Yak Ru Mountain Bike Race Goes Enduro in 2017
Sat 17th Jun, 2017 @ 6:30 pm
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The Yak Ru mountain bike race returns to the rugged and pristine landscape of the Annapurna Conservation Area of Nepal this coming 7-17 October 2017. The race’s new format: a 3-day, multi-stage enduro that will test participants on the beautiful, steep and technical alpine trails of the Manang District, which lies north of the Annapurna Range Mountains.
Worldwide, enduro is the fastest-growing competitive event format in
the sport of mountain biking, itself a relatively nascent ‘extreme sport’. Unlike the more established cross-country or downhill races, enduro emphasizes the social aspect over the competitive aspect by virtue of its format. Riders get to mingle, chat, and ride together on untimed sections of the event. They then race on the timed sections, called ‘special stages’, which are predominantly downhill and consisting of technical terrain, with the accumulated timings from all special stages totaled to determine the eventual winner.
‘An Enduro on High’
The Yak Ru Enduro is a mountain bike adventure that will test riders on beautiful, steep, and rugged trails in the Manang region of the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal. It is the world’s highest enduro, taking place in one of the most beautiful alpine regions in Asia, if not the world – and has all the ingredients for the ultimate multi-day riding adventure.
Yak Ru is as much an expedition as a competition through the Manang region of Nepal. Its key attraction is the variety of breathtaking terrain that riders will be exploring – pine and birch forest singletrack, high-speed flow through alpine pastures, rocky switchbacks, steep ridgelines, and generations-old trails passing remote settlements and religious monuments. The Yak Ru takes place in an area that is culturally rich and boasts diverse wildlife, affording riders an all- encompassing Nepali experience during their time here.
Yak Ru uses a ‘blind enduro’ race format: only certain predominantly downhill sections of the route (called stages) are timed, and prior practice of these stages is not possible. The very best trails that the area has to offer will be included, encompassing a scenic and challenging route of some 40km – and containing 7-9 timed stages in total – to be contested over the 3 days.
Apart from the enduro, the Yak Ru espouses an expeditionary ambiance with the inclusion of non-competitive guided group rides bookending the 3 days of racing. A pre-race acclimatisation ride and a post-race group ‘celebration’ ride – both untimed – are scheduled to bring the total ride distance up to 95km. The first ride is invaluable as a ‘warm-up’ for all riders in the high-altitude environment, while the last ride – which includes over 2000m of descending on a 40+km route in a single day – is a fitting post-competition wrap-up to this mountain bike experience of a lifetime.
Details of the 2017 Yak Ru Enduro
Format: Combination high-altitude exploration trip + 3-day ‘blind’ enduro on mountain bikes
Dates: 7 October to 17 October 2017 [10 days including arrival and departure days; enduro race days are 11-13 October]
Arrival & Departure city: Kathmandu (KTM) , capital of Nepal. Number of timed stages: 7-9 over 3 enduro race days
Total estimated riding distance: 95km [40km to be covered on race days; 55km to be covered on non-competitive rides]
Altitude range: 3300m-4300m altitude for all race stages and race day routes; 3500m down to 1700m for non-competitive rides
Ride duration per day: 3-5hrs
Riding/racing locations: Trails and vehicle tracks linking/surrounding Manang, Khangsar, GhyaRu, and Pisang – Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal
Timing system: Sportident
Maximum number of participants allowed: 40 Number of categories: 4
– Male Open (18-39 years)
– Female Open (18-39 years)
– Male Masters (40 and above)
– Female Masters (40 and above)
– Junior (under 18)* [category to be created if 3 or more eligible participants enter]
Additional Info on the Yak Ru Enduro
Yak Ru official event website, Yak Ru Enduro 2017 Registration and Entry Fee Details
Yak Ru Enduro 2017 2-minute event trailer Yak Ru official Facebook page
– 10 June 2017 = Applications open
– 10 June – 7 July 2017 = ‘early bird’ event fee of USD$1600.00 applies
– 8 July 2017 = standard event fee of USD$1800.00 applies
– Applications will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
– Everyone that submits an application will be contacted by no later than 3 days from the day of their submission if they are accepted into the race. All applications will be followed by a formal registration form that the rider is to complete and return within 7 days.
