Fife farmland is to host the new Eliminator biking festival

THE barley fields and hills of Parkhill Farm in Newburgh, Fife, will next month host The Eliminator - one of Scotland's biggest mountain bike events.

Organisers Muckmedden Events are claimng it will be a family friendly weekend festival of fun on and off the bike – named The Eliminator MTB Weekender Festival.

This year the new festival boasts a brand-new Cross Country mountain bike Eliminator Tournament on the Friday night, an off-road duathlon and a host of non-biking attractions ranging from live music to a farmers market and mega water slide.

The bike races for all ages include:

*XC Eliminator – on Friday evening – is a cross country mountain bike eliminator tournament and Scotland’s first cross country mountain bike eliminator tournament

*Head2Head – on Saturday - is a spectacular Eliminator Head2Head mountain bike event, an uplifted downhill race that pitches cross country whippets against enduro specialists, downhillers and weekend warriors on a course suitable for any bike.

*Muckathlon is a “run-bike-run” 30km off-road duathlon for an off-road novice.

*Mini Muckathlon – also on Saturday - is a fun-focused version of the Muckathlon for 6–13 year olds.

*Wee Muckers – another event on Saturday - is a variety of biking fun lined up to suit all ages from three upwards

It also includes round three of The Scottish Bike Trial Championship

Aaron Gray from Muckmedden Events said: “It’s that time again, when Farmer Roger sends the cows off on their holidays and just two weeks prior to the event removes all the fences so we can transform Parkhill Farm into a stunning race and festival venue.

“The Eliminator has always been a firm favourite with mountain bikers and spectators thanks to some really exciting racing, yet it has always had the potential to attract a wider audience.

“Parkhill Farm is such a beautiful venue and sits right on the Fife Coastal Path, so with our very popular family-friendly festival Cream o’ the Croft not returning until 2018, it makes perfect sense to take some of the most popular cues from the “festival” side of that event and bring them to The Eliminator.

“Thanks to some amazing support from Fife Council, we can invest in better infrastructure and add a host of fantastic activities to unleash the true potential of this fantastic event and superb venue!”

Previously described by the internationally recognised Enduro Mountainbike Magazine as “Delightfully Unique and Riotous Fun”, The Eliminator Weekender will be a fun-packed three days for racers and non-racers alike.

With many new attractions for every age, such as a mega water slide, Adventure Circus workshops, climbing wall, family friendly camping, “Funky Mountain” uphill scramble, Round three of The Scottish Bike Trial Championship, live music, local food stalls, smoothie bikes, silent disco and bouncy castle.

There will also be a licenced craft drinks bar.

Mr Gray added; “One of the things that makes The Eliminator so special compared to some of our other events is the fact that Parkhill Farm is just like any other farm and normally has perimeter fences and livestock roaming the fields.

“There are no permanent bike trails or buildings, so we have a completely blank canvas to work on. Add into the mix a landowner who loves mountain biking, an event organiser with a vivid imagination and a great big hill and it’s the perfect combination for a fun and family friendly event.”

Roger Howison, Parkhill Farm Manager, said: “Parkhill Farm are thrilled to be hosting The Eliminator Mountain Bike Festival 2017. We have been busy lately planting a cider apple tree orchard in amongst the barley race field, which should add a bit of farmer’s spice to the Crazy Crops Slalom.

“Thanks to investment from Fife Council we have been in a position to install a new access track to the campsite, clear up some old World War two quarry buildings to use as course sections for Round three of The Scottish MTB Trials Championship which comes to The Eliminator this year and we’re preparing to add some new features to the Head2Head track.

“Our uplift trailers and tractors are already primed and ready for action.”