The KONA / SPECIALIZED 100 KM SERIES

Format: NOW THREE EVENTS 1. Event one will be at the Rhyader venue scheduled for the 31st May. 2. Event two, Kona Sequel, heads for Builth Wells on the 5th July, which this year will host a third distance of 75km in addition to the usual 50km and 100km distances. 3. The series finale will be held at Corwen on the 21st September. The series will be held in the same format as in the years before with a pasta party following registration on the Saturday lunchtime and the ride proper the following morning.

USUAL DATES	Now 3 Rounds
LOCATION	Builth Wells, Powys MAP
START TIME	10am
ENTRY COST	£25.00 PER EVENT (same as 2001/2)
CLASSES	Elite,open, masters, ladies, Vets, also 4 man teams (added time) Shorter fun 50Km option
ENTRY INCLUDES	The £25 entry fee covers food station grub, pasta party and a finishers t-shirt but there will be an as yet undisclosed series discount for anyone entering all three events		The FOURTH running of the 100 km mountain marathon As well as the usual event village, pasta party, free camping, feeding stations, finisher T-Shirts etc. next year's event will also feature a 100km road race the day before Riders will also be requested to carrya minimum amount of kit. This is to make sure there are no repeats of unprepared riders getting into trouble in lousy weather as previous years. As well as title sponsors, MBR, Parrot, Halfords, High 5, Schwalbe and BIKEmagic.com are also Involved. Organised by Bulith Wells cycles, who promise all three events will have much changed courses. Tracks are mainly on land not normally accessable to the public, some great forest and moorland sections Mass start, and initial neutral road zone, behind pace car, adds to the mass feel of the event Usually 4 feedstations provided at 20 km intervals stocked with bananas and powerbars, energy drinks and water, all you do is ride. Results available within 5 mins of finishing, all finishers recieve a free T-shirt as proof of completition A Cut off point at 60 Km directs slower riders back to start if out of time. Prizes for top 5 in each class EVENT TIPS If you enjoy the downhills get a good start or you'll be walking it, following the faster less technically gifted riders Great camp atmosphere.(beating Germany 5-1 on the Sat eve of one year helped the beer flow) Arrange to meet riding buddies on site. Don't queue for pasta,its open from 6pm - chill and get it later, theres plenty to go round. We had ours at 10pm last year. Take a waterproof, most of the route is on exposed highmoorlandground, it can get rough up there Showers and toilets are available in the show ground next door, don't use the portaloos in the field like all the other sheep
LENGTH	8-9 hour time limit Elite do it in under 4 hrs
CLIMBING	@1000 metres for Bulith
TERRAIN	Road, forest descents, slate tracks, moorland bogs, typical Wales then.
WEB SITE	More details will be posted on the new mtb-marathon.co.uk website when its live in late Januaryor try this one MTB Wales
ENTRY FORM	Singletrack released this PDF form in Jan 2003 Don't forget to check the site out while your there.
Closing date	1 week before, entry on line available where places permit
POSTAL ENTRY	SAE to The Big Pack Kona 100		FACILITYS Theres a promise of upgraded, more permanent shower and toilet facilitys this year.(they need too) Pasta party and Food hopefully provided by Jackets caterers, the best MTB caterers in the UK Powerbar have provided drinks on site, and halfords Bike Hut have provide some on route service stations in the past. No bar on camping field, town centre within walking distance.
	FAO John Lloyd
	Builth Wells Cycles Smithfield Road Builth Wells
	Powys LD2 3AN
PHONE/FAX	John Lloyd 01982 552923 Fax 0198 551110
RESULTS	Bikemagic with photo search Sep - 2001
	Timelaps 2001
LINKS	.		see May 2000 MBR for route details

Getting there: M5 JUNC 7 then follow A44 to Leominster and beyond, then take A481 to Builth Wells, (straight over first roundabout) follow signs to showground, camping field is just after showground. Well signposted.