Round 7 of the 2019/20 North Wales Cyclocross League: Hawarden Farm Shop ‘Cross CH5 3FB
(sponsored by The Bike Factory, Chester)
Sunday 1 December 2019
Chester Rd, Hawarden, Flintshire, Deeside CH5 3FB
Hawarden Castle was home to William Gladstone the most important Prime Minister of the Victorian period. The present castle was built alongside the twelfth century “Old Hawarden Castle.” In 1157, as Henry II prepared to invade Wales, he sent an advance guard to flush out Owain Gwynedd, the “Prince of North Wales.” Owain’s men ambushed Henry’s forces at Hawarden and forced them to withdraw to the safety of the coast. 1282 the Old Castle was attacked by Dafydd ap Gruffuddin’s militia. This was the last Welsh assault on the forces of Norman England. During the English (and Welsh) Civil War Oliver Cromwell destroyed the Castle to deny royalists any possible defensive position. The modern Castle was built in the 1750s although Hawarden itself, situated on high ground, has been a stronghold since the Iron Age, 3,000 years ago.
NWCX League are guests of the award winning Hawarden Estate Farm Shop. Please follow the parking signs and occupy the reserved car park. Event HQ is adjacent to the Farm Shop. Teas, coffees and cooked food will be on sale from the Farm Shop Cafe. NWCX visitors are invited into the Shop and Cafe but please no bikes near the store entrance. The tarmac car park at the front of the Shop is reserved for regular Farm Shop visitors. NWCX are to park in the reserved car parks and fields.
The course consists of grass, banking, gravel tracks and stretches of woodland single track. Hawarden is the only race in Britain where competitors pass through mature apple and pear orchards or a cultivated Blackberry plantation. These sections are mostly singletrack and tricky in the wet despite being straight. The race enjoys a 1960s/70s style “full width start” before funnelling down into orchards.
This is a retail venue with a reputation for fine produce and a popular cafe. Please treat WCs and facilities with respect. Please keep the Farm Shop Car Park free for regular visitors. Please refrain from cleaning your bike in the car park because we want a return invite. Children are of course allowed to play in the Childrens’ play area but for visitor safety there must be no cycling (adult or children) in the Childrens’ Play Area or bikes left in the Farm Shop entrance.
Dog prohibition. Dogs are banned at this site for livestock and nature conservancy reasons.
NWCX requires competitors to assist course clearance post-race.
RACE TIMES
Children & Seniors must enter on Nifty Online
As in previous seasons NWCX is requiring online entries with Nifty for all senior and children categories except for the novice childrens’s race and the novice adults’ race. This ruling is to provide HQ adequate time to issue timing chips and reduce administration burdens.
Children & Seniors Novice (beginners) race – enter on the day
To encourage beginners NWCX offers “one the day entries” for the childrens novice race (usually at 11am for 10mins duration) and the adults novice race (usually at 12midday for 30mins duration). These beginners’ races can be entered on the day.
Timings:
10:00 -11:30 Registration. There will be no registration after 1130.
11:00 Novice Children -( 10mins ) £2 (entry on the day)
11.20 Race#1:U8s, U10s, U12s ( 20mins ) £3 (£2+£1 admin fee) Nifty Online Only
12:00 Race#2: U14s, U16s, ( 30mins ) £6 (£5+£1 admin fee) Nifty Online Only + Adult Novice ( beginners) £7 cash (enter on the day)
12:45 Senior & Junior practice & warm-up (25min)
13.15 Race #3: Senior race (M/F, Vets, U18s) 60mins U18 £6 (£5+£1 admin fee) Nifty Online Only, All Seniors £11 (£10 + £1 admin fee) Nifty Online Only
(Vets will be classified V40, V50, V60+ subject to participant numbers )
Warning: The first races of the year are busy so please arrive early to collect your number.
Newcomers regardless of age, gender or ability are welcome. You can race on a cyclocross bike or a mountain bike. You can try the beginners race for 30mins.
Parents: children enjoy cyclocross. If unsure don’t be afraid to ask at HQ. This series prioritises racing for children and newcomers. Most beginners make rapid progress.
Single frameset rule: NWCX operates a single frameset rule. You must use the bike you start with. No spare bikes permitted once race underway.
Knobbly tyres: cyclocross takes place on grass, mud and trail surfaces. It is essential for competitor safety that you fit knobbly tyres for cyclocross. Riders with smooth tyres will be asked to discontinue.
Competitors retain numbers. This stays with you for all season so keep it safe between races. Replacement numbers will be charged at £3 per set.
Competitors are to hand back their race chips at the finish. Each chip cost £30+vat. You will be billed if failing to hand back your chip
Full refunds will be offered to applicants who withdraw before 23.55 on the Tuesday before a race. An administration fee of £1 will however be charged. Unfortunately after this date no refund will be available. We will be running a reserve list so if you do withdraw your place can be offered to another rider.
