With backing from Endura, this year’s Limitlass Festival in Glen Tanar went off with a bang, hosting almost 100 women over the weekend.
A rare patch of Scottish sunshine graced the 2023 Limitlass Festival with 90 women making the most of the vast range up coaching, guiding, skills and other activities on site.
Photos by Sadie Aldridge.
The highly anticipated Limitlass MTB Festival, hosted by Katie May, Fiona Finnie and Anna Riddell and took place from 18th to 20th August, marking a successful celebration of women’s mountain biking in the stunning setting of Glen Tanar, Aberdeenshire.
With a sold-out event hosting 90 women, the festival was a huge success, focusing on community, skill-building, and fostering connections within the world of mountain biking.
Limitlass 2023 participant quote: “It was a brilliant weekend! I was on such a high all week so thank you to everyone involved. Roll on 2024!”
Endura Takes the Lead as Event Partner
Scottish cycling apparel manufacturer, Endura, played a pivotal role as the presenting event partner of Limitlass. The festival showcased a specially designed Limitlass Endura custom jersey that went down a storm among attendees. Endura’s commitment to promoting women’s engagement in mountain biking was evident throughout the event, with Endura hosting a rider survey allowing participants to help shape the future of Endura kit.
As part of the collaboration with Endura, Limitlass is dedicated to supporting a limited number of female mountain bikers to develop their professional skills. The ‘Limitlass Legacy’ initiative aims to provide development opportunities for women seeking qualifications in coaching, leadership, mechanics, or trail building. A testament to the legacy, a previous year’s attendee underwent coaching qualifications and returned to coach at this year’s event.
Collaborative Sponsorship Strengthens the Festival’s Impact
Limitlass enjoyed the generous support of a diverse group of sponsors from the mountain biking industry. Notable names such as Deuter, Hope Women, Rocky Mountain Bicycles, Nukeproof Bikes and Liv Cycling contributed significantly to the festival’s overall success, reflecting the shared commitment to advancing the sport and progressing women’s mountain biking.
A Weekend Packed with Learning, Progression and Fun
Limitlass catered to a variety of skill levels from total beginners through to advanced riders. Friday night saw attendees enjoy an evening of inspiring female-led bike films, complemented by delicious pizza. Saturday featured skills coaching sessions led by some of Scotland’s leading female mountain bike coaches, enabling participants to enhance their abilities and build confidence on challenging terrain. Workshops covering topics such as trailside repairs, navigation basics, yoga, bike demos, a mending circle for clothing repair, and a tie-dye workshop ran alongside the coaching sessions.
Saturday evening started with a dynamic panel discussion in front of a packed audience, featuring former professional cyclist Lee Craigie, downhill and freeride athlete Louise Ferguson, downhill and enduro racer Meg Whyte, and Shgufta Anwar from Glasgow cycling group Women on Wheels, alongside the festival hosts. Following the panel discussion, live music, dancing and a lively bar provided a chance for festival-goers to unwind and socialise.
Limitlass 2023 participant quote: “The panel discussion was absolutely amazing. I learnt so much about other women bikers. Each had such fascinating stories and experiences to share”
Sunday saw riders head off with guides on group rides exploring the best of the local terrain, before returning to base for a fun jump jam at the Sender Ramps Bike Park. The festival wrapped up with a fantastic raffle to raise money for the Aberdeenshire Trail Association and Birse Community Trust.
Limitlass 2023 participant quote: “It was really fun to head out on the ride with new friends I had met over the weekend, and try and use some of the skills we learnt in the coaching session.”
Empowerment and Connection
Limitlass attendees encapsulated the spirit of community, skill-building, and forging new connections. Attendees left Glen Tanar with heightened confidence in their mountain biking skills and lasting memories from a weekend of growth, friendship, and shared passion.
Limitlass 2023 participant quote: “I’ve never ridden with a group of women that big before and the stoke was unreal! Everyone was so encouraging, and it definitely makes you braver I think!”
About Limitlass
Limitlass is a mountain bike festival for women, by women. Founded by Scottish mountain bike coaches and guides Katie May, Fiona Finnie and Anna Riddell, the event aims to empower and unite women through mountain biking, by bringing women together in an inclusive fun space to learn, make new connections and grow.
Limitlass was awarded the prestigious “Event of the Year” at the Scottish Mountain Bike Awards in 2022. This recognition underscores the festival’s impact and dedication to the mountain biking community.
Limitlass 2023 participant quote: “Basically, it was awesome in every way, and I didn’t want it to end”.
Anna Riddell:
Limitlass is building as a vibrant community of women who are rewriting the rules, challenging the status quo, and unleashing their true potential.
We are empowering and inspiring each other to push out of comfort zones, embrace resilience and feel good riding bikes. Partnering with Endura, a brand who shares our values and mission, has given us such a boost of confidence and support.
Fiona Finnie:
“I began my journey in mountain biking by attending a women’s-only event, so having the opportunity to offer a similar experience to others through Limitlass is a real privilege. I saw so many familiar emotions throughout the weekend – initial nerves or shyness, which then transformed into newfound confidence, as people formed friendships, acquired new skills, and experienced the joy of mountain biking. There’s a special kind of magic that happens when you bring a group of women together to ride bikes. It’s a real testament to the power of community.“
Katie May:
“Limitlass is more than just a festival, it’s a movement to grow and nurture the female mountain bike community. Our festival sparks the connection but those connections flourish away from the event. We see women organising meet ups, attending races together, following each other on Instagram and inspiring each other. We see brands, like Endura, collecting and actioning feedback to improve their female offering, or attendees of Limitlass striving to become coaches and guides. Limitlass is one stepping stone to a growing, inspired and empowered female mountain bike community.”
