Welcome to the King of Three Rock 2012!

[Fergal]

The King of 3 Rock is a two-day MTB event on October 13th/14th 2012 which includes the Team-Trail-Thrash (Saturday), and Dixie-Dash races (Sunday), culminating in the ultimate accolade for any mountain biker in the country; the crowning of the King of Three Rock!!

What is The Team-Trail-Thrash?
The Team-Trail-Thrash (TTT) on Saturday involves teams of 3 people trying to set the shortest time possible on the Super Special Stage.
The Super Special Stage will be strictly closed to non-team racers between 1.00pm and 3:00pm (ie;when the Team-Trail-Thrash is running) but you can practice on it before this time.
(The stage is not currently planned to be one of the five Dixie Dash stages on the Sunday, however, if weather conditions change, this stage may be used as it is resistant to rain/mud.)

Let’s say that “Team Awesome” has entered the TTT and has members “Stoker”, “Gnarlo” and “Awesomo”.
They all line-up at the start of the stage, Stoker sets off first, then Gnarlo 10secs after him.
Gnarlo tries his best to catch Stoker, while Stoker does his utmost to keep Gnarlo off his tail.
Meanwhile, Awesomo blasts-off 10 secs after Gnarlo and tries to close the gap, Gnarlo rides like a freaking maniac to keep Awesomo behind him, the net result is that the team “intimidate” each other to go as fast as they can.
You may hear many roars of “get off the brakes you pansy!” or “if I catch you I’m claiming your bike!” as the team gently encourage each other down the hillside.

The riders individual times will be added-up to yield the total time of each team, the winners are the team with the lowest total  time, simple as that.
This will get everyone revved up and start the rivalries early for the main event on Sunday.
(Prizes for the team event awarded on the Sunday)

What is the Dixie Dash?
Dixie (or DHiXCie more accurately) is basically DownHill Cross-Country style, this was conceived and run as a very small club challenge some years ago by MADMTB, but has now finally broken-through into the big time!
The Dixie-Dash stages on the Sunday are the main event of the weekend and will be the ultimate test of biker VS mountain VS clock.
Just like this year’s enduros, each stage is timed individually and the lowest total time for the 5 stages wins, crowning the inaugural King of 3 Rock.
All hail the King!!

What is the schedule?
[COLOR="#0000FF"]Saturday:[/COLOR]
Registration: 09.00am to 11.30am
Practice: 9:30am to 3:00pm
Team-Trail-Thrash: 12:30pm to 3:00pm (no practice allowed on this stage at this time)

[COLOR="#0000FF"]Sunday:[/COLOR]
Registration: 09.00am to 11.00am
King & Queen category start: 10.00am
All other categories start: 10.30am
Stage 1 close time: 12:00pm
Stage 2 close time:  1:00pm
Stage 3 close time:  2:00pm
Presentation of prizes: 4:00pm

What are the stages/trails like?
The 5 stages have 95% descending and maybe about 5% flat bits just so you can exercise your legs a little, many sections are highly technical in nature, comprising roots, rocks, berms, off-camber lines with a few drops and jumps thrown into the mix to boost the fun factor.
Any jumps or drops will either have chicken runs/easy lines or be rollable, nothing too big, stupid or dangerous, but please be aware that due to the nature of the trails, this event is NOT SUITABLE for beginners.

You are required to practice the stages on the Saturday to ensure you are aware of all the technical features and sections – this will REALLY help you on the Sunday!
All stages are flat out with no time for taking it easy or cruising, you can do your make-up/hair-brushing/sightseeing/high & low speed compression damping adjustments on the transition back-up to the next stage.

Transitions between stages will be as quick as you want to make them, but don’t hang around too long as we will be closing-off stages as the day progresses.
You must complete all 5 Stages to be eligible for an overall position.

While the Team-Trail-Thrash is in progress on the Saturday, open practice is also available on the five Dixie-Dash stages to maximise time on the trails and your potential for a fast time on Sunday.

To get the most from the King of 3 Rock find two other people to make up a team for the Team-Trail-Thrash and race both days.  No big deal if you can’t, there will be separate prizes for the Team-Trail-Thrash and the Dixie-Dash but there is a shot at ultimate glory up for offer!!

We have decided to provide soup and sambos at the end of the last/5th stage (ie; instead of having a lunch stop), so that everyone can properly relax (and have time to swap stories of high-velocity action & come up with all kinds of outlandish excuses as to why they weren’t faster etc..)
There will however be water/fruit/biscuits etc.. available at key points during the day so you are fully refreshed for your assault on the next stage!

