The ultimate form of head to head mountain bike racing returns to Sheffield City Centre on the 10th March to celebrate the Outdoor City Weekender.

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Howard Street Dual Live Stream

If you can’t make it down on the day tune in to enjoy a unique slice of Sheffield presenting the excitement of knockout racing.

At 5pm on the 10th March Sheffield’s Howard St Dual will be broadcast live on the internet. Part of the Outdoor City Weekender this race will light up the centre of the city with elbow to elbow action and enough Hope Tech lumens to turn night in to day. The live stream will spread the magic of dual and make the Outdoor City shine.

Presented by Richard Cunnyngham and Toby Parodi the live show begins with the first round of 32 at 5:00 pm GMT (09:00 PST, 12:00 EST, 18:00 CET) and finals around 7:00 pm.

Above: the live stream will be hosted on YouTube

Lining up this year are a host of well known riders and just as many giant killers aiming to knock them off their perch. For the lads Sheffield’s own Steve Peat will be trying to go one better this year and get on to the top step where he’s stood so many times before.

However, his 50:01 brothers will be doing their best to stop him. Josh’s Bryceland and Lewis – Ratboy and Loose, Hardline winner – Craig Evans, Right hand Sam Dale, Matt and Dave Hockenhull. Last year’s winner, Airdrop’s, Brett Penfold and second place Ben Moore are back again to defend their crowns.

Elite downhill pinner Jono Jones is making his way up from Woburn. Team Cotic will be headed up by Rocket Man himself James Swinden and will doubtlessly be chased down Straightline Chay Granby. As well as his younger brother Will who is the reigning champion of the ThisiSheffield winter dual series.

The challenge from the lasses is headed up by last years winner Carrie Poole who held her 4 month old son aloft on the podium. She’ll be chased down by last years runners up Anya Tolwinska, Ellie Dewdeny and Katy Thorpe. BMX superstar Chloe Taylor will be challenging for the top step alongside downhiller Becci Skelton.

What is the Howard Street Dual?

ThisIsSheffield: “The council have backed us for another year and it’s on! Only… we’re going to be racing in the dark! Hope Technology have come up trumps and are supplying us enough lights to illuminate the whole course… that should make it a bit more interesting for the riders!”

The devilishly difficult Howard Street Dual course will pitch the best riders against each other and the resulting spectacle will surprise and delight seasoned race fans, families of all ages and unsuspecting passers by. To enhance the drama this year the racing will be in the dark; once the sun goes down the course will be lit up making the elbow to elbow action even more entertaining.

Made possible by Sheffield City Council the riders will race from the top of Hallam Square, across the front from Sheffield Hallam university’s main building and on down to the bottom of Howard street. They must negotiate a series of features sendable by the best and rollable by all. It mixes man-made constructions with street furniture, flat grass corners and custom wooden features. Last year the finish fadea-way and infamous chaos corner claimed many riders winning ways.

Racing will begin at 5pm and finals will commence around 7pm with practice and seeding taking place from 3pm. Dual Slalom is a knockout race format, pitching riders against each other, literally duelling their way down the hill. The winner stays on and the fastest racers progress through to the finals and the glory. Think Daniel San in Karate Kid! The riders must react fast to get off the start line quickest then push each other to the limits of their skill without pushing so hard they end up on the floor, with their dreams in tatters.

In true This is Sheffield style, every rider who races will get a prize from our incredibly generous sponsors combined with a big cheer and all the glory. The fastest racers on the day will get to pick from the pile first. We have space for 32 lads and 32 lasses. Due to the nature of the event entry is by invite only and subject to race experience and radness. Applications for a place are welcomed by filling in details here. The organisers will get back to those successful.

Sheffield will be a hive of activity during the Outdoor City weekender; from the Sheffield adventure film festival, to the Magnificent 7 road anti-enduro and the Climbing works international festival. Dual racing is both spectacular and easy to follow, and will provide as much of a thrill for the spectators as it does the participants themselves. With cow-bells and noise-makers lining the track, the racers will be cheered from top to bottom making it great fun for the whole family and the best hecklers in town.