The 5th edition of Battle on the Beach returns on April 14/15th with entries set to open at midnight on January 1st – a perfect way to kickstart your cycling year.
From its humble beginnings, the unique event has grown to become one of the biggest cycling events in the UK, attracting over 850 riders from across Europe to Pembrey Country Park in South Wales earlier this year.
Choose your weapon
The Battle on the Beach is open to all bikes, from cyclocross bikes to fat bikes and everything in between, the diversity is what makes the event so unique.
Compared to the popular Beach Racing in The Netherlands and Belgium, Battle on the Beach is different due to the rock hard, fast sand, with previous land speed records taking place on the beach and the adjacent Pendine Sands.
The real fun comes after the course heads off the beach and into the fantastic singletrack hidden behind the dunes in the pine forest with a maze of endless sweeping singletrack to put a smile on everyones face. There will be plenty for the serious racers but even more than a few surprises for everyone else around the course to keep you on guard and smiling.
With equal prize money and a total of £2000 on offer for the victorious few, and bundles of swag from the sponsors Kinesis UK, Lezyne, Schwalbe, Squirt Lube and Surly, with prizes not just for the fastest riders. To date, the event has not been won overall by a British rider. Will anyone be able to stop the incredible Dutch and Belgian riders in 2018?
They only come out at night
Lezyne Battle in the Dark returns after it being a huge success last year. Held on the Saturday, before the main race it will be a single lap time-trial, held just after sunset. £100 cash for the winners but prizes for every 10th place.
New for 2018 will be live music and entertainment through Saturday night, making it a fun, action packed weekend away for all. With kids racing from balance bikes to Under 14 on the Saturday, the main race open to anyone over 14 on Sunday and even a category for “Supreme Veterans” 70+ it is a weekend that welcome everyone.
Up to 3 nights camping is included with the weekend pass, the beautiful park and miles of beach means the family will have something to do when they are not shouting at you. If the kids think watching you race is boring, Pembrey Country Park has the longest toboggan run in Wales, pony trekking, a 130 metre long dry ski slope, a giant adventure playground and 8 Wildlife trails with set routes.
Entries open at midnight January 1st and are priced at £35 or £49 – Last year the event sold out in just a day!