You can only enter and pay online for this event, no admissions/entries will be taken on the day.
[COLOR="#006400"]Online entry will be opening on Wed 5th Sept. at 8:00am[/COLOR]

You must either have a Full or Restricted Cycling Ireland licence, otherwise you will need to purchase a
One-Day licence.
The cost of this licence is EUR20 for non-Cycling Ireland members, or EUR10 for Cycling Ireland members.

When you enter online, you will be asked for various personal details (name, email, emergency contact details etc..)  and what category you want to enter etc.. it should only take a minute or two for you to register online.
Please make sure you have the correct names for your team-mates for the Triple-Trail-Thrash.

Saturday’s Triple-Trail-Thrash has 2 categories; Thrashers (fast people) and Rockers (not-so-fast people) so pick whichever category you feel suits your abilities.

On Sunday, there are 6 categories as follows;

• King (Pro category 18+)
• Queen (18+)
• Prince (18-24)
• Warrior (25-29)
• Knight (30-35)
• Baron (36-40)
• Warlock (40+)

As you can see, 5 categories are age-based, with “King” being the equivalent “Pro” category.
The Queen category is for female riders only, and not for lads who like pink spokes on their bike, just in case ye were wondering…

FAQs:

How do I enter?
You enter online only HERE
Online entry opens on Wed 5th Sept. at 8:00am and will close on the 10th October at 6pm
You must register AND pay online for this event, any unpaid entries get deleted at the end of each day.

What do I do on the Saturday?
Have 4 Weetabix for breakfast
Ensure you have yourself and your bike in good working order
Head-up to Ticknock and please park neatly to ensure there’s space for everyone
Go to sign-on tent, sign your name on the entry sheet & collect your free t-shirt & stuff
Put on your free t-shirt if you wanna be really cool and hip
Attach your numberplate to the front of your bike
Assemble your team-mates for the Triple-Trail-Thrash
Head-up to the Super-Special-Stage, wish your buddies good luck (you may do a chest-bump or a bro-shake or a bro-hug etc) and hammer-out the best time you can.
Note; if there’s a bit of a queue, you could go and practice on of the Dixie-Dash stages and then come back if you like.

What do I do on the Sunday?
Have 5 Weetabix for breakfast.
Ensure you have yourself and your bike in good working order.
Head-up to Ticknock and please park neatly to ensure there’s space for everyone
Go to sign-on (sign your name on the entry sheet & collect your goody-bag if you didn’t do so on Saturday) and collect your timing tag.
Go through the bike check and get ready for a 120 decibel day of offroad rock n’roll!

How much is the event?
It is €45 for all categories, with a special discounted price of €39 for a limited time so get registered quickly!.
This might initially sound like a lot, but when you consider you are getting 2 days of killer biking action, refreshments, post-event food, free memento t-shirt & poster, and the opportunity to become a member of the first ever Royal Family of ThreeRock, we think it’s pretty good value, and we reckon by the end of the Sunday, you’ll think it’s money well-spent too.
It’s the last MTB event of the year – you just gotta be there!

Do I need a licence?
Yes!
You must either have a Full or Restricted Cycling Ireland licence, otherwise you will need to purchase a
One-Day licence.
The cost of this licence is EUR20 for non-Cycling Ireland members, or EUR10 for Cycling Ireland members.

What bike shall I bring?
Whatever bike you have the most fun on.

Do I need armour?
You definitely have to wear a helmet, and you must wear it at ALL times throughout the day, anyone seeing not wearing their helmet will be disqualified.
Gloves are highly recommended too, and you’ll see a lot of people wearing knee pads, which are also advisable.

Is there a specialist/professional I can talk to regarding tyre-choice and PSI levels?
Yes, they call him “The Don” he is “the tyre whisperer” he knows more about compounds, side-wall shear forces and rolling resistance than any man alive.

Is there any danger of me get over-stoked or super-amped?
Oh yes, oh for sure yes

I have more questions – who shall I ask them of?
You shall address all correspondances, queries and words of praise to the almighty King himself at kingofthreerock@gmail.com

Keep up-to-date and have a chat with The King on Facebook or pop over to the MADMTB site.

[Fergal]

Just so people are really clear, this event is just like the Gravity Enduro events.
We'll be using much different trails to what those which the Ticknock Gravity Enduro used, so there'll be loads of variety and fast techy stuff.

Our focus in designing these trails has been to create and link downhill sections which have a real test of a mountainbiker's skills and ability to ride techy stuff fast and clean.
The sections will suit both XC heads and DH heads, so expect to see a variety of riders on the podium
There will not be any craic-killing climbing in any of the stages.

