Race Report: TweedLove Take Enduro Back to Laggan

Photography credits: Marc Marshall
Words: TweedLove Team

It was to be a weekend of racing firsts. The first round of the YT Industries TweedLove Enduro Series was also Round One of the British National Enduro Series. Bringing quality riders from every corner of the UK (and way beyond) it was also a first for TweedLove to host an enduro away from their home tracks of the Tweed Valley. After months of big shifts by the local dig crews, the Laggan Forest Trust, local businesses - and the ever-welcoming extended local community - the scene was set for a Highlands weekend that would surely be more than just a fling.

Laggan Wolftrax is one of the original go-to MTB destinations in Scotland. The mix of rocky steep tech and trail-centre groomed speed, created the perfect setting for an enduro that would have racers desperately trying to avoid being stuck between a rock and a hard place.


Another first for the TweedLove Series was the much anticipated seeding run on the Saturday afternoon. All the points (and podium) chasing seeded riders, would have just once chance to put down their best time to determine the race order for Sunday.


The seeding runs proved to be a big hit with everyone, as many lined the track to cheer on their favourites. It wasn't all straightforward though as a few top riders found they struggled to find race pace on the Saturday. Corey Watson found himself 10 seconds off the fastest pace of William Brodie, whilst Alex Storr was way down the order following a super close-up track inspection. I guess #thatsracing

One thing that wasn't new was the overnight rain. It wasn't much (for Scotland), but combined with the early morning Highland chill it was going to make it a spicy race day. Stages 1-3 took the riders to the natural and steep side of Laggan. A masterclass in course design and prep, the Laggan Dig Crew had put their knowledge to good use to make this course a proper enduro test. Combining some of the very best that Laggan had to offer, the local crew were determined to make a lasting impression. An impression that was often rock-shaped.

There weren't many that finished Stage 1 without at least a stutter or a stall. If you managed to get to the end of Stage 3 feeling happy that you had carried some race pace throughout, there was a good chance you were in contention for a win.


As the riders passed through the event village and on towards the final two stages, it was clear that some had faired better than others. Mr Saturday - William Brodie - had taken the win on Stage 2, but had lost large chunks of time of stages 1 and 3 (if he knew what Stage 4 had planned for him, he may have opted for an early bath). Corey Watson definitely had his familiar smile back on his face, so had he shaken off his poor seeding run?


The final two stages would ultimately decide the overall winners. While Polly Henderson had very much staked her claim with three stage wins in the bag, she knew there were some bright young guns looking to take a scalp at the first race of the series. The female categories saw an array of experience and talent, from legends such as Helen Gaskell to up and coming talent like Hollie Vayro and Lacey Holmes.


Stage 4 offered the race a change of pace and style. Using much of Laggan's legendary black trail, riders would need to put their pedals to use whilst navigating bursts of rocky goodness if they wanted to excel here. Alex Storr had kept his powder dry until this point, but as Stage 4 came to a close he had put a full 11 seconds on Corey Watson, taking him into a slender lead with just one lung-busting stage to go.



Stage 5 was a perfect signature for Laggan. Rock bridges and natural slabs kept riders heels down. If you were still in the game after the first couple of minutes, you were rewarded with some of the sweetest gravity-fuelled flow in Scotland, but always dashed with a little rockyness to keep you sharp. Less than ten riders would beat a sub 5m20s time for this stage and that's what was needed to find the coveted top spots. Joe Barnes used all his experience to bring it home for the Masters win. William Brodie finally found his race form again, but a nightmare on Stage 4 meant he was in no position to challenge a strong Henry Timewell for the U21 win.



After putting his Saturday seeding demons behind him, Alex Storr put in a phenomenal fastest final stage run to take the top step and the overall win with a healthy 15 seconds between himself and Corey Watson. Henry Timewell not only took the U21 win, but also bagged third place overall.



Polly Henderson carried her pace into the final stages to make it an awesome five out of five stage wins and the overall, with Sian Dillon and Hollie Vayro taking 2nd and 3rd. In the E-MTB race, it was James Shirley and Helen Gaskell who led the charge to the top spots.

Across the board it was smiles all round from the entire racing community. The extended TweedLove/Laggan teams could safely say that racing had returned with a bang. Will we see a return to Laggan one day?

We've swapped numbers. ❤️






The YT Industries TweedLove Enduro Series will move on to Glentress on 15-16 June for Round 2 for what will be an International affair. See you all there.