It’s just four weeks until the UK’s toughest test of man and machine – the Tough One!
The event is now in its eighth year and has grown in stature to become recognised as one of the main five extreme events in the World. The event always manages to pull in an international field of riders and over the years some of the best riders in the enduro world, ever have graced the Nantmawr Stage. This year will be no different as once again riders from all over Europe are attending what will be the Toughest Tough One yet!
The track this year has been fully rethought and designed with a much longer lap and some really amazing sections. Two brand new tyre sections with the biggest dumper truck tyres you have seen are now in the mix, a whole lorry full of brand new logs and trees are being brought in to create a tough and gnarly new log attack section. The old pick ups and lorry trailer unit that have previously graced the course are now gone and in comes a new ‘It’s a knockout!’ section… This is a huge scaffold erection with hanging tyres and human size and weight dummies, suspended from the sky. Special attack trained marshals will be firing these swinging weights at the riders as they try to negotiate their way through the short but tough section.
The Root of all Evil returns, gnarly rock gardens, super steep climbs and descents with no run up or run off will scare riders senseless as they try to notch up the laps and be the fastest rider around the course. The infamous and crowd favourite the Boulder Dash is playing a big part in this eighth edition of the event with a new Half Hour of Hell being brought into play by the race organisers. Basically anytime in the first hour and a half of the event, Tough One race bosses will throw in the horrible, massive boulder-strewn section for the Pro riders only. This will certainly keep the top riders on their toes and eat into any race leads the front riders may have, it will also create a great buzz in the crowd before the darkness comes and the big floodlights go on for the final hour of madness.
Another big change for this years event is the fact that the riders parking area is now right in the bowl of the quarry and the course will come inland for the first time and take in some twists and twirls amongst the crowd and vehicles and of course with logs, rocks and tyres to challenge the riders!.
This is an extreme event…Not a quick blast over terrain that looks tough, this is the real deal and only the bravest, toughest riders will succeed! That is what this sport of Extreme Enduro is all about and why eight years on from its birth, The Tough One is World renowned and respected.
The action kicks off at 11am with a super tough two hour race for the hardy Clubman and Veteran riders. These guys and girls will give it their all over the challenging and scary Nantmawr extreme loop. The winner will be the first lad or lass over the chequered flag finish line that has done the most laps in the 120 minutes of hell. Whoever it is will be almost broken that is for sure!
Master of ceremonies and the voice of the Tough One Jack Burnicle will be on the mic with help from top southern commentator, Andi Deeks to usher every rider through the mayhem and keep the crowd informed…
After the morning race and presentation there will be a small break as the riders get interviewed . Some course changes are made and the main event then kicks off at 3pm. Riders will have to do the customary short run to their machines and off they go. Pro class first followed by the Experts. The only thing guaranteed is carnage, mayhem and physical effort to the max. With darkness falling approximately at 4.15pm the quarry then turns into a floodlit, atmospheric extreme enduro fest that will excite the riders and spectators in equal amounts!
Get excited people, bring cameras, video cameras, wellingtons, and warm clothes because it can be extreme for you guys too… Lots of people have already bought their tickets on line and with only 400 vehicle parking spaces this year instead of 800…. The organisers have set the price for a ticket to get up to 7 people in one car in at a very reasonable £50 per vehicle. However please be aware that anyone turning up without a ticket will be charged at £70 a car at the gate irrespective or how many people are in the car.
Motorcycle Spectators can get in on the gate for £15 each as can walk in spectators but please be aware there is nowhere near the venue that you can leave a car or van on the public roads and not get clamped or ticketed by the authorities. The best bet for anyone without a ticket is to go online at www.worevents.com now and buy your vehicle pass. The gates will open at 8.30am for the first spectators to get parked up – music and commentary will start at 10am.
This will be an awesome days sport and with a fantastic line up of riders, the best Extreme Enduro venue in the UK and a reputation to uphold. The International Tough One Extreme Enduro 2012 is not to be missed!
