Latest News

XCracer.com/Trek team launch

6th April 2007

On a sunny and warm weekend Coed Llandegla just outside Wrexham, saw the launch of the 2007 XCracer.com/Trek team.

Now into it’s second year of supporting a race team XCracer.com have joined forces with Trek Bikes and have created a team that will have a presence at almost every XC, Marathon or Enduro event across the country.

"Trek bikes feel the XCracer.com team is an exciting opportunity as it covers a range of categories for the XC and Marathon disciplines. Trek believe it will be an interesting season watching the team, some of whom were privateers last year, and to see Trek’s involvement benefit such an enthusiastic and capable group of riders. Trek will not only supply the team with bikes but provide technical assistance at the British Mountain Bike Cross Country Series and the Trek Marathon Series."

Along with the Freerange Sports Optics Cross Country Series and Trek Marathon Series the team will also be racing at the Nightrider12, Bontrager Twentyfour12, Mountain Mayhem, TranScotland, Bristol Bike Fest and the National Championships. Individuals will also be racing at regional races such as the Pro Cup, Southern XC series, Gorrick Spring Series, Dragon XC series, Soggy Bottom Series.

As well as seeing the riders on the podium, they will also be providing their own insight into each race and providing tips and gossip on the racing scene through www.xcracer.com

Building on the successes of 2006 the line up for 2007 includes a number of faces new to XC racing, but by no means new to a life of sport

- Maddie Horton (Elite). Maddie has been riding ever since she gave up a career in running. Maddie holds the female running record for the Man Vrs Horse race. She has showed her speed and capability on the bike, by winning her the first Expert Female race she entered in 2006.

- Phil Morris (Expert). Phil has shown some exceptional speed on two wheels. During 2006 he was regularly seen at the front of the Sport category and in 2007 will be showing he can move up to Expert with an even greater turn of speed.

- Nadine Spearing (Expert). Nadine has dominated the racing scene in 2006, winning the NPS sports cat and regularly reaching the podium in 24 solo events. For 2007 Nadine will be stepping up to Expert and plans to continue her dominance

- Dave Flint (Veterans). Dave is no stranger to the world of top class sport. During his younger days, Dave was ranked inside the 10 top in the world for sailing and was a member of the British sailing team. On dry land Dave shows the same will to succeed as he did on water.

- Charlie Wigfall (Expert/Team Manager). 2006 was Charlie’s best year of racing, while battling it out in Expert, he regularly finished on the podium in the National Marathon series. 2007 sees one of the tallest guys on the course focusing on the marathon series and supporting the team.

2007 race calendar now up

13th Febuary 2007

Yep it's taken some time, but we are starting the 2007 updates to the site. First to go up is the new 2007 calendar.

Click HERE for the 2007 season race calendar

At last the end of the season

17th September 2006

Well the last race of the season has just gone off and I have just got back home and am relaxing with a bottle of vino watching the “Off road to Athens” DVD planning the 2007 season.

To round the year off I managed to pull off 3rd in the National 25K Marathon series. So along with the vino and DVD I now have a nice trophy on the mantel piece.

I will post a full race report and end of season review ASAP.

Charlie “team manager” Wigfall

07th September 2006

August saw a new event in the racing calendar, the ProCup. Originally I was up for racing the event as the format of three races in one weekend appealed to me, but as the race got nearer a summer of racing was starting take it’s toll.

It was not until I had a chat with Team Boss Martyn that we hatched a cunning plan. We would build a composite team specially for the weekend. Through the XCracer.com website we pulled together a team of four. The deal was that I would have the Gary Fisher Ez-up set up in the arena and would look after the guys for the whole weekend by cleaning and prepping their bikes and handing out water bottles.

In the week before things got even better, when Gary Fisher agreed to send one of their top wrenches and a fleet of 2007 Gary Fisher Race Days for the guys to ride.

On the Saturday of the race Wayne and I set up the Ez-ups and created a work area that rivalled the best at a Fort William world cup race.

By the time the guys turned up we were on the 2nd coffee of the day and huddling from the rain. Once signed on we all sat down and I gave them all a bit of a rider briefing, explaining what the plan was for the weekend and how we would look after them. After this it was time for the riders to get their hands on the bikes. Within minutes Wayne had all the riders on bikes and ready to go.

The format of the weekend was a typical XC racer on the Saturday, then a short track team relay race in the evening, followed on Sunday with an Enduro. Typically for a race weekend the weather had been fine in the week leading up to it, then wet as hell the night before.

The weather meant the course was best described as treacle. Our riders came back covered in mud after up to 2 ½ racing. A quick blast with the Dirtworkers saw the bike cleaned and ready to go for the evening race. The team relay was a knock out race where unfortunately we got knocked out in the first round.

After a good bit of hot food and beer (for me and Wayne, coke for the team) in the evening we were ready to go for the Enduro on the Sunday. It was about this time when regular XCracer.com rider Luke turned up. We headed of for a look at the course. All we could find was singletrack and even more singletrack.

