Relentless 24- Lochaber, Scotland

As vehicles continued to arrive at the Nevis Range on Saturday 10^th October, we were all watching the sky. The weather was going to be a key player in how the next 24 hours of non-stop racing would unfold.  After all, Lochaber, Scotland in October, the combination doesn't shout suncream and hats. Rain, wind, we were all anticipating the worst, the previous year had seen gale- force winds tear through the overnight camp.  Observing the forecast earlier in the week, I'd seen reports on temperatures hovering around zero and the threat of sleet and snow.

A good number of the competitors and teams had arrived on the Friday night, many seemingly having got there after leaving work, arriving up until around 10.30 at night, those who knew, picked sheltered spots around the perimeter of the car park to set up base camp. 

Saturday morning and the throng of bustling preparation overtook any immediate weather concerns, tents went up, lean to's, tarp's thrown hastily over the tops of vehicles and tied to down wing mirrors and whatever was available. Over three hundred riders were entered for this year's Relentless and consider that almost every team had a support crew, ranging from a partner dragged in to help for the weekend, to multiples of ‘staff' cooking and doing bike mechanicals, the centre was amass with life and activity.

Frazer Coupland of No Fuss advising competitors pre-race. 

Relentless 24 is organised and run by No Fuss Events, with an increasing reputation for providing carefully planned and logistically organised events, they are reaping the benefits by seeing larger numbers attend each event every year, leading to the promise of an even bigger line-up for 2010.

'I'm just here for the tea.'

The event starts with a ‘Le-Mans' style sprint start, 170 riders began with a 300 metre run, picking up their bike and jumping on to get ahead of the field,  the format seems to go down well with riders and spectators alike,  with grins all around. A wave of bikes and their captains then take off in to the forest for what will be a relentless 24 hours of endurance, stamina and mental struggle.

Le-Mans style sprint start for 170 riders.

Lap one completed, only 23 hours and 10 mins left. 

Base camp is now awash with support crews getting food organised, fluids, bedding and tools for bike and human repair.  The course followed a 9.2 mile circuit around the Nevis range centre, utilising portions of the Witches Trail, specifically created singletrack, forest road and this year had the benefit of finishing through the nearby quarry which doesn't operate on a weekend. With the first laps of the course completed and talking to riders, early reports were positive, flowing forest sections on tight singletrack, north shore and combinations of some steep technical sections with a mix of tight sweeping berms on descents. Testament once again to the level of planning that is put in by the guys at No Fuss.

Riding past transition and base camp, the course utilised as much of the character of the Nevis Range as possible, including the underpasses.

One of the twisting sections of north-shore, found early on the course.

 The day turned into evening and laps passed, rider transitions ranged from frantic affairs, quickly swapping dibbers from one filthy ankle to another as yet clean one, to calculated smooth changes with an air of upbeat encouragement, to the solo riders slowly pulling in to their camps and taking time to think, refuel and consider their energy expenditure. The race allows teams of 2, 3, 4, 5 or solos and categories cover seniors, vets, mixed seniors, mixed vets etc.  Some attend to compete seriously with the other riders in the field, taking race strategy very seriously, calculating lap times, dividing remaining laps with the members of the team and considering calories taken on board, but others ride to get through it, to survive the night and prove nothing except to themselves.

The small Speyside distillery of Benromach at Forres in Moray, support No Fuss events.

Forests at night can one minute be calm sedate environments, when you've other riders all around and the canopy is lit by powerful lights attached to helmets and bars, but watching those riders pull away or overtake you, leaving you isolated in total peripheral dark, exhaustion plays on the mind and the struggle is internal, just make it back around the course to the light and activity of the camp.

Night falls in the forest.

3am and those still awake or not trying to catch some sleep before jumping back on the bike,  watch the weather, clear sky turns to cloud, cloud turns to rain, rain turns to a freezing downpour. Riders have risked it at transition, going back in to the forest ill-equipped, wearing lightweight gear not cut out for what Scotland can dish out, they return, shivering, soaked, bewildered, some pull out, that's enough, other's layer up and get back in to the forest. The rain and now wind continue, we were all warned but it came later than we thought, it was expected when it was still light, but in the pitch of night for some it's too much.

Multiples of riders passing in a huddled group.

