who were all the riders??

I know there were some old faces, but a hell of a lot of new ones... how many raced? 250 ish. Considering we had at least 10 riders not riding, and a lot of serious MTB faces absent,
especially from the xc scene. no Wolfs, Karl O', etc.
So how many were first timers? what a first race to do......

i will put up the results later..The Wolfes,Karlo,Ben Reid and a few others were in Schlamding the XC people, who knows ..

A number of the lads I was chatting with were saying this was there first race, or I haven't been on the bike in weeks, or I've never ridden this course before. Obviously the event is a huge draw for pros and casual riders alike, it makes for a great mix.

This was my first blast, and my first race in Ireland for over 18months! It rocked!

Yes, i was the guy with the digital camera bolted to my head in the quali heat...

I think it was great to see ordinary Joes having a go...the pain on there faces was great..some couldnt even speak.
The way this thing is growing, next year if there is a Blast we will need a lot bigger and alot keener and more hard working a team to handle it...Race numbers will have doubled once the word gets out in Gooober town how fantabulasly fantabulas is was.

Coillte will have to build a bleeding Car Park..a big one..and pave the firebreak up the side of the forest.

Definitely! Any time I'm there for a spin it's hard enough to get parked and the locals blast past and don't give a ****... there's going to be an accident sooner rather than later :(

First Blast but i loved it, well done to all who built the course and all who rode it.

i will be back.

Well done to all. Fantastic event run like clockwork.
Next time we need a much much bigger teapot*, a much much bigger carpark and someone to scare roundwood mountain rescue away!! WTF!!


*
"****e!!there's no tea left"...."let them drink RedBull then"...I thought there was going to be a riot so I legged it.

One word for you John Damage....******

Mountain Rescue didn't just happen to arrive at the Blast by chance, somebody decided that guys accident was serious enough to call them for help.
If that dude had broken his neck or his back, people wouldn't be on here or on irishdh slagging off Mountain Rescue with comments like:
"the feckin Mountain rescue made a big deal about something that could easily been fixed..if you have an accident up the mountain..Sean Herlihy is the man to have beside you, between us we've seen it all, "

The mountain Rescue team put that guys health and safety ahead of other peoples fun, and You're criticising them for it?
Some of these people had already been out training early on Sunday morning, and then gave up their afternoon to help that guy (I think they brought him to hospital too?),
and some of them were up Lugniquilla late last night Saving someone else, and still had to be in work this morning! They do this work on a voluntary basis, get little or no thanks and don't go around ranting on forums about it being "Too much effort for not enough thanks..."
You have obviously been lucky enough not to have ever needed their help in a serious situation or you would we singing a different tune. But just remember if you ever find yourself needing their help, they'll come and haul your sorry ass off the side of the mountain and it won't cost you a cent. So if you're not going to be supportive of their work, keep your trap shut and don't criticise them!!!

Seemed to have ended up with rather an embarrassment of ambulances & the gards too??
Anyway sorry if I've caused offence but I guess at least I didn't call anyone a ******.

now Mark, we're all entitled to our opinions and i apologise if my flippant comments upset you and i'm sure you are all great and we appreciate your efforts, thank you very much for your opinions and thats the end of the story ok, as the organiser you can understand my frustration with a convoy of single cars tearing around without as much as word to myself or any of the other organisers. I expect though that you could have been a little bit more diplomatic with your comments too. So lets not start a slagging match on here, I look forward to meeting you in person so we can further discuss your grievances, give me a call and i'll be only too glad to put your mind at rest,
Richie

"I've just been talking to Fergal Kelly, the Bray Wheeler rider who had a pretty bad crash at the top during heat 2.

He's in St Vincents at the moment with a suspected broken neck, he'll be meeting with the specialist tomorrow to decide whether he will need surgery.

He told me to personally thank all the riders, marshalls and rescue crew who helped him out on the day.

Good work lads."


Richie,

Apologies if i took your comment the wrong way, but as you can see from the above post, Fergals injury is a little more serious than you probably thought when you posted the comment.
John Danger, Apologies to you for the name-calling.

By the way, I'm not a member of the mountain rescue, I'm a mountain biker but was not racing the blast, merely spectating. My Brother happened to be one of the Mountain Rescue team who responded on Sunday.
I understand the frustration felt by riders when a race is stopped because of accidents, I've been there plenty of times, But the injured party has to come first.

Anyway, apologies again for my OTT response, hope there are no hard feelings?

Hello Mr. Gil,

I do not know you, but I would suggest if you have comments you feel the need to make you direct them at the race organisation team. A club forum is not the appropraite place.You have completly misunderstood the nature of the comments made.

We are very greatful of the efforts of the mountain rescue. The team that tended to the casulty did not arrive at the Blast at all. They were there already all day at our request providing mediacal cover, and we were happy tp have them there.

Regards

Sean Herlihy
(The guy who was 'in charge' at the top of the mountain, first on the scene, called up the mountain rescue and held up 'people's fun' until the Mountain Rescue had the casulty was well in hand)

No hard feelings here..you can talk to Brian O'D and ask him about the email I sent early today thanking them for their help. I was just stunned by the sheer number of vehicles trying to run me over on the fireroad, I thought I was in a chase movie..I was nearly run over by an old dear with her curlers in driving a brand new Disco..!!
Richie

I know there were some old faces, but a hell of a lot of new ones... how many raced? 250 ish. Considering we had at least 10 riders not riding, and a lot of serious MTB faces absent,
especially from the xc scene. no Wolfs, Karl O', etc.
So how many were first timers? what a first race to do......

i will put up the results later..The Wolfes,Karlo,Ben Reid and a few others were in Schlamding the XC people, who knows ..

A number of the lads I was chatting with were saying this was there first race, or I haven't been on the bike in weeks, or I've never ridden this course before. Obviously the event is a huge draw for pros and casual riders alike, it makes for a great mix.

This was my first blast, and my first race in Ireland for over 18months! It rocked!

Yes, i was the guy with the digital camera bolted to my head in the quali heat...

I think it was great to see ordinary Joes having a go...the pain on there faces was great..some couldnt even speak.
The way this thing is growing, next year if there is a Blast we will need a lot bigger and alot keener and more hard working a team to handle it...Race numbers will have doubled once the word gets out in Gooober town how fantabulasly fantabulas is was.

Coillte will have to build a bleeding Car Park..a big one..and pave the firebreak up the side of the forest.

Definitely! Any time I'm there for a spin it's hard enough to get parked and the locals blast past and don't give a ****... there's going to be an accident sooner rather than later :(

First Blast but i loved it, well done to all who built the course and all who rode it.

i will be back.

Well done to all. Fantastic event run like clockwork.
Next time we need a much much bigger teapot*, a much much bigger carpark and someone to scare roundwood mountain rescue away!! WTF!!


*
"****e!!there's no tea left"...."let them drink RedBull then"...I thought there was going to be a riot so I legged it.

One word for you John Damage....******

Mountain Rescue didn't just happen to arrive at the Blast by chance, somebody decided that guys accident was serious enough to call them for help.
If that dude had broken his neck or his back, people wouldn't be on here or on irishdh slagging off Mountain Rescue with comments like:
"the feckin Mountain rescue made a big deal about something that could easily been fixed..if you have an accident up the mountain..Sean Herlihy is the man to have beside you, between us we've seen it all, "

The mountain Rescue team put that guys health and safety ahead of other peoples fun, and You're criticising them for it?
Some of these people had already been out training early on Sunday morning, and then gave up their afternoon to help that guy (I think they brought him to hospital too?),
and some of them were up Lugniquilla late last night Saving someone else, and still had to be in work this morning! They do this work on a voluntary basis, get little or no thanks and don't go around ranting on forums about it being "Too much effort for not enough thanks..."
You have obviously been lucky enough not to have ever needed their help in a serious situation or you would we singing a different tune. But just remember if you ever find yourself needing their help, they'll come and haul your sorry ass off the side of the mountain and it won't cost you a cent. So if you're not going to be supportive of their work, keep your trap shut and don't criticise them!!!

Seemed to have ended up with rather an embarrassment of ambulances & the gards too??
Anyway sorry if I've caused offence but I guess at least I didn't call anyone a ******.

now Mark, we're all entitled to our opinions and i apologise if my flippant comments upset you and i'm sure you are all great and we appreciate your efforts, thank you very much for your opinions and thats the end of the story ok, as the organiser you can understand my frustration with a convoy of single cars tearing around without as much as word to myself or any of the other organisers. I expect though that you could have been a little bit more diplomatic with your comments too. So lets not start a slagging match on here, I look forward to meeting you in person so we can further discuss your grievances, give me a call and i'll be only too glad to put your mind at rest,
Richie

"I've just been talking to Fergal Kelly, the Bray Wheeler rider who had a pretty bad crash at the top during heat 2.

He's in St Vincents at the moment with a suspected broken neck, he'll be meeting with the specialist tomorrow to decide whether he will need surgery.

He told me to personally thank all the riders, marshalls and rescue crew who helped him out on the day.

Good work lads."


Richie,

Apologies if i took your comment the wrong way, but as you can see from the above post, Fergals injury is a little more serious than you probably thought when you posted the comment.
John Danger, Apologies to you for the name-calling.

By the way, I'm not a member of the mountain rescue, I'm a mountain biker but was not racing the blast, merely spectating. My Brother happened to be one of the Mountain Rescue team who responded on Sunday.
I understand the frustration felt by riders when a race is stopped because of accidents, I've been there plenty of times, But the injured party has to come first.

Anyway, apologies again for my OTT response, hope there are no hard feelings?

Hello Mr. Gil,

I do not know you, but I would suggest if you have comments you feel the need to make you direct them at the race organisation team. A club forum is not the appropraite place.You have completly misunderstood the nature of the comments made.

We are very greatful of the efforts of the mountain rescue. The team that tended to the casulty did not arrive at the Blast at all. They were there already all day at our request providing mediacal cover, and we were happy tp have them there.

Regards

Sean Herlihy
(The guy who was 'in charge' at the top of the mountain, first on the scene, called up the mountain rescue and held up 'people's fun' until the Mountain Rescue had the casulty was well in hand)

No hard feelings here..you can talk to Brian O'D and ask him about the email I sent early today thanking them for their help. I was just stunned by the sheer number of vehicles trying to run me over on the fireroad, I thought I was in a chase movie..I was nearly run over by an old dear with her curlers in driving a brand new Disco..!!
Richie