By the time the riders crossed the line we had notched up 6 Podiums and the team was ranked 6th overall. All in all a great weekend of racing with some great riders. Being a team manager for the weekend was great fun, but I was itching to go for a ride the whole time. Lets hope we can do the same for the 2007 Pro-Cup/p>

A hot and sunny Bristol Bike Fest

12th June 2006

I like the number “12”. It’s half of 24 and double 6, but to my friends when I mentioned I was taking place in the Bristol Bike Fest 12 hour team race they thought I was mad.

To most people it does sound mad, trying and do as many laps of the 8km course at Ashton Court, Bristol. But when you are part of the XCracer.com / Gary Fisher team things become a little easier.

The team were using this event as a warm up for the 24hr Mountain Mayhem in a couple of weeks. As we had only meet each other a few times at the NPS races and had never raced as a team it could have equalled disaster. Things had not started well, as the week before one of our strongest riders had over stretched himself at Margam Park in the NPS and had to sit this race out. So joining myself on the team, along with Julian and Pete we drafted in new rider Gez.

Getting to the course nice and early we set the Gary Fisher Ez-up in a prime track side spot that put directly opposite the transition area. Settling into our new surrounding we started to discuss tactics. With the laps times estimated to be under 30min, we opted for double laps to start with, cutting down to single laps after the 8 hour mark.

By a unanimous decision, Pete was elected to be out start man. The start itself was a bit manic, with the opening climb taking riders almost through “Shred” camp and onto the track. Pete got his usual great start and came through after lap one in the top 10, by the time he came round for the change over with Julian he was in the top 5. An almost seamless transition saw Julian head out for his first lap.

By the time it came round to my turn I was feeling excited, the tannoy had said that we were 4th, then 5th, then back to 4th. Being so close to the top so early could only bode well. As the time predicted for Julian to arrive pasted, we feared the worst. Then out of the woods he appeared, out of the saddle, but going slowly. The closer he came, the louder the noise from his bike became. He had picked up a puncture in the last section of woods.

With no time to waste I was off. I love riding at Ashton court. The area is riddled with some great singletrack, which was put to good use. My first lap surprised me. I was not expecting the hills and my legs felt a little heavy at first, but by my second lap I was flying.

Gez took over from me and headed off at a break neck speed. By the time he came round for the 2nd lap, he too had picked up a puncture. This soon started to become the order of the day. Between us the team had 7 punctures, causing us to drop vital minutes.

With 8 hours gone, we were in a firm 4th place, but still had a chance of throwing it away with some more mechanicals. We swapped over to our single lap strategy. This supplied us with some of our fastest laps of the day, and we started to think 3rd, must be getting closer.

Trying to get Gez out on an extra lap, Julian put in his fasted lap, which gave Gez enough time for a final lap. Things were getting exciting in the team camp as we felt 3rd was still in site. This lasted for a good few minutes, until Gez limped home with yet another puncture.

Happy to walk away with 4th in the competitive team event in the wake of some strong competition, the team are now ready and able to tackle our first 24hr race (another favourite number of mine).

Catch us at Mountain Mayhem in the big bright yellow Gary Fisher EZ-up.

Another weekend, another Podium

09th June 2006

With the 3rd big race weekend of the year over, I walked away with a 20th in the NPS and 5th in the 25K TREK National Marathon Series.

Check out XCRACER.COM for race reports and links to pictures

Sorry a bit breif on the race report this time, I promise more for the next race.

June Newsletter Out Now!

06th June 2006

Not got your teamcharlie.co.uk newsletter? Well pop your email address in the box on the right, click go and you soon will.

What a lovely pair of peaks!

31st May 2006

Bank holiday Monday, should be a day to relax with a beer and a BBQ in your garden, not racing round the Isle of Wight on your bike.

But with a 1st prize of £100 it’s enough to get anyone going. Now in it’s 11th year the Trailbreak organised “Wight Diamond” event attracts hundreds of riders from across the country to take part in a Trail Quest style event over the quite bridleways of the Isle. Last year I raced the stand-alone warm down event on the Monday titled the “King of the Hills”. After winning it, I knew I had to be back this year.

To keep the event fresh the Trailbreak guys had changed the format slightly and renamed the event the “Twin Peaks”. The idea was a 2hr length race between the two highest peaks on the Island. 5 check points had been laid out and you had to get to each on in order as quick as possible, but you could choose your own route.

I love these type of events, as I’m one of those people who can pour over a map and analysis each contour and ridge. Glad that the sun had finally shown it’s face I started with the aim of winning. The course was laid out so that you had 4 big climbs, the first of those # came as a bit of a shock as my legs where feeling heavy from the BBQ the previous day. Getting to the top of the first peak I was rewarded with a great view over the Island, but no time to admire it as the next check point was on the top of the other peak 5 miles away. With barely a flat section around the rest of the route was either up or down.

