Lakeland gravel grinder Fermanagh

Oberkon · 09-09-2020 10:17pm #1

Anyone doing this or can comment on it . ? Looks like a brilliant day mostly off road . Definitely different than the norm . Entered it there hopefully no cancellation

https://lakelander.co.uk/

a148pro · 10-09-2020 7:44am

A good few lads did it last year, it's not great timing for me for work this time so I might just head up and do it off a gpx sometime. Looks like a great route in so far as it's almost all off road.

Whatwicklow · 10-09-2020 8:53am

It's prob near 85% on forest roads, nice day out and well organised.

Which reminds me, I need to enter this year's event

Macy0161 · 10-09-2020 10:42am

Did it last year, and took an early bird entry for this years. Will see where we are with Covid before making the final decision on me travelling, regardless of whether it is officially on.

It was a hard day last year on the Kona Rove AL - hoping it'll be a bit more forgiving on the Sub Compact, Carbon Forked, tubeless Topstone! But a great event, in lovely underrated country. Very little tarmac, and even less open road.

Oberkon · 10-09-2020 11:07am

Macy0161 wrote: »

Did it last year, and took an early bird entry for this years. Will see where we are with Covid before making the final decision on me travelling, regardless of whether it is officially on.

It was a hard day last year on the Kona Rove AL - hoping it'll be a bit more forgiving on the Sub Compact, Carbon Forked, tubeless Topstone! But a great event, in lovely underrated country. Very little tarmac, and even less open road.

Which Topstone did you go for ? The alloy or the carbon ?

Macy0161 · 10-09-2020 11:34am

Oberkon wrote: »

Which Topstone did you go for ? The alloy or the carbon ?

Tiagra AL

25sean · 22-09-2020 11:05am

I'm looking for an entry to the event, if anyone has one they're not using... PM much appreciated

Macy0161 · 22-09-2020 11:15am

Must be at risk, as we await the UK further restrictions?

Oymyakon · 22-09-2020 11:28am

Was going to do this, but may not with Dublin travel restrictions

Macy0161 · 22-09-2020 12:06pm

Well my own county is one of the "cause for concern" potential Level 3 as well. The UK rules are groups of no more than 6, which is fine at the start, will become a problem over 100km of gravel I imagine!

Sandwell · 09-10-2020 4:44pm

I see this is somehow going ahead tomorrow despite the desperate case numbers in the North. I got an email last weekend telling me they'd been forced to bump my entry until 2021 due to my having an address in Dublin. I think the same has now happened to all entrants with an ROI address.

I do feel for anyone trying to organise an event at the moment but the lack of a refund option stings a bit. Any others in the same boat?

Oberkon · 09-10-2020 6:16pm

Sandwell wrote: »

I see this is somehow going ahead tomorrow despite the desperate case numbers in the North. I got an email last weekend telling me they'd been forced to bump my entry until 2021 due to my having an address in Dublin. I think the same has now happened to all entrants with an ROI address.

I do feel for anyone trying to organise an event at the moment but the lack of a refund option stings a bit. Any others in the same boat?

Yes the thing should have been pulled last weekend . It’s madness in NI the last while

I understand they will have overheads or other money issues but no refund only a deferral to 2021 leaves me with a bad taste while the event goes ahead . There should be an option of a refund for those who request it . I only found out last weekend.

a148pro · 09-10-2020 7:22pm

I've been updating the website regularly waiting to see them pull it but obviously not.

Have they automatically cancelled anyone with an ROI address? To be honest I'm surprised, I think you can probably travel to the North at the moment, its a foreign country. I assume they don't expect people to fly.

I'm really surprised they've not pulled it, kind of shows a bit of the difference in attitudes between the two jurisdictions. On some level, I like that cycling stuff might still go ahead, if people's start times were staggered and there were no food stops there'd be close to no risk. We're supposed to be "living with the virus". But with communal food stops and people in anything approaching a tight pack I think there would be some risk.

Whatwicklow · 09-10-2020 8:27pm

I was entered and an chasing them for a refund, cycling ireland got an email too. Deferral isn't good enough.

I did the boreen event two weeks ago and they ran with staggered start times going opposite ways on a figure of 8. It worked really well. No feed but it was reasonably priced at €25.

a148pro · 09-10-2020 8:31pm

Where does one hear about these events by the way? I thought lakelander was more or less the only gravel one, apart from maybe one in Mayo? I'd love to know more about other options, if nothing else they give you ideas for spins

Oberkon · 09-10-2020 9:28pm

a148pro wrote: »

Where does one hear about these events by the way? I thought lakelander was more or less the only gravel one, apart from maybe one in Mayo? I'd love to know more about other options, if nothing else they give you ideas for spins

There’s a Facebook page with updates - although not updated quick enough this time

This below has some great events if we could travel

https://www.gravelunion.cc/events

Try some Gravel path trails at night -great craic with a good light

a148pro · 09-10-2020 9:57pm

Class, fk me imagine a long gravel spin in Iceland or in the midnight sun in Finland. Alas no.

Yeah I did a bit of Larry Murphy night time stuff, fun and a very different atmosphere, but, eh, Larry Murphy

Gallant_JJ · 10-10-2020 7:29am

Does the Lakeland Cycling Club have an involvement in this?

Macy0161 · 12-10-2020 9:25am

Gallant_JJ wrote: »

Does the Lakeland Cycling Club have an involvement in this?

No (they're Mullingar anyway?). I don't think it's tied to a club, but run by Mallard Flyers club people I think?

Disappointed not to be able to travel (I'd actually made my own call pre-level 3), and happy to be transferred to next year. Did my own local "Fakelander" - a Gravel 100km solo turned into a bit of slog to be honest, but had the Lakelander as my second A event of the year so had been following a plan up to Saturday!

a148pro · 12-10-2020 12:19pm

Link to your route please, share the wealth!

Gallant_JJ · 12-10-2020 12:24pm

Macy0161 wrote: »

No (they're Mullingar anyway?). I don't think it's tied to a club, but run by Mallard Flyers club people I think?

Disappointed not to be able to travel (I'd actually made my own call pre-level 3), and happy to be transferred to next year. Did my own local "Fakelander" - a Gravel 100km solo turned into a bit of slog to be honest, but had the Lakelander as my second A event of the year so had been following a plan up to Saturday!

Lakeside Wheelers in Mullingar, Lakeland Cycling Club in Fermanagh, they usually run an excellent ship.

shamalam · 30-11-2020 9:55pm

waiting for a refund as promised from this event.
Has anyone else being successful.
No response to emails.
West wicklow ?

25sean · 30-11-2020 10:42pm

shamalam wrote: »

waiting for a refund as promised from this event.
Has anyone else being successful.
No response to emails.
West wicklow ?

Snap.. Been in the back of my mind.. Must follow up on it... Let you in know...

Oberkon · 30-11-2020 11:24pm

25sean wrote: »

Snap.. Been in the back of my mind.. Must follow up on it... Let you in know...

No refund , and was brushed off regarding it . Won’t be living in Ireland next year so sadly can’t avail of the 2021 race . Annoying ,I feel the option of a refund would have been fair . Looking at the pictures etc they had a decent amount to cover their costs ?

Sandwell · 01-12-2020 8:54am

I didn't bother to look for a a refund as I figured it would be pointless given their behaviour to date. I've the 2021 date marked down but I'll be doing it out of obligation rather than any great desire to support their event. It all leaves a really bad taste.

a148pro · 01-12-2020 9:08pm

Sandwell wrote: »

I didn't bother to look for a a refund as I figured it would be pointless given their behaviour to date. .... It all leaves a really bad taste.

What did they do?

shamalam · 01-12-2020 10:01pm

thanks for the info on refunds.
Friend did get a refund early around time of event.
I should have chased it up then.

Sandwell · 01-12-2020 10:12pm

a148pro wrote: »

What did they do?

People were refused entry to the event (which should have been cancelled anyway imo due to the North being at the peak of the second wave) due to Covid travel restrictions but given no option of a refund, just enry to next year's event. They've since fobbed off those same people when questioned about it.

Weepsie · 01-12-2020 10:35pm

I'd be telling my bank to do a chargeback and let them deal with it

clod71 · 14-09-2021 11:20pm

I got an entry for the 2021 edition on Oct 9th, but something came up and now I'm not sure I'll be able to make it.

From what I gathered here, the organisers are not very good at performing refunds.

Is there someone interested in going who wants to take the ticket?

Macy0161 · 15-09-2021 9:55am

I'm trying to transfer to 2022*, as the Church is f*cking me up again, as my daughters confirmation has just been arranged for the 9th. I've had no response though.

*absolutely gutted to miss it this year, as I'd built my whole training plan on TrainerRoad as this as my "A" event!

Lakeland gravel grinder Fermanagh

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