TML was advertised as being suitable for any bike, but we didn't expect everyone to take it so seriously, seeing everything from fully rigid 29ers to full downhill bikes (Jamie!).
The largely singletrack course was designed with technical options and with the hope that tactics and line choice would help determine the winner - we didn't expect Pete to start the discussions at 11am and for Esther to find an alternative route (down the hill!) on her first timed lap.
When Nathan came up with the name "Three Minute Laps" we didn't expect the time period to be so accurate, with Curtis' winning time of 2 minutes and 35 seconds (due to spinning classes, according to Bob) bringing him home ahead of Jack by a second, with Nathan a further 14 seconds back in third.
Our fingers were crossed for ten participants, but 20 turned up, each of whom became involved in battles against riders of a similar pace, with a highlight being Tom beating Greg (to the crown of fastest TF Tuned employee), due to the commitment and sportsmanship shown, not to mention the use of Tom's "Heckler Can" (essentially a can of rocks, used as a rattle).
After the individual event was the team relay event, where the secret was ensuring you got round without crashes or big errors, and that the changeovers were good - the best shown by Louie, who seemed to pull away from the changeover area like he was on concrete, not the mud pit the rest of us wheel spun our way out of.
A team of Sharon, Greg, Nathan, Marjory, Al and (late arrival) Ben L took the win by 45 seconds.
Thanks to everybody who chipped in to share the load of making it a great event; with people helping set up, put away, time the riders, work out the teams, solve anagrams, cheer the riders, jeer the riders and abuse the riders (with some of the most middle class "banter" I have ever witnessed from Al).
The next is provisionally scheduled for the start of January, so keep an eye out for the date, as well as the dig days to improve the course.
Thanks Nath and Ian it was a really fun event!
Well done Ian and co, looks like all had a great time that day. Love the slide show.