 and experienced significant delays on all sections of single track. The first section was one long stop start bottle neck. The other sections were moving but sloooow - got stuck behind long trains of riders going way slower than I wished to ride. Tried overtaking on the intervening fire trails but didn't achieve much - the riders who were slow on the single track seemed to speed up significantly on these sections. I started well up near the front and did the first lap as fast as I could so I don't think there was anything else I could have done to prevent being held up by slower riders.

Yeah fair enough everyone says this is "all part of it", however I thought one of the reasons we ride these tracks is to enjoy the fast flowing single track.

 

[mittagongmtb]

+ 1

However the most obvious way to improve flow and prevent bottlenecks (either instead of or in addition to staggered starts) would simply be to do the 19km "Yellow" ring first, followed by the Red then the Blue. It seems obvious so it's not clear why the current Blue, Red, Yellow format is being used.

I finished in 2.37 and experienced significant delays on all sections of single track. The first section was one long stop start bottle neck. The other sections were moving but sloooow - got stuck behind long trains of riders going way slower than I wished to ride. Tried overtaking on the intervening fire trails but didn't achieve much - the riders who were slow on the single track seemed to speed up significantly on these sections. I started well up near the front and did the first lap as fast as I could so I don't think there was anything else I could have done to prevent being held up by slower riders.

Yeah fair enough everyone says this is "all part of it", however I thought one of the reasons we ride these tracks is to enjoy the fast flowing single track.

Ditto. Best suggestion yet! Yes - yellow first - that will string out the pack, (but wouldn't like to be overcrowded down the hill to the creek at half way hill... could get a bit messy). In fact the blue track could well be left out as it is rather boring, and the clover leaf be designed with a new route ..... There's enough track out there.

 

[Newton]

Run the blue, yellow and leave the red for last ... the blue will get everyone away safely, warm up the legs, get into the yellow, the fire trails and climbs should string everyone out a bit, then run the red last ...

 

[frensham]

Leave it as it is

The Three Ring Circus is the event it is. It does not need changing. The current lap/loop format is perfect. If you want to do a screamingly fast ride just come on your own any weekday - and bring your stopwatch. These sort of events are for the majority, not the minority who 'need' everything to go their way in order for it to be a good race/ride. If you don't like the format, don't come. I have no complaints about the waiting at the single track on the red loop - gave me time to chat to like minded fellows. A great day on the bike at a well organised event with a great format. Chill out and enjoy the ride.

 

[Rida]

The Three Ring Circus is the event it is. It does not need changing. The current lap/loop format is perfect. If you want to do a screamingly fast ride just come on your own any weekday - and bring your stopwatch. These sort of events are for the majority, not the minority who 'need' everything to go their way in order for it to be a good race/ride. If you don't like the format, don't come. I have no complaints about the waiting at the single track on the red loop - gave me time to chat to like minded fellows. A great day on the bike at a well organised event with a great format. Chill out and enjoy the ride.

I'm not sure this is an entirely valid argument given that Three Ring Circus is actually a race with podium positions and prizes at stake, including cash prizes for the fastest riders. While it is about the participation of riders of all levels and goals, it is not simply a participation ride.

Yes anyone can go ride the trails on their own on any day of the week but they don't have to pay a $90 race entry fee to do that.

Surely a simple change in format, such as changing the order of the 'rings', would provide for the greater enjoyment of everyone, including those that want to race and those that are happy to cruise.

I personally wouldn't choose to pay $90 to ride slowly in a long train of riders when I can ride the same trails at any other time for free.

 

[tcurr]

I'm not sure this is an entirely valid argument given that Three Ring Circus is actually a race with podium positions and prizes at stake, including cash prizes for the fastest riders. While it is about the participation of riders of all levels and goals, it is not simply a participation ride.

Yes anyone can go ride the trails on their own on any day of the week but they don't have to pay a $90 race entry fee to do that.

Surely a simple change in format, such as changing the order of the 'rings', would provide for the greater enjoyment of everyone, including those that want to race and those that are happy to cruise.

I personally wouldn't choose to pay $90 to ride slowly in a long train of riders when I can ride the same trails at any other time for free.

I think its an excellent event and well organised as always. As much as anything this event is designed to be more relaxed than others such as the fling and has no elite category. For those interested in the prizes there was no congestion at the front end of the field anyway and the blue ring spread out the field into groups. The downside of doing the red loop at the end is the bunch road riding would likely continue for half the race until the singetrack started and also I think people prefer to do the singletrack when they are fresher.

If a change needs to be made so people are not waiting around at the start of the red loop I think splitting the start into groups 5-10 minutes apart is a much better idea

 

[EddieVedder]

Ordinary riders, ordinary behaviour

I recently posted on the etiquette thread about the gobful I copped on the way down Mt Stromlo in this year's capital punishment. I finish midfield in these events and I'm much better at climbing than descending. I've had to get off my bike plenty of times because I've lost a line going up a hill due to slow riders in front of me. When you're average, like me, that's all part of the event. If you're a quality rider start up at the front of these events. If you're an average rider start in the middle of the pack and expect to be caught up in the logjam at some stage. Some average riders take themselves far too seriously I'm afraid.

 

[Rida]

For those interested in the prizes there was no congestion at the front end of the field anyway and the blue ring spread out the field into groups.

Not all of those competing for prizes were at the front end of the field. There was plenty of congestion for those competing in the female categories, for example. The congestion was not just at the start of the Red track either, although that was obviously the worst spot. It was on every section of single track.

There're also people who want to 'race' (hence pay money to enter a race) who know full well they'll be nowhere near the prizes. This doesn't make their quest to 'race' any less valid than those that actually end up on the podium.

No one has suggested it isn't a well organised event - they've just made suggestions for improvement that would seem to be very easy to implement.

 

[frensham]

Not all of those competing for prizes were at the front end of the field. There was plenty of congestion for those competing in the female categories, for example. The congestion was not just at the start of the Red track either, although that was obviously the worst spot. It was on every section of single track.
There're also people who want to 'race' (hence pay money to enter a race) who know full well they'll be nowhere near the prizes. This doesn't make their quest to 'race' any less valid than those that actually end up on the podium.
No one has suggested it isn't a well organised event - they've just made suggestions for improvement that would seem to be very easy to implement.

This is a 50 km event with 14 km of single track........
Regardless of how you organise the loops there will always be some congestion for someone at sometime - there are lots of factors that cause this, not the least having over 800 riders on the course - it's a part of the 'racers' experience I'm afraid.

 

[DaSchmooze]

This is a 50 km event with 14 km of single track........
Regardless of how you organise the loops there will always be some congestion for someone at sometime - there are lots of factors that cause this, not the least having over 800 riders on the course - it's a part of the 'racers' experience I'm afraid.

But if it is as easy to fix as simply as having a more pronounced staggered start, or send the riders off on the larger loop first then i don't see the problem here.

 

[crank1979]

Running the loops in order of technical difficulty is a good idea. Blue, Yellow then Red. Plenty to sort people out there prior to entering any singletrack. If the idea with the current arrangement of loops is to warm people up with the Blue so they can enjoy the singletrack on the Red then it doesn't work out that way because the Blue loop isn't difficult enough to spread people out properly.