After 1 ½ hours of climbing and descending I looked at the bike computer I felt I might be on for a good time, so racing down the last hill I put the power down and headed for the finish. Racing back into the campsite I wasted no time in registering my result hoping I would be walking away with first.

The guys said that my time was good, ahh but how good. While they made me wait a few minutes to get the times in order I lay in the sun getting my breath back. Then came the call “the results are on the board”. I looked, 1st ?, no. Last?, no. Then seeing my name the relief set in, I was 2nd. But hang on by 41 seconds.

41 seconds, that’s the time it can take to open and close a gate (remember always close the gates after you). Oh how close.

Still happy with my second, a bottle of beer, a trophy and a cheque for £50 in my pocket I set off back home glad that I had dragged myself away from the BBQ and beer.

Big in New Zealand

25th May 2006

Hands up who is vain enough to type their name into a search engine?

Well me for one.

Looking for something to do I typed my name “Charlie Wigfall” into MSN and came up with the usual results, but as I really had nothing to do I flicked past the first couple of search screens and came across an amazing discovery.

I’m big in New Zealand.

How you might ask? As part of the Xcracer.com/Gary Fisher team and product review board, I was given a dirtworker to use for the season and write a review of. The review was written and published on the Xcracer.com site and I thought nothing of it.

Now it would appear that the New Zealand distributors have picked up on my review and posted on their site. International fame at last!

Looks like I had better start planning my trip to the Rotarua World Champs this year and start signing some autographs.

Click HERE to visit Dirtworker NZ.

Q. Which is stronger, a Gary Fisher Ziggurat or a Tree?

22th May 2006

A. In this case the Ziggurat.

Last weekend I decided to do the promotion thing and show my face at a local demo day. Andy from Gary Fisher had set up a good display and had a wide verity of bike to try out. After a good half hour talking about the new Gary Fisher bikes and hiding from the rain, I thought it was about time that I headed for the hills and messed the bike up a bit.

If anyone has ever rider at Queen Elizabeth II Country Park in Hampshire, they will know what a great little 3 miles lap there is. The forestry commission guys have built a trail with some hard little climbs and some great rooty, off camber DH’s that even has the 6 inch riders grinning.

I’m well used the trail and how it handles in different conditions, so knew to expect a slippy, wet and exciting ride. I made it to the top of the final DH, a long off camber section that winds down to the arena where the demo day was. I love this section as it really can test you. I had made it almost to the bottom of the hill, when the front wheel popped off the track and sent me heading for what looked like the biggest tree in the forest. In hindsight I should of steered to the right and further down the hill, but instead rode head first in to the tree. There was a large bang, I nutted the tree, rolled over and landed in the mud further down the track.

Worried that I had bust the bike I dash back up the track to check it over. Wheels fine, Forks fine, Bars fine, Welds fine, etc. All fine.

Amazed I double-checked and every thing was working. Looking back at the tree I had hit I noticed a large pieces of bark missing, probably vapourised in with the force of the crash ;-)

So there’s your explanation to the question. Gary Fishers are the hardest bikes out there.

First Silverware of the year

09th May 2006

The first NPS weekend of the year is always a tense occasion as you never know what level everyone is riding at. Usually you are aiming to peak for the race. and get a good result. In my case the weekend started well. We arrived on the Friday, had a quick spin round the course, then spent the rest of the day settling into the new XCracer.com/Gary Fisher EZ-up. Saturday was looking promising as the sun was out and everyone was eager to get going. I was lucky enough to be gridded from my 2005 results so had a front line spot. As we all set off I found myself falling back though the field. Earlier in the week I had been stuck down with a bug and thought I was fine, but quickly found out that it had taken more out of me than I thought. I managed a lap, but half way round lap 2 I decided that enough was enough and pulled out.

By Sunday I was over my disappointment of the Saturday NPS and looking forward to the 6hr team enduro event. This was my first ever team event and the first for the XCracer.com/Gary Fisher team. On my first lap my legs surprised me and actually felt a bit more like it. Even through I was still the slowest rider on the team it felt great to be racing and chasing the eventual winners for 6hr's. We eventually bagged 2nd, a podium and some silverware. A great day.

teamcharlie.co.uk vs3 launches!

26th April 2006

With a sharp new look the website launches with bags of new features. More pictures, more colour, more information - the new site has been made to give you a better look at teamcharlie.co.uk. We hope you like it - let us know your thoughts by emailing us.

Soggy bottom final race

10th April 2006

It was the final round of the soggy bottom series and Charlie had is best result of the season, with a 5th. This great result now places him 3rd in the Country.

A weekend to remember

13th March 2006

As well as coming home 7th at the 4th round of the Soggy Bottom series, I picked up my new team issue 2006 Gary Fisher Ziggurat. The Ziggurat is built around the new Gary Fisher AC/DCTricked out with the SRAM X.0 thumb shifters, a full range of Bontrager carbon parts and Fox F100RL forks. I cant wait to get out and try it out.