Successful premiere! The iXS European Downhill Cup made its first stop on the legendary World Cup course in Fort William. Wind, rain and one of the toughest tracks in the world demanded everything from the field of riders. In the end, Great Britain's Harriet Harnden and Charlie Hatton triumphed in a weekend that is guaranteed to be one to remember.

Friday - The first impression

Blue skies, sun, clouds - and plenty of wind: that's how Fort William welcomed the riders on training Friday. Although the weather played along, the 2.8 kilometre course proved to be a real challenge. Many had only seen the course on TV - and they were not disappointed: razor-sharp rocks and high-speed sections awaited at the top, then from the centre onwards there were rough root carpets and technical drops, before the famous ‘motorway’ with fast bends and huge jumps gave the final pulse boost. No wonder that the first runs were still approached with caution - real course reading was required here.

Saturday - changing conditions

Light rain in the morning and afternoon made the conditions treacherous: most of the training still took place on a drying track, but it became slippery just in time for the seeding run. Finding the perfect balance was a real challenge, especially for the less experienced riders.

Seeding Run

Charlie Hatton (GBR - Continental Atherton) came out on top in the Elite Men - with a lead of 1.3 seconds. Harriet Harnden (GBR - AON Racing - Tourne Campervans) caused a minor sensation in the Elite Women's category: she outclassed the competition, including top favourite Nina Hoffmann (GER - Santa Cruz Syndicate) and Jessica Blewitt (NZL - Cube Factory Racing), by a whopping 15.5 seconds

Sunday - Battle against the elements

Final day in Scotland - and the weather showed its wild side. Strong crosswinds in the upper part of the course and light continuous rain made for challenging conditions. The jump sections in particular became a lottery due to the wind. Nevertheless, the riders delivered a highly exciting finale.

A weekend with a signalling effect

The race in Fort William impressively showed where the iXS European Downhill Cup is heading: Larger venues, tougher courses and an increasingly strong field of riders ensure that the EDC is no longer an insider tip, but a permanent fixture on the international racing calendar.

The increasing professionalism in the organisation and field of participants makes the series the ideal platform for ambitious talents - and at the same time the perfect stage for established World Cup stars. The mixture of young up-and-comers and concentrated experience makes the EDC more exciting than ever. If you want to be among the front runners here, you not only need speed, but also real stamina - and that is exactly what makes this series so appealing.