– The registration form of each rider will be assessed and accepted on its own merit; thereafter, a USD$540.00 non-refundable deposit will be requested to secure your entry within 14 days of acceptance via PayPal or similar online transaction.
– IMPORTANT: Accepted riders will have up to 2 weeks to get their deposit OR full payment in to secure their spot
– Refund for full EB/Standard Entry Fees: 70% refund before 1st August 2017.
– Refund for full EB/Standard Entry Fees: 30% refund before 1st September 2017.
– NO REFUND policy for full EB/Standard Entry Fees will apply AFTER 1st September 2017, without exceptions.
– September 31 = closing date for all entries, or until all slots are taken, whichever comes first.
Potential riders are urged to process their application for a spot at http://www.yakru.com/registration ; or email yakru@nepalbiking.com if they have further queries or other submissions to make.
What is included in the Yak Ru Enduro entry fee?
– Professionally-marked 3-day enduro course, manned by local & foreign staff/volunteers – Highly accurate timing system Sportident timing system daily
– Full medical support (including daily oximeter readings on travelling/race days) throughout event
– First aid on race course daily
– Food/drink stations on race course daily – Food/drink stations at finish line daily
– Full vehicular support for transport to/from race course & designated uplift sections on race course
– Free airport transfer within Kathmandu (from Tribhuvan International Airport) on event start date – 7 October, 2017
– Free airport transfer within Kathmandu (to Tribhuvan International Airport) on event completion date – 17 October, 2017 (you might want to prolong your stay in Nepal, though!)
– 10 nights’ accommodation (the night before the prep/briefing day in Kathmandu, through to the RnR Day) 7-17 October, 2017
– Full breakfasts each day (9 totals) and full dinner each night (8 totals) – Lunch each travelling/race day (7 total)
– Complementary Yak Ru Enduro race duffel bag
– Complementary Yak Ru Enduro 3⁄4-sleeve event jersey
– An unforgettable mountain biking experience!
What is Enduro?
The enduro format of racing challenges riders on timed, mainly-downhill sections of trails called ‘special stages’ – which emphasize fitness and skills on descents and may include singletrack, technical features, and high speed sections. These are interspersed with untimed sections – ‘liaison stages’ – to get from the finish of a special stage to the start of another. Riders are self- seeded and ride the special stages one at a time, in time-trial fashion; the winner being the rider with the lowest accumulated time from all the special stages contested.
Yak Ru Enduro Background
Yak Ru has been in existence since 2014, with its previous incarnation as a multi-day cross- country marathon mountain bike race. The event adopts an expeditionary format the emphasizes the adventure element within its home country of Nepal, with an emphasis on recognizing the cultural, historical, and natural significance of the Manang Valley – its spiritual home and venue for the three days of competition.
The name ‘Yak Ru’ is a partial translation from the Tibetan ‘Ghya Ru’ – meaning ‘yak horn’ – and is the name of the historical village which lies high on the northern slope of the Manang Valley. The event’s past visits to the area encompass not only the race itself, but also free medical aid/consultation afforded by the event’s medical team staff and the exploration of wild & remote trail networks with the aim of gaining increased mountain bike access and trail advocacy.
2017 marks the first year that Yak Ru adopts an enduro format, visiting the same areas and trail networks from the previous years, but seeking out steeper, technical, and more fun ‘enduro- worthy’ trails for your riding pleasure. The race will pass through its namesake village of Ghya Ru, as well as afford participants the chance to visit numerous religious sites, monuments, and homesteads, all linked by amazing trails.
