Spring has arrived and in 麻豆社国产that means the Hell of a Series is on its way.
It all kicks off with the fifth annual Orecrusher on the trails of the Cheekye Fan in Brackendale on Saturday, May 12.
Last year was the first year for the race to fall under the direction of local business owner Armand Hurford and he told The Chief he's looking forward to build on the momentum from last year's race.
"Last year we came in and took it over, but we were new and I wanted to leave my imprint on the race," he said. "The original organizer did a great job but I wanted to make some changes and see how it went. It seemed to me like everyone was happy and enjoyed the course."
Unlike the previous three years of the Orecrusher, the 2011 race saw each racer do three laps as opposed to different numbers of laps based on skill and experience. Hurford also switched the start of the race to a marathon-style instead of the Le Mans-style start of the past. Hurford said the changes have helped make the race much more spectator friendly.
"You get to see the riders six times during the race," he said. "You can support and cheer on your rider a lot easier and our feed zone is right by the start line. I think we did a pretty good job last year of making the race more friendly for spectators and the riders seem excited to come back."
Hurford said there were some challenges as a first-time race director last year but the Test of Metal group helped make the experience run smoothly.
"Test of Metal group has it all so dialed in," he said. "This race falls under the umbrella of their support and they've helped us out with a lot of things. It would be a lot on my plate if I didn't have them to back me up. Cliff [Miller] and the other Test Pilots have so much infrastructure in place already and made everything a lot easier for me."
According to Hurford, the Orecrusher is a nice way to kick off the biking season.
"This race is kind of a steppingstone for the Test of Metal or Gearjammer," he said. "It's early in the year and the thing with this race is that if you get a flat tire or another issue, you're never far from the finish line. You can always wheel over and call it a day much easier in this race if you have any problems."
Last year's race saw 144 racers take part and Hurford said he's hoping to build on that number. He said 200 would be the ultimate goal but he said he just wants riders to have a smile when they cross the finish line.
The main part of the course will remain unchanged but Hurford hinted there could be minor changes announced in the coming weeks.
The Orecrusher gets going on May 12 at 11 a.m. Those wanting to register in the race or hoping to volunteer can get more information on the event by visiting www.testofmetal.com/pages/orecrusher.php.
