Help for Heroes Race at the Bull Track, Sussex

There's racing for competition, there's racing for fun, there's racing for the glory and then there's racing for charity.

For the last race of the Drift Cycles Bull Track Race Series this year, dirt wrangler and field of dreams overseer Alvar Coppard has given the green light for the race to support a charity that does so much for wounded servicemen and their families; Help for Heroes.

The Help for Heroes Bull Track race on Sunday 2nd September is the brainchild of ex-serviceman Joe Killner who now rides for Team Aston Hill. Joe said "Being ex-army and a keen MTB rider this felt like an ideal opportunity to have fun and raise loads of money for a great cause and say a big thank you to the true heroes who lay their lives on the line for us."


The Bull Track in Crowborough, East Sussex has been a staple venue in the South East of England; home to that rare thing in the UK called North Shore, a maze of beginner, intermediate and advanced freeride lines and suitably challenging downhill race lines from the top of the hill.

Hardtail rider Will Minton eyeing-up the rock garden

The racing at the Bull Track has always, first and foremost, been fun and despite bringing together some of the South East of England's fastest downhill riding talent - many of which race across the UK and at international UCI events - everyone is always welcoming and there's constantly a good vibe in the air. Here's geebeebee media's coverage from the last race:



Joe and the team at the Bull Track have dug deep for this event and with the help of the wider biking community, both local and national, have secured some fantastic prizes for all categories. Sponsors for the Help for Heroes Bull Track race so far are: Drift Cycles, Dees Cycles, Fulcrum, Devinci, Crank Cycles, Exempt Clothing, Ana Nichoola, Ellsworth, Tenn Outdoors, IMB, Ben Deakin Mountain Bike Coaching, Continental, Kali Protectives, RL97, Sal'on Wheels, Rocksteady MTB Skills, Bikegoo and Whisper Bikes. With the sponsorship list growing day by day, the support for this race has been fantastic and shows what the grassroots biking scene is all about. And of course, geebeebee media will be there to capture the race-day footage!

Spectators are also welcome and the more the better, if only to see riders overcome their fears of hitting the road gap or seeing how they fair on the rock garden. There's a burger van and toilets on site, and Alvar's banter which you'll be able to hear from all the way down the hill!



Saturday 1st September - Practice Day

Practice throughout the day (fee of £3 for a day pass)

Camping on site is available.

Sunday 2nd September - Race Day

Course opens for practice 08:30

Registration 09.30 - 11.15

Racing starts 11.30 with live timing by Mikrotime

Entry fee is £15 for 16 year olds and under and £20 for everyone else. £5 of each race entry will be donated to Help for Heroes

Course Details

The main downhill track will be used, which includes jumps, rock gardens, berms and flat out sections. All course features are either roll-able or will have chicken runs for those who don't fancy getting too airborne!

Prizes

First, Second and Third prizes donated by event sponsors will be handed out to finishers with a special prize for fastest run of the day. There are also other mini-competitions planned so watch this space!

How to get to the Bull Track in Crowborough

To get the Bull Track by road: Coming to Crowborough Cross from Tunbridge wells you take a left at the traffic light's stay on that road for about a mile and a half when you go under a railway bridge you then take the 2nd left, you go through a water splash over a railway bridge then take a right and the venue is there on the right.

To get the Bull Track by train: From Jarvis Brook/Crowborough train station it is 10 minute walk, come out the station go right to Crowborough hill go right again under a railway bridge you then take the 2nd left, you go through a water splash over a railway bridge then take a right and the venue is there on the right.

Please don't visit the Bull Track unauthorised as it is a private venue, and unauthorised visits will get you banned from the venue.

About Help for Heroes

The charity Help for Heroes was launched in October 2007 in order to provide direct, practical support to wounded injured and sick Service personnel and their families. All the funds raised to date are either allocated or spent on the direct, practical support of those wounded in the current conflicts. To date, H4H has funded a variety of projects including the £8m Rehabilitation Complex at Headley Court, a new £3.5m treatment centre for Combat Stress, adaptive adventure training through the Battle Back programme and the creation of a £6m Quick Reaction Fund to support individuals in need.