Fort William 23rd-24th N.P.S finals

I havn't had much time to make a report of this weekend due to coursework and exams at school. I have attached my dads report:

This track needs to be treated with a lot of respect, it’s not part of the world cup series just because of the fantastic scenery. It’s very harsh indeed on rider and machine

Stepping out through the top ski lift exit, the first section of track can be seen, as it begins a 2.5 mile decent back to the parking area, at the base of the mountain.
The course begins in a pleasant enough manor, just a few rocks here and there between loose shale. Then the track starts in ernest, down a rocky drop into what looks like bolder city. The narrow, man made track has many obstacles to negotiate on it’s steep decent to the finish.
Describing just how steep and rough this course is, is difficult, even photographs don’t tell the truth. Falling off is not a good idea on any course, this one least of all, with such fast speeds involved across the jagged rock surface, a fall is likely to end on a medic’s stretcher. Eleven riders took this option during the first practice session of the weekend. The ski lift being used to winch the more seriously injured off the mountain.

Harry enjoyed the practice session , his first time back on this track from just over a year ago. He rode the track well, getting down each run with just the odd hair raising moment, while learning the intricacies of the course.
The only damage suffered was to the bike - a new rear wheel had to be fitted during practice after hitting a rock, which had folded the metal rim badly.

Harry was a little disappointed with his seeding run time on Saturday afternoon, just missing out on the top 100 practice session for Sunday, which proved to be a bit of a set back, as both his practice sessions Saturday and Sunday morning were done in dry conditions. While the top 100 practice session and race run later in the day took part on a wet course, due to a change in the weather. Even though he had not experienced the feel of this awesome track in the wet, he still managed to come 14th in his category. 60 of the best youth riders in the country. Many of them 2nd year youth riders while Harry is still in his 1st year of the youth category.


A special thank you must go to Will New of Rezurgence.com for giving Harry the opportunity to meet and make friends with World Champion Greg Minnaar on the long journey back from Fort William. Greg rides a very special Honda mountain bike totally hand made for him by Honda, costing a staggering amount of money to produce, he has two of them!

Greg comes from South Africa where the sport of down hill racing is big and has it’s own dedicated T.V. channel. Over here the sport is relatively new but catching up fast.

A big thank you to -
Lifestyle Ford for getting us to the venue on time again.

Muddyfox for such good support and super smooth machine

Hayesbrook Sports College for continuing to support Harry

Greg Minnaar for making a young man very happy

Paul Molloy

Aston Hill 17th September

The last race ever, to be held by Ian Warby on the ‘Hill’ he has looked after in such an excellent manor for the past eight years.

An impressive turn out of over 300 hundred riders came from various parts of the country to take part in the race.

The weather needed to be dry with the surface being near impossible to ride in the damp. As it was, the weekend was dry with the rain left until the drive home.

Negotiating a long lung busting, leg sapping top section, of table top jumps and drops, which run along the top of the hill, before dropping down it’s steep decent. Across the loose chalk surface without a hint of smooth tarmac in sight. The terrain, covered in roots and pot holes, loose flint and pebbles are flung out of the ground by riders tyres, as they scrabble for grip in the turns.
Any mistakes going off the race line can be very treacherous, a good chance of taking a trip off the course, through the trees or worse into the many trees which line the route all the way down to the finish.

The track has been the same since it was originally built some 8 years ago, giving the local riders a massive advantage over rivals from further a field. To do well here you would have to be on form.

I stopped the clock at 1min 33sec putting me in second place. Jack Geoghegan, part of the Aston Hill Downhill race team, took the win with a fantastic time of 1 min 28seconds. Just 1sec off the fastest time of the day set by Chris Sinden an elite rider with a time of 1.27. I got 18th place overall.

I very much appreciate the help we have received. Thanks go out to:

Muddyfox for a super smooth machine to ride and very slick support

Lifestyle ford for transporting us to venues on time all over the country.

Rezurgence.com for giving Harry the chance to blog alongside world champion down hiller Greg Minnaar

Hayesbrook sports college for continuing support.

Radnor "midlands super series" August 06

Another really good new track was in store for this race. After a long lie in on Saturday morning I walked the course as usual, but I was surprised at the length of the course and the difficulty. This looked like the hardest course this year and very long.

Here are some picutres to show you what the weekend was all about...


this is me with friends Joe,Bill and Will, just off for the first run.


the bottom of the course just exiting the woods


Matt Simonds showing everyone how to do the hip with style


the wooded sections prove hard even to see.











very fast and tight















the stump field; was really hard but flowed as well as trails

Over Saturday night the rain made the course even harder and even though a sunny morning welcomed us, everyone changed to spikes... apart from my friends and I. I had looked at the bottom section briefly and dust was still underfoot.

However spikes were the tyre choice of the first couple of runs... but then by race run most people had changed back to high rollers for a nice, mud free run.

Racing was really good with conditions getting better and better. My first run was a relaxed smooth run, knowing I had something to improve on. Second run came very quickly and I made the mistake of going too fast in the sections that I should ease off a bit and only improving my time by 3 seconds.

However Sam Shucksmith, had made a huge time difference between myself and him, awarding him with second place to national champion, Sam Dale. I dont believe I will take him to any more races if he keeps beating me. Well done for another podium mate.

Thanks go out to;

Muddyfox for my bike and Lifestyle Ford for providing me a van.