London and South East Cyclocross League 2015/16

[Stuart]

Provisional race calendar is as follows:

Sun 06-Sep London League Round 1 & Sussex League Round 1 Stanmer Park
Sun 13-Sep London League Round 2 CycloPark
Sun 20-Sep London League Round 3 Redbridge Cycling Centre
Sun 27-Sep London League Round 4 Addington Park
Sun 04-Oct London League Round 5 Herne Hill Velodrome
Sun 11-Oct London League Round 6 & Sussex League Round 2 Happy Valley Park
Sun 18-Oct London League Round 7 & East Kent League Round 2 Fowlmead Country Park
Sun 01-Nov London League Round 8 & Sussex League Round 3 TBC
Sun 08-Nov London League Round 9 Penshurst Off Road Club
Sun 22-Nov London League Round 10 & Sussex League Round 4 Sumners Ponds
Sun 29-Nov London League Round 11 CycloPark
Sun 13-Dec London League Round 12 Frylands Wood Scout Camp
Sun 03-Jan London League Round 13 CycloPark
Sun 17-Jan London League Round 14 Wilmington School
Sun 24-Jan London League Round 15 Bethlem Royal Hospital
Sun 31-Jan London League Round 16 & Sussex League Round 5 TBC
Sun 07-Feb LCCA Team Championships & Sussex League Round 6 Great Walstead School

3 races at Cyclopark! Which is fine because its a great venue

[StevenDrew]

3 races at Cyclopark! Which is fine because its a great venue

It's the new Hog Hill!

[Stuart]

More accurately it's the new Herne Hill. A sadly missed cross venue in my book.

[StevenDrew]

Either way, I don't think I'll be able to do much, if any. Too many clashes with the Eastern League which is a shame.

[Stuart]

And vice versa

[Chris Clague]

2 clashes with NT races. Opportunities for points hunting

[EdwinBurden]

Either way, I don't think I'll be able to do much, if any. Too many clashes with the Eastern League which is a shame.

Can't decide which to target. Friendly-ness of ll or slickness and maybe better venues of El...

[StevenDrew]

2 clashes with NT races. Opportunities for points hunting

I'm quite tempted by a few of the early season Trophy races. I wouldn't mind a go at Derby in the (relative) dry rather than a mudfest.

[StevenDrew]

Did anyone clock that Fowlmead is part of the East Kent League series?

Unlikely to be much use to me but it seems to be a three race series:

13 Sept - Sandwich
18 Oct - Fowlmead
14 Nov - Discovery Park

[Stuart]

LCCA entries

We are pleased to announce that entries are now open for this year's League.
You can see the full details about the League, including this year’s age categories and how to take part at http://www.londonxleague.co.uk/info

For U10 and U12 riders, there is no need to register nor to enter online – simply turn up at any of the events and pay £1. We generally advise arriving about an hour before your event to make sure you’ve had time to sign on and warm up.

For riders over 12, we strongly advise that you register for the series and enter each event in advance, because entering on the day involves longer queues and higher charges. The process is as follows:

1. Register for the 2015/16 season at RiderHQ.com. This costs £10 and assigns you a number and electronic tag for the season. You will need to collect these at the first round that you enter, but after that, you need to remember to bring them to each event.

(There is no longer a need for clubs or individual riders to affiliate to the League. The only affiliated clubs are those that are promoting events during the season. Riders in these clubs will receive a £3 refund. Look out for the option to apply for this on the registration page)

2. Enter your first event. You can find a link to entries for each event on our website, or else from riderHQ.com/calendar

3. Race. Have fun.

4. Enter your next event.

5. Do some training. Repeat 3,4 & 5.

[PatHayes]

Looks like will be having earlier than planned foray into the London league at Brighton due the C snapping chain at Basildon and wanting s replacement event . Can't say am over joyed tired from today and long journey for expensive and probably badly organised race. When dont London League use BC online entry system ?

[Damian Robertson]

Good to see several Phoenix there - the Reuter family and you Pat on a nice day. How was your race? I enjoyed this race last year after Basildon, so felt drawn to it again this year instead of the Cornfields. They'd changed the course a bit, slightly less of the long drag uphill, but enough of the uphill to get the heart beats up! Great fun in the woods. Really fun course. I ended my race with oily fingers and a bit of disappointment. Had a great race actually, until my chain came off, and required twisting back into place. Ungridded, I quickly passed through gaps and got into the top ten. Then passed up into fifth, battled for a few laps with an over excited chap from Hillingdon, who was slow on the hill so off I went much stronger than yesterday thankfully. Got a gap from him and started closing the gap to the top three, dialled in. On the penultimate lap, coming out of the woods I tried to pick up my big chain ring and then the chain came off, drat. I don't know how many places I lost. Once back on I contemplated abandoning, such frustration! One minute on my way, the next out the back door. Pedalled slowly for a bit before resolving to kick out the last lap, passing people again. Top ten? By way of consolation, the strength was there today unlike yesterday, phew! A mishap took me from an easy fourth or more? I should be good for next week! And I'm not nearly as knackered as I was at the end of yesterday

[PatHayes]

Had another half decent ride though be interesting to see actual results as impossible to tell where you are in London league given shambolic format and fact on course with big hill front riders in Old Gits started catching V40s from half way round first lap and numbers not colour coded .Signing on as weird as ever and course pretty odd nice grass section and big hill to sap legs but then long section of really narrow single track which isn't really X and a real pain in a mixed category race though women and V 40s really decent about getting out of way . Stupidly gashed leg trying to lap someone over the right angle turn hurdles and catching shin on supporting post .

Guy from hillingdon was parked next to us very enthusiastic !

[PatHayes]

Really bad luck Damien sounds like you were really unlucky

[MaxReuter]

Yes, nice day out! As we aren't Eastern regulars, we don't even realise the organisation is shambolic, we just think this is how life is!

As for the racing, Caroline picked up where she had left off last season and took third. I also went for continuity, adding to my collection of mechanicals. No flat tyres this time (I was running on 40ml Caffélatex front and rear) but I twice managed to jam my chain between the spokes and the largest sprocket when shifting with little finesse on the climb. I was in the front ten (well, probably tenth...) after the start and had picked off a few riders before my mishaps, not quite sure where I ended up in the end. Not easy to catch everybody again with the long stretches of single track. Never liked them either.