British National XC Mountainbike Champs 2009

Innerleithen MTB Racing and I-Cycles, along with some help from the TVTC bring you the British National XC Mountainbike Champs 2009. This year it is a combined event, with Descent Gear/MSC Bikes providing the Downhill Champs. Double the fun!

I-cycles are on Traquair Road. Don't forget to call in for any bike or nutrition supplies or last minute repairs, you will drive past on your way to the venue.

Top Five Reasons why you should ride the British National XC Champs
1. The course ! Interesting and challenging, to test the skills of our very best riders
2. Races for all, with the Championship race for licence holders and Sport and Open Fun races for non licence holders
3. Big fat UCI points in the Senior Championship race, the best chance all year in Britain
4. £1000 prize fund and loads of kit to give away
5. A great weekend out, plenty to do in the beautiful Tweed Valley, trade pitches and food stalls in the arena and a quiet camping area for XC

The Championship races are open to BC licence holders, but there is something for everyone with a Sport race open to non-licence holders of any age over 19 on the sunday, and the Fun Open race over one lap on the saturday. If you have entered the Downhill you can ride the Fun Open race for a fiver! Just bring a suitable bike...

The Champs closes a week of festivities in Innerleithen with the St Ronans Games taking place the week before.

Looking for somewhere to stay?
www.visittweedvalley.co.uk

Entry
Online entry available.

Sponsorship opportunities
Contact helenmfindlay@yahoo.co.uk for information on how you can support this event.

Closing Dates
Championship races - BC licence required - closing date 19th June
Sport race - no licence required - closing date 12th July
Open Fun race - closing date 17th July, day entry if places left

Camping
A campsite will be made available, details on this website soon. Camping for the XC riders will be separate from the DH and trade camping, please indicate on your online entry if you will be using the camping. You will need to report to the XC registration to get your camping token, and must have pre-booked. No pre-booking, no token = no camping.

Schedule
Schedule and lap numbers below - this is subject to change so please check the event website for confirmation and the noticeboard at the registration tent. Masters riders will be gridded according to National Rankings as close to the event as possible. Categories may be merged to create a championship. Medals will be handed out for the 5 year age bands in Masters and Vets, with the overall winner in each category taking the Champion's jersey.

Timing
Event timing will be provided by Finishline. Chips issued at registration on the saturday. You must return the chips after your race, missing/non-returned chips will be charged for at £15. Chips attach to the bike, on the frame above the bottom bracket, chip facing downwards.

Schedule
Friday:
12.00 - 16.30 XC and DH course inspection walk only, and DH Comms Inspection
18.00 - 20.00 DH registration

Saturday:
08:00 - 11.00 DH Registration and XC Comms Inspection
11:00 - 16.30 XC Registration
09.30 - 17:00 DH Open practice
17:00 - 17:30 DH Expert and Elite practice only
13.30 - 16.30 XC Marshalled practice
16:45 - 17.00 XC Riders and Teams meeting
17.00 - 18.30 XC Open/Fun race
17:45 - 17:50 DH Riders meeting

Sunday:
09:00 - 10:45 DH Open Practise
09.00 - 11.00 XC Race 1 - Youth/Juv/Jun
11.30 - 12.00 XC Race 1 Podiums
11.00 - 13.00 XC Race 2 - Masters/Vets
13.30 - 14.00 XC Race 2 Podiums
11.00 - 14.00 DH Seeding runs
13.00 - 15.30 XC Race 3 - Seniors/Espoirs/Sport
14.30 - 17.30 DH Race runs
16.30 - 17.00 XC Race 3 Podiums
18.00 - All DH Podiums

The Eastgate Theatre - w/c 30 April 2009

Thursday 30th April 7.30pm
Music
Rumba Caliente
Rumba Caliente is one of the UK's most exciting salsa-soul groups, combining musicians from the heartlands of salsa (Venezuela, Cuba and New York) with some of Scotland's most exciting jazz and world music players. The group effortlessly moves from salsa to soul, latin-jazz to funk, raga to rumba and back to salsa again. The group have built a fantastic reputation for thrilling live shows, playing the Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and Cork Jazz festivals and have appeared live in session on Radio Scotland, and Radio 3's "World Root's" show.

Friday 1st May 7.30pm
Drama
Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story has enthralled and fascinated the world for more than a hundred years. Perhaps because a Mr Hyde lurks deep within us all, watching…and waiting... 'A truly remarkable piece of drama... intriguing and thought-provoking', presented by Isosceles and directed by Jim Dunk. Jim has worked in teaching and spent 24 years as a professional actor, theatre director and more latterly a writer, working in theatre, television, film and radio. Eastgate Book Tickets

Peebles, Saturday 2nd May 7.30pm
Music
Elbow Jane Band
A premiere five-piece acoustic band comprising guitars, bazouki, mandolin, piano, bass, percussion and expressive vocals. From thought-provoking self-penned songs, to unique interpretations of the world's best songsmiths; from the emotion of O'Carolan, to the techniques of Tommy Emmanuel; from sensitive ballads, through infectious rhythms, to luring harmonies, gaining them a reputation as one of the top acoustic roots bands on the live music scene.

Sunday 3rd May
Film
Bolt (PG) 2.30pm
Bolt (voiced by John Travolta) tells the story of a dog who is convinced that his role as a super dog is reality. The perfect family film.
Frost / Nixon (15) 7.30pm
A dramatic retelling of the post-Watergate television interviews between British talk-show host David Frost and former president Richard Nixon.

Tuesday 5th May 7.30pm
Music
Eliza Carthy
Yorkshire-born Eliza Carthy began touring at the age of 14, and has gone on to perform and record with a stunning array of musical legends including Joan Baez, Damon Albarn, Paul Weller and the Wainwrights. Both as a fiddle player and as a gloriously natural singer, she makes traditional music relevant to new audiences with her intelligent, charismatic and boundary-crossing performances.

Thursday 7th May 1pm
Drama
Ploughman's Platters and Plays
Rowan Tree Theatre Company unveil the results of their 21st birthday playwriting competition, at this lunch-hour event. Michael Mackenzie and other Rowan Tree actors will read excerpts from selected scripts before the winner is announced. Sponsored by Playwrights Studio Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway Arts Association, Scottish Borders Council.
£5 (inc ploughman's lunch)

Friday 8th May 7.30pm
Music
Karan Casey
A legend in her own right, Karan Casey has long been one of the most innovative, provocative and imitated singers in Irish traditional and folk music. ‘Casey's voice is among the loveliest in folk music and she's a wonderful interpreter of both contemporary and traditional material.' (Boston Globe)