Preview: Round 6 – Element CT & Friends Cyclocross at Chorlton Water Park, Sunday 1st November 2026
Welcome to Round 6 of the NWCCA League hosted by Element CT and Friends at Chorlton Water Park on Sunday 1st November. Time for something a little different – a ‘cross-gravel’ course. It’s been a long time since we’ve had cyclocross in Kenworthy Woods/South Bank of the River Mersey (the ‘80’s we think) but everyone who has ridden here agrees that it should make for some fast and fun racing. Let me (Mick Style) know what you think!
Sign-On
Sign-On is at the Tibetan Kitchen Café in Chorlton Water Park Car Park, 74 Maitland Avenue, Chorlton, Manchester, M21 7WH. Please allow extra time to get from Sign-On to the Race Start – it’s about 1.5 miles and is a 10 minute easy pedal but allow 25 minutes if walking with younger children.
Car Parking
There are two options for parking:
Chorlton Water Park Car Park (which will fill quickly) and the streets on the approach (Maitland Avenue, Merseybank Avenue, Darley Avenue) for which you should use the postcode M21 7WH. You are at Sign-On at the Tibetan Kitchen Café and have access to the public toilets in the car park.
The second option for parking is along Willenhall Road and surrounding streets for which you can use postcode M23 0BD. Please do not obstruct the entrance to Kenworthy Woods through the closed gate – we need this for First Aid, Timing, Coffee Van access. Please do not proceed through the gate on the left to Wythenshawe Sports Ground, or to their car park which they have asked us NOT to use.
As ever, please don’t obscure local residents’ access and keep your bikes and kit safe!
Course Access
From Chorlton Water Park Car Park – please allow 10 minutes easy pedal to the start area following either the pink or green walking routes on the Course Map. If you are walking with young children, please allow 25mins to walk to the Start area.
From Willenhall Road, you have just 2mins ride to the course but need to factor in time to go to Sign-On and back first.
The bridge over the Mersey directly from Chorlton Water Park was due to be finished by now but it has been delayed so you do need to factor in extra time before your race regardless of where you park.
The Course
The courses are a mix of hard pack paths, tracks through the woods (which shed water well and don’t get too muddy), river bank ascent/descents on grass and the start and finish areas are on tarmac. There are however places where stones poke through the paths, or the gravel can get a bit chunky and there are quite a lot of gnarly roots in the woods so please think carefully about your tyre pressures and inflate more than usual.
Courses are as per the Course Map with the Youth Race following the full course through the Woods and down to the River before cutting back through the Woods to the Start.
The River Mersey
Under NO circumstances should anyone go closer to the River Mersey than the official footpaths. The river is fast flowing and deep. Please keep an eye on your kids and I recommend dogs on leads at all times.
Tyre Pressure
Tyre pressure is of course at your discretion but for this course I recommend a minimum of 30PSI (more for larger riders) – traction won’t be a problem on most of the course and puncture avoidance needs to be your first priority.
Café and coffee van
The Tibetan Kitchen Café have kindly agreed for us to use their site (by the big double decker bus) for Sign-On. The café opens at 9.30am serving hot drinks, cakes, curries and momos (Tibetan dumplings, yum!) and they are bringing a coffee van to the Finish area too so please show them your support!
Race Entries & Times
All entries are online via BC’s website and the closing date is Tuesday 27th October at 23:55 with all the standard NWCCA Race Times applicable.
Pits – No Pressure Washer Race
The Pits are located at the top of the hill in the Woods – see Course map – and are very compact so only your spare bike is permitted in the Pits.
This is a ‘No Pressure Washer Race’ so please do not bring any pressure washers – petrol OR electric – to the pits or the race course site – this is a sensitive woodland area. You probably won’t need them anyway.
It’s OK to bring a bucket and brush but you’ll have to find space somewhere in the woods and NOT in the pits area please.
Last race of the day
Special request…..Please could ALL racers in the 14.45 (Senior/Junior and V40 Men Race) grab a handful of stakes and tape – once the final rider has completed the course – and bring them back to the Finish Area for packing away? Thanks!
Podiums & Prizes
We’ll aim to do the Youth and the U8s/10s/12s podiums at 12.00 at the Finish Area and other podiums after each race.
Thanks to Upgrade Bikes, Strykr and Ken Fosters Cycles (Chorlton) for their generosity in supporting the children’s prizes.
Three things to remember
- Get there early and factor in extra time today to & from Sign-On.
- Think about tyre pressures.
- Bring your biggest smiles! 😊