The final mountain bike event of the 2017 Tweedlove festival is upon us with the Whyte King and Queen of the Hill taking place this weekend.
The Whyte King and Queen of the Hill has, over the years, been dominated by locals. Katy Winton has reigned supreme as Queen since the event’s inception and Gary Forrest has yet to relinquish his crown since he’s been in attendance.
With many of the top enduro names Stateside following the Whistler Enduro World Series, will we see new faces usurping the the throne?
The King and Queen of the Hill also makes up the third and final event in the Tweedlove Triple Crown, with points amassed from Vallelujah, the Shimano International Enduro and this, counting towards the title. Local hero Gary Forrest is sitting 100 points clear of Team Wideopenmag’s Kelan Grant, and with 500 points for a win, mathematically, everyone from 14th place overall (Lewis Buchanan) could take the win if he wins this race and everyone else scores no points.
Photo by Ian Linton.
The senior ladies’ title is still up for grabs, with an injured Janey Kennedy sitting in the top spot overall with 880 points. With the same 500 points on offer, everyone down to 9th placed Bex Baraona could seal the deal with a win.
The Tracks.
What you can be sure of is a solid dollop of natural and fresh cut sections to keep you on your toes all weekend. The event itself takes in the very best that Innerleithen has to offer, taking in the steeps of Caberston and the classics of Traquair, with stage 5 running from the very top of Plora Rig back to the car park, there’s a race to be won and lost on this stage alone.
Everyone knows that these sections can be unrecognisable when you get to them on Sunday, so you’ll need to keep your wits about you and get good at riding what’s in front of you.
Photo by Ian Linton.What to bring.
Racing in Scotland in August can be glorious but then again, it can also be horrendous, as last this summer has proven. So on that basis I’d advise packing plenty of warm clothes and waterproofs. If you’re packing a full face then check out Rich Thomas’ tips for setting up your lid for wet weather here.
You’re maybe wondering what tyres to run. Team Wideopenmag’s current top favourite is Continental Der Barons for the weekend, something with plenty of grip and good in the mud. This is the perfect time of the year to run these front and back. We’d recommend a tyre which clears mud out front though!
Thunder and lightning is forecast for today but the weather over the weekend is not set to be as ‘interesting’. Expect sunny skies but damp trails underfoot.
Photo by Ian Linton.
Food and accommodation.
Your best bet, should you not have fully bought into #vanlife or have a mate’s sofa to sleep on is to have a look at the dedicated page on Tweedlove’s site that includes their official event partner, MacDonald Hotels, plus all the other local options.
For those party animals, sadly The Keg on Peebles’ high street is no longer but there’s plenty of good pubs about to let your hair down and get your excuses in for the following day of racing.
Conclusions.
The Whyte King and Queen of the Hill looks set to be another cracking event for those looking to pit themselves against the clock, beat their mates and have a stab at the Triple Crown. This event also rounds out 4 months worth of events in the Tweed Valley.