5am and the rain's beginning to ease, small numbers of people pass by the monitor in base camp, checking laps, times and progress, some don't care, some just want it to end. Light begins to break and the rain stops, base camp turns in to a different place, the light brings people out and with them fresh support, positivity and encouragement, those who've made it through 12 hours riding in darkness are now re-fuelled with support from spectators as they re-emerge trail side.

Sunday brought fine weather with muddy conditions from the night before.

With only around 5 hours of riding left, you can see it in the eyes of those in teams, potentially only one or two laps left each, solo's must keep going, planning their rests and taking food on intelligently. The overnight rain turns some of the course wet, muddy and potentially dangerous for fatigued minds not able to concentrate fully. Although exhausted the reality of the race finishing is becoming more apparent and with it you can observe in each rider fresh life, some even out of the saddle, powering uphill as if more effort will make time pass quicker.

Powering through the laps in the later part of the course.

Switchbacks on the singletrack in the later stages of the course.

11.30am and many are on their last laps, with each one taking between 45 mins to over an hour to complete, the struggle is nearly over. They arrive over the line, exhausted, elated, knackered. Many simply pack up and go home, they've managed to ride through the night and simply want to reflect on their achievement. Others however want results, positions, split times and laps, has their effort been worth it, are they on the podium? Some were, many weren't.

Riding through a firebreak in the forest.

All riders - on business.

End of the race and it's all over.

Check back soon for the race gallery.

Podium Results

Solos

Senior males

• 1. Josh Ibett 22 laps in 22.59
• 2. Dave Buchanan 21 laps in 24.03
• 3. David Powell 21 laps in 24.08

Vet males

• 1. Alex Slaven 24 laps in 24.08..........1^st overall in solos
• 2. Keith Forsyth 22 laps in 23.05
• 3. Ifor Powell 22 laps in 23.57

S Vet males

• 1. Kenny Walker 16 laps in 22.41
• 2. William Halliday 10 laps in 22.10
• 3. Steve Flindall 10 laps in 23.35

Senior female

• 1. Nina Robb 10 laps in 22.30
• 2. Fiona Walker 10 laps in 23.47

Pairs

Senior male

• 1. Nevis Cycles Woo-Ha 30 laps in 23.55................more than even any team of 4!!
• 2. Angus Bike Chain 24 laps in 22.38
• 3. St Acc 24 laps in 24.04

Vet male

• 1. A Helicopter ride and the flying fish 24 laps in 24.37
• 2. Fatman and Robin 21 laps in 23.42
• 3. Team Phenomenal 18 laps in 22.44

S Vet Male

• 1. Click add to basket 24 laps in 23.46
• 2. Gairnside Thrashers 23 laps in 24.10
• 3. Rockhard Racing 2 14 laps in 23.16

Vet Mixed

• 1. Sock Monsters 15 laps in 24.07

Trios

Senior male

• 1. Roger ‘n' the EUCC 29 laps in 24.18
• 2. Smokie without fire 25 laps in 24.37
• 3. Nae Fawz Nae Bawz 24 laps in 24.01

Vet male

• 1. Angus Bike Chain 26 laps in 23.34
• 2. Suie Siders 22 laps in 23.46
• 3. Far's D'artagnan 21 laps in 23.33

S Vet male

• 1. Tree Fellas 24 laps in 24.12

Senior Mixed

• 1. Angus Bike Chain 18 laps in 23.02
• 2. Tardus Bike racing 12 laps in 24.29

Quads

Senior male

• 1. Glen croft rabble 30 laps in 24.09
• 2. Thomas the tank Engine Pro Factory racing 29 laps in 23.58
• 3. 3 ferraris and a lada 29 laps in 24.10.............................................................frazers team!!!!

Vet male

• 1. Team Dilligaf 27 laps in 23.41
• 2. Faertie fairies 27 laps in 24.32
• 3. The John Holmes Experience 26 laps in 24.33

Senior Mixed

• 1. Nevis Cycles 28 laps in 24.05
• 2. Walkers Cycling 25 laps in 24.09
• 3. Moray Muppets and Minxes 23 laps in 24.07

Vet Mixed

• 1. Slow and dirty 22 laps in 23.42

Find full results, 2010 event info and more on the No Fuss Events website. 

Benromach Speyside Single Malt Whisky support No Fuss.

All Images - Dave MacFarlane / planetFear