Hope PMBA Enduro Series: Final - Video and Race Report

HOPE/PMBA ENDURO SERIES, Round 5 - Grizedale forest

Gisburn forest back in March for the start of the series was wet beyond belief, and it seemed we would exit the year in the same way - wet. One week before the race Grizedale was under flood; most of our trail building team arrived just before the road was a thigh-deep river. Big thanks to the volunteers who worked through the torrential morning rain; and still came back the next day. By late afternoon the road was again passable and we could make our way home. If it had been the weekend of the event it would have had to be postponed - however, come race weekend the weather was much better.

The skies may have been kind to the event but the ground was still very wet, making the stages much more difficult and a Mudhugger an absolutely essential piece of kit. Almost 400 riders had signed up for the event but only 300 were not deterred by the conditions and were treated to a fun-filled weekend.

Hope PMBA Enduro Series Final Grizedale Forest 2017

Six stages, nestled within a twenty-mile lap were lined for the competitors, with thousand meters of elevation to keep racers warm in the cool autumn breeze. Those who had raced the ten stage National Enduro Champs back in April had done many of the stages before; although conditions could not have been more different.

A good wet and sloppy weekend the tracks where amazing railing the ruts and bogs combined with slippy roots all made for a good laugh and good racing. Another amazing racing year provided by the PMBA team. Good work guys !!—Damien Ledgerwood

Stage one was Deerhunter; a short, fast and rocky descent that bit many a rider running a lightweight tyre. The rockiest section was also the wettest, with a stream following the path.

Stage two saw the popular stage of Satterthwaite Downhill delight the riders, evolved over the last 20 years from a locals downhill trail into a fantastic enduro race trail.

Polly Henderson - winning the U21 women's by a huge 5-minute margin while bagging fastest woman overall

It was an absolutely brilliant day’s racing with the stages having the perfect balance of tech and flow - they were challenging, but also great fun to ride. Putting a mud spike on the front definitely helped with the super loose stage 6, and I’m beyond stoked to get onto my first ever podium for a bike race!—James Vincent, on the podium despite racing blind

Stage three and many riders favourite stage, starting in the trees and then blasting down "the black" a surfaced trail; full speed and giving huge airtime to those that dared! The Hope team didn't disappoint with young Dan Hole taking the biggest air, although the speed of Adam Brayton apparently caused trees to run out the way just in case!

A wild day on even more wild tracks, like a war zone at times.—Matthew Woodhall, in his last race before hitting the Elite category in 2018

After stage three, and again after five the transition passed up the side of the black, and with all the action many riders had a break and cheered the other competitors on

Stage four and the biggest stage, starting high above Coniston water and descending all the way to the shore. Three distinct parts to the stage give a really good test for the racers; the top is rooty and rutted, the midsection is more physical, muddy and slippy; before the final section, a short fire road climb makes sure you have enough stamina before the final rocky and fast finish to this awesome stage. As has become customary the Elite riders took a dip in Coniston water after finishing the stage - although we aren't sure the picture is SFW!

Great weekend on some proper trails and my mudguard rubbing sounded like a motorbike! Never get too old for that!—Sean Robinson

The huge elevation loss of stage four then had to be paid for climbing from the lowest point on the lap back to the top of the main hill. However the reward was the sweet loose turns of the Sculpture trail, no mud plugging on this stage.

One last climb and the final stage awaited the riders, probably the most talked about stage. Was brand new for the national champs but suffered a lot with the mud. The trail building team had been working hard on the stage, taking out the trickiest section and adding drainage and rock up and down the trail. Still the top section was very slippy, and the finishing field was shortened to avoid the worst of the mud but still finished in a bog!

HOPE/PMBA Enduro Grizedale end of stage 6.

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My first PMBA Enduro; but not my last!—Adam Brayton

It was the Hope pairing of Adam Brayton and Ian Austermuhle who battled it out for the overall win, but with series veteran, Ian only beating Adam on the final stage it was the Keswick Kestrel on the top of the podium in his first PMBA Enduro Series event. However it was Cotic's James Swindon that took the overall series top spot, with Ian in second and Callum Russell in third.

In the women's there was no surprise, sixteen-year-old Polly Henderson has been fastest woman overall for most of this year winning every round she entered. She put 5 minutes into Abi Lawton who was second in the under 21 women's - the same position she finished the Enduro World Series in 1 week previous.

I loved riding at Grizedale despite the tough conditions and I was super happy to come away with the win.—Polly Henderson; Female Riders Race Team

For a full rundown of the results, and 7000 photos head over to here.

The Hope PMBA Enduro Series results are here.

The Hope PMBA Enduro Series will return in 2018! Keep up to date here.