Plenty of new trails you likely have never see before too, we're very busy over the next few weeks getting all the trails in perfect shape for this, and we're also ensuring we have back-up trails in case the weather tries to make a mess of things, which it won't of course because we're unofficially into "summer" now.

We've widened various sections to make them faster, and cut back a load of grass and nasty gorse to really open-up the sections for speed and alternative lines.

We've done a lot of planning to put in trails that go from some of the highest points to the lowest points on Three Rock, with 3 stages feature a vertical drop of approx 500 ft each

[Fergal]

Also, there are limited places left at the special early-bird rate of just €39 so sign-up quick or you'll miss the cheap seats!

[Paul]

Sounds good Fergal..!! 

[Jimmy Mr Excuses]

So anybody wanna join my gang ?  ,  Im looking for two more goobers  ,  to join the Saturday event and looking to enter the rockers (not too fast yokes). It appears you cant just register the team later and register for the event now. There appears to be two category's rockers as above and Thrashers (fast yokes).  I reckon it could be a bit of craic and will make up for missing the last gravity enduro.

Also if someone wants to enter the thrashers and scream ahead to me to move Id be on for that also. 

Just let me know

[DaveyD]

So anybody wanna join my gang ?

Me please!!!!

 

[Jimmy Mr Excuses]

sorry goobers only allowed Dave ha ha.

nice one man just one more we got ourselves a team

[DaveyD]

So did we get a fourth person?

[Fergal]

Another King-sized day of trailbuilding with a complete stage fully built from start to finish!
This new stage is the Blade Runner, and it'll have you on the edge of your tyres for a big part of it where the fast off-cambery sections test your nerve and grip!

This trail is huge fun from the get-go, where the techy rock-stepped gulley drops you onto the fireroad, straight across and down the super-swooper.
Carve left then switch right and the new berm carries you onto the path which you'll hammer along briefly then drop-in left to the start of the forest section which points down all the way and turns back on itself briefly before resuming it's tricky off-camber descent to the wide path.

No let-up as you cross the path in a heartbeat and resume the sction - dropping down over and across multiple rocks and roots.
A final steep descent threads you through a monster boulder-field, then a tight twisty final section to land you on the fireroad.
We're really looking forward to seeing riders enjoy this stage, if there isn't a huge smile on your face at the end of his section we'll buy you a brand new bike! (maybe)








swoop-down from fireroad

[Jimmy Mr Excuses]

So did we get a fourth person?

We still don't have a 3rd ? this is right up Colt Seavers avenue  Im surprised we havent heard from him ?. 

[Fergal]

hello you fine young people
The cheap registration offer is coming to a close on Friday or maybe even sooner if all the allocated discounted regs are bought-up, so get registering asap!
http://www.madmtb.com/ko3r/ko3r-entry/

We've been very busy digging away to make some brilliant trails for ye - don't miss-out!!

from The King

[Scott B.]

Hi Guys

I would be up for it.... have you got your team yet ?? if so what you call it ?

Talk soon

Scott

 

[Scott B.]

Hi Guys

I would be up for it.... have you got your team yet ?? if so what you call it ?

Talk soon

Scott

 

God damn my nephew's confirmation is on that weekend.....it's killing me but count me out.

[Jimmy Mr Excuses]

Sorry Scott was away the weekend down in west Cork and feck all internet access. We still don't have a third that's a stones anyway you cant make it    stupid family getting in the way of races ha ha   . Anyway I'm sure someone else will step up in the mean time.

[Fergal]

The King and his merry band of conscripts had another very productive days  trail clearing and digging on Saturday.
Work was centred on Stage 2, which initially thought was going to be the least favourite trail, but now after all the clean-up work and the new lines cleared, it's probably going to be the best of the lot.

The MAD Spin&Dig crew were along for the dual-purpose role of trailbuilding and the always-important test riding

Stage 2 has a perfect combination of flat-out speed then a change of pace and terrain into rooty/steppy technicality through a really cool looking tree-lined corridor (pics below), next is a short sweeping connector trail through a long-forgotten forest section then carve through the next connector which is a fast widened gulley then into the wide-spaced second-last forest.

A nice fast transition along the top of this forest which has been raked & taped wide to allow alternate line choice/easy passing of other riders.

Then a loose loamy right-hander to point you straight down the hill.
Swoop left into a series of bermed switchbacks which finally drop you onto the fireroad.
Across the fireroad in a half second but leave your brain switched-on for just a little longer as you shoot down and right into the last section of forest along the hard and fast singletrack.

Tag-out, give your brain a few seconds to calm down, then up for more fun on Stage 3!