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Round 2 of the 2026 MTB east series delivered a fast, relentless race for the Men’s Elite and S1 categories at Potash Woods. With tight lines, technical sections, and no room for error, riders pushed the pace from the start, battling for position on every lap. Elite racers set a fierce tempo, while the S1 field fought hard to stay in contention, creating a race packed with pressure, precision, and decisive moves. A true test of speed, skill, and endurance as the series momentum builds.
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 If you’re planning to film at any MTB east race—whether that’s on-bike during your race run or from a spectator viewpoint—we’re all for it. Capturing the action is part of the fun. That said, there are a few important rules to keep things safe and running smoothly:
On-bike filming: • Cameras are allowed during racing, but must be securely mounted using proper action sports mounts (no DIY fixes). • We strongly recommend using a backup tether. • Cameras must not block your number board—we still manually record races and film the finish as a backup to RFID timing. • Helmet-mounted cameras are not permitted. Body-mounted cameras are allowed. • Your setup must not interfere with bike control, braking, steering, or suspension movement, and must not include sharp edges or dangerous protrusions. Responsibility: • You film entirely at your own risk. • MTB east is not liable for any loss, damage, or injury related to camera use. Marshal authority: • Our marshals have the final say on whether a camera setup is safe. • If asked to remove or adjust your camera, you must do so before racing. Spectator filming: • Stay well clear of the racing line at all times. • Do not stand on blind corners, technical features, or narrow sections. • Always be aware of your surroundings and keep a clear escape route. • Do not interfere with riders, officials, or timing/finish-line operations. Drones: • No drone filming without prior permission and compliance with UK regulations. Respect the event: • Be mindful when sharing footage—respect other riders and the event. • We reserve the right to request removal of footage if necessary. Failure to follow these guidelines may result in removal from the race or venue. Most importantly—ride hard, film responsibly and tag #MTBeast I’ve been over at Gallows Green (R4 – 10th May) helping Stuart Carmichael Stuart Carmichael with course prep.
There’s still some work to do, but it’s shaping up well. We’re returning to a more traditional XC format this year rather than last year’s short course. The U7/9/12 categories will have a very different layout, with the U12s going over the tabletop (there will be a B line option). The adult course is now roughly twice as long, with more open sections and a longer climb. There’s also a new whoop section and a ditch crossing added in.  We’ve had a few questions about the S2/U16/14 race timing, so here’s a quick explanation—which applies to all adult races (aside from the total race duration).
The format is 45 minutes + 1 lap. In practice, this means the race leader—regardless of category—gets the bell on the lap closest to the 45-minute mark. Because of things like course length, rider speed, and weather, it’s never going to land exactly on 45 minutes. What that means in reality is that only the leader will ride something very close to 45 minutes + 1 lap. Everyone else finishes based on their position relative to the leader—so if you’re nearly a lap down when the winner finishes, your total race time will naturally be longer. We’ve explored a range of alternatives to tighten this up—fixed lap counts, stopping riders exactly on time, staggered starts, even running separate races—but each option either adds a lot of complexity or doesn’t really solve the issue. We also looked at stopping U14 riders earlier, but trying to identify and finish just that group mid-race would be extremely difficult to manage in practice. So, here’s what we’re sticking with: We’ll continue with the same system, but with a bit of flexibility. The bell can be rung within a 10-minute window—up to 5 minutes either side of the 45-minute mark. This is essentially what we’ve been doing already. If it’s a close call, we’ll typically let the race run a little longer when conditions are good and things are on schedule, and keep it slightly shorter if not. In the recent race, the leader came through at around 39 minutes. That meant we let the race run for another lap before ringing the bell, which resulted in a longer race overall—especially for riders finishing almost a lap behind the winner. Hopefully that clears things up. We’re always open to improving things where it genuinely benefits the racing, so if you’ve got ideas, we’re happy to hear them. Entries have now closed for round 1 Race information, start times, dates, venues and locations are all on the website. You will recieve a rider information pack, either Thursday or friday night. I have also attached the rider information pack for those who can't wait! 
I would like to welcome a new sponsor to the MTB east League. https://performancecoaching.me Jason will be there at most of the races, so pop along and have a chat if you want to take your racing to the next level.  I have had a bit of a clear out and found some of the 2024 rider jerseys (not champion) in XS, XL and 2XL. I have marked them up as "Pay what you want" Grab a bargain |
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