League rules

Pre-entry is online via this site, closing 11:59pm on the Wednesday before each round. The on-the-day price applies from then on, right up until 30 minutes before your race starts.

Full-season League entry (any category) = all 7 individual round entries added together, minus one round's price, based on the pre-entry rate (so one round free). Full-season entries are available until Round 1 has run.

Round entries: enter one or more rounds together and the discount grows as you add more: 3 or 4 rounds save 5%, and 5 or more rounds save 10% on the rounds priced at the pre-entry rate. A round that's past its pre-entry deadline is charged the on-the-day price and isn't discounted.

If cost is the only thing stopping you racing, MTB east has a hardship fund, get in touch privately, no form beyond a short message.

E-bike categories start together with the Elite and S1 riders:

• Female E-bike starts with Female Elite and S1.
• Open E-bike starts with Open Elite and S1.

On the female side the U14, U16 and Fun races start while the Female Elite / S1 / E-bike race is still on the course, so eBike riders should read the eBike rules on passing safely. The standard round-by-round schedule is on the League page, under Race day timings, it may vary slightly by venue and conditions, and the final round of the season can differ. Announcements on the day take priority over the published timetable.

Series position is decided by points: each round awards points for your finishing position in your category, added up across the season. Your best 6 results from the rounds you've ridden count towards your final total, or all of your results, if you've ridden fewer than 6. There's no minimum number of rounds you need to have ridden to get a series position.

There are end-of-series prizes for all categories except the Fun leagues. There are no podiums or prizes for individual race days, only for the series overall.

Promotion and relegation

• The top 3 finishers in S1 and S2, by end-of-season league standing (not any individual round), are promoted to the category above.
• Some flexibility is given for female riders in S1, since field sizes there are smaller.
• In the Open categories, promotion is based on finishing in the top 3 of the overall league standings for the season, not on winning or placing well in any single round.
• Elite has no category above it to move to.
• Riders may voluntarily demote themselves at any time, for example, if a season's training didn't go to plan.
• A rider who has been promoted must serve at least one full season in the higher category before they're eligible to demote back down.
• It is the rider's own responsibility to enter the category appropriate to their ability. MTB east reserves the right to move a rider to a more appropriate category if it becomes apparent they're in the wrong one.

Every category runs on its own, at every round, regardless of how many riders enter. We don't merge categories, even a small one, since that disadvantages slower or less experienced riders in a combined field.

Gridding determines your start position each round. It has no bearing on series scoring.

• Round 1 of the season seeds grid position off each rider's final standing from the previous season.
• Round 2 onward uses a progressive points-based system, built up as the season goes:
  • Round 2 grids off Round 1 alone.
  • Round 3 grids off your best 1 of your first 2 rounds.
  • Round 4 grids off your best 2 of your first 3 rounds.
  • …and so on, expanding by one round each time.
• A rider moving up a category grids just outside the top 10 of their new category.
• A genuine newcomer to racing grids at the back, in entry order.
• The three combined-gate youth pairs (U7, U9, U12 Open/Female) grid as one interleaved field.

Grids are generated automatically and may re-seed as results come in. Once a marshal has manually edited a grid, treat it as final for that round. Anything shown on the website before race day is provisional.

All riders finish on the same lap as the category winner. You'll get a bell with one lap to go, and the chequered flag as close to the time cut-off as possible. It's your own responsibility to judge your pace against the time remaining.

Where riders complete the same number of laps, finishing order is decided by the time taken to complete those laps. Any lap completed after the time cut-off does not count.

The eBike category is an entry point into mountain bike racing: one class, called E-bike, with results for Open and Female, for riders aged 16 or older (counted on 1 January, like every other adult category). Every bike meets the same legal standard, so results come down to the rider.

• Bikes must be legal, unmodified EAPCs (Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycles): pedal-assist only, no throttle, 250W maximum continuous rated power, and assistance that cuts out at 15.5mph (25km/h).
• Factory assist modes, including Boost and Turbo, are allowed. Tuning devices, modified software, region changes and speed-sensor tampering are not.
• Both eBike races (Female and Open) are 1 hour plus a lap, and there are no battery swaps during a race, so arrive with a fully charged battery.
• eBikes start together with the Elite and S1 riders. You will sometimes share the course with younger riders, so pass them with extra care.
• Bikes are checked at sign-on and can be checked at any time during the event. The first season (2027) is a learning period: we explain and help rather than penalise honest mistakes. From the second season a tuned or non-compliant bike means disqualification.

Read the full eBike rules and guidance for what counts as an eBike, what is and isn't allowed, how scrutineering works, and how we keep racing safe.

Outside assistance (mechanical help, feeding, drink) may only be given or received within the marked Technical Area/Feed Zone, with the exception of U7 and U9 races, where riders may receive assistance throughout.

• Helmets must be worn at all times on the track.
• Your bike must be suitable for off-road conditions.
• Every bike must have end caps fitted to the handlebars. There are no exceptions: it's a safety issue.
• Faster riders will call out when overtaking, indicating which side they're passing on. You're not obliged to move immediately, but please be aware and find a safe spot to let them through.
• Number boards must be used for the entire season. Do not cut or alter them, and keep cables clear of the timing chips. A replacement board costs £10.

Results are published online after each event. They may be provisional at first. We'll post on Facebook once they're finalised. Please let us know of any issues; we aim to have final results published by the Wednesday after the race.

• Up to £5 may be charged as a non-refundable administration fee on any refund.
• Entries are refundable up to 14 days before the event.
• Between 14 and 3 days before the event, entries can be transferred to a later date.
• We keep costs to a minimum to reduce financial risk to entrants in the event of a cancellation. MTB east does not make a profit from race entries. They just cover our running costs.

MTB east is a family-friendly event. We ask everyone (riders, spectators and volunteers) to:

• Be kind and considerate of others.
• Keep language family-appropriate.
• Take litter home with you.
• Follow marshal guidance at all times.