Been looking for some fun races that I don't need to be mega fit to enjoy and we (my wife and I) found these and were wondering if anyone else was thinking of doing them?

www.racercup.ch - specifically the one at Engelberg-Titlus on 19/20 June

or

www.openbike.ch at Haut Gruyere on 18th September

i was thinking my 6yo could go into a fun race at Engelberg-Titlus so maybe could be a family thing too

Anyone thought about going???

I would be interested but already have something planned on that weekend. Plus it's a bit depressing being classified not as Herren or Master, but as a Senior

http://www.racerbikescup.ch/rb-cup20..._engelberg.php

lol i'm still a "master" although what the hell i'm a master of eludes me

maybe some of the other ones then if you're interested - maybe get a group together and make a fun day of it - put some dead animal over an open flame sort of thing

I could do the one in Gränichen during July.
http://www.racerbikescup.ch/rb-cup20...graenichen.php

Then I might try and convince Southie and Woodsie to join me in the zimmer frame & bus pass weilding Seniors class

Thanks for the laugh. Woodsie in an XC race!

You're welcome! Just baiting the old man

ok so will look at Gränichen maybe then - EF bike ride out?

Fun is a bit of a subjective word here though.

So far the most fun events I have done are the Grisha Trail Ride and the Trans Provence. Both events are definitely in the area of fun over competition but still offer plenty of challenges to keep you tested.

This year I'll possibly try the Maxi Avalanche in Flims as a fun event.

fun eh!? Grischa Trail - 3 days, 183km and 16,6km altitude difference (ok at least downhill)




ok would be fun - but i think i'll try something a little shorter for my first ever race heheeheh

oh and i can get my 6yo kid to do the parcour at the racercup events which would be cool

edit: Trans Provence - 7 days - holy h3ll ehheehheheh

For some people (me included), the ups are (nearly) as much fun as the downs. It's definitely possible to have fun in an XC race however most participants in Switzerland seem to take it pretty seriously. There typically isn't the "have-a-go" fun class of racing here that you get in the UK and other places.

I would look at the short distance catagories of the big marathon events (eg Grand Raid, Iron Bike, National Park Marathon etc) if you want a relaxed and fun intro into XC racing

one of the reasons i was looking at those racercup events - the fun categories are on Saturday and serious racing on Sunday

and only 5chf if i read it right

eek!

i just signed up for the Fun Masters race at Engelberg/Titlis

ok FUN is the operative word here... but now I look at the entry list

http://www.racerbikescup.ch/rb-cup20...0_overview.php

eek!!!!

they've basically ALL got teams next to them - i though FUN meant like not in teams and just for errr fun

now i'm a little "concerned" - scared to turn up and be an unfit bugger and out of my depth

Oh count me in by the way!

Now dont let that bother you, i used to race in the Gorrick events back home, most of them had team names, i raced in the fun category, and even on my first attempt i finished midfield.

Saying that my nemesis was a 60+ guy who didnt look particlarly fit on a relatively normal (in comparism to my shiny new bike way better than me), he was from a bike club, he could only ride upright n back straight (due to beer belly). His seat looked like he had a few car springs in the back of it!!! On the 2nd and final lap , he would always sail past me like he was on his way to the shops.

Finally managed to beat him after training hard, (i nearly puked overtaking him i pushed so hard).

Anyway just because they may look flash with all the gear, they may well be crap

Saying that.. the masters in my events would thrash me (19min laps to my 29mins), had one tucked in behind me thought i was doing well, i said to him, "do you wanna pass me?"

he replied "naa it's ok im just doing some warmups my race isn't on for an hour"

i think yesterday was the last day to pay online and enter - 40chf - but hopefully it's still going today

otherwise you can show up on the day and pay from what i read
I'll PM you my mobile if you want to meet up during the day

Thanks for the stories - laughed my butt off at the guy who was just training - how demoralizing!!

Cheers!

I did a couple of the Racer Bikes Cups last year and they were a real eye-opener. The elite races have girls like Sabine Spitz and Petra Hinzi and are full of international XC riders and teams, using these races as training races for World Cups. There is a really great buzz at the races and I was at the limit the whole way.
I have a friend this year who is competing in the Fun category and she really enjoys it, I think if I do some more of those races I would enter that category next time round.
The course on both races was really amazing, surprisingly more technical than any of the marathon or 14 hour races I had done before or XC races in Ireland, especially Granichen. There was a mix of everything from quarry to forest, a large 2ft drop off onto a steep landing, a basin to jump over and a log at the end of every lap about 1.5ft high (a lot of the top riders were dismounting and hopping over it)
So. Just some extra info! Really well organized and overall great races to do on the weekends with a brilliant atmosphere also.
Fi

Thanks for the info - drops i'm ok with but how big was that basin?? I'm not too good at jumps from a flat start....