Rheola Natonal Champs 2007

Rain and mud were more than present this race. Saturday was very wet but it didn’t rain throughout practise. Just like the Welsh Champs at Rheola a few weeks before it dried throughout the practise day. It got very greasy and lines changed to the safer lines that turned faster too. I got 7 runs in on Saturday. Uplift was very good! By qualifying runs the track was dry at the very top but the streams of water running down the mountain kept the rest of the track wet. I was really nervous at the top even though it was only qualifying. I took it slow and easy going down but made a stupid mistake going into a sharp left hander and came off with my leg caught in the bike. Annoyed by this I took it a little faster but still very easy. I came 9th with an embarrassing time of 3mins 52 secs.

A while later elites were just finishing when Steve Peat crashed. He had dabbed his foot at a rutted technical section of the track and got it caught in a hole. It had twisted his foot at the ankle at 90 degrees! After delays about getting him to hospital an uproar became current about under age marshals.

Saturday night I got some gear cable and sorted my bike ready for race day. I walked the course with some friends to check for new lines. I found a new line where Steve had fallen that I was to try the next morning.

Sunday morning I got some brake pads and a brake service by Hope. I had 2 practise runs to get it together. It was raining hard and constantly all morning! I got ready for racing and got very nervous. It stopped raining briefly for the starting race runs. Waiting at the top was horrible. I was the most nervous I have ever been before a race. I went well on the top section. I tried to take my goggles off on the road as I couldn’t see very well. I just managed to take the strap off the back of my helmet but still went down with them on. I tried again as it only got worse and nearly fell off! This time the foam of the goggles was over my eyes and I couldn’t see. I had to stop to take them off. I got lots of grief from Liam Mason for stopping so I had to push hard on the bottom section. I got to the bottom getting into the hot-seat. After everyone was down I got 4th place. I was very disappointed with my run.

My dad came down and got 3rd place just behind Tim Flooks!

Here are some pictures of the weekend:






The Grand Vets.


The Elites




Thanks to Muddyfox, Lifestyle Ford, Rezurgence and also Hope for servicing my brake.

My first World Cup at Schladming

This race was a real highlight for me, a fantastic opportunity given to me by Rezurgence even though I was not able to participate in the race due to my age, I learnt as much, if not more than usual just watching. I was amazed at how much I learnt about technique, cornering and line choice, what better examples could I have … the best riders in the World all pushing to the limit at a world cup race!

Rezurgence also gave me the opportunity to meet icons of the sport, Mick Hannah, Tracey Hannah, Hannah Hannah and Greg Minnaar.
Greg even showed me around the Honda pits, introduced me to everyone and showed me his bike up close. I got so much out of the trip and I cannot express how grateful I am. I now know what to expect, how much better I need to be and how to achieve it; cornering, strength and fitness plays a bigger part to becoming the best…more than I first thought.


Here are some pictures of one of the best weekends I have ever experienced!


-Reflection









-Honda pits




-new postcards!











-Thats steep!


-All Rezurgenced up



-Setting up

-myself looking out at the mountains

-One of the best bikes out


- 4X and DH from the ski lift

-Mens podium... Sam hill winning by 5.14secs


- Tracey Hannah; the winner of the womens category



-Joe Smith and Jack Geoghegan


-Dan Atherton on the step-up

-Nice lower section


-Having it a bit too low


-At Dover

-Thats even steeper!


-Mountain range


-Greg Minnaar having it on 2nd to last jump

-Sam Hill No 1

Well done to the English riders who made it into the top 80 and commiserations to my friends who didn't.

Thanks to Rezurgence for a fantastic weekend and one that has helped me tremendously!
It was fantastic to see so many familiar faces, forgive me if I have missed anyone off the list of people who spent time talking to me, giving advice or just passing the time of day. It was fantastic to see so many familiar faces… thank you to you all:

Greg
Mick
Tracy
Hannah
Ben
Sue
Dan
Keith
Martin
Hannah
Brendon
Sam
Josh
Sinead
Mat
Ammie
John
Jack
Jack
Joe
Richard
Ralph
Rowan
And especially
Will

Bringewood Midlands Summer Series July 1st;

The mud fest began right from the start on Saturday through to the end.

-picture of marshal says it all

Saturday began very relaxed at 11am and the uplift ran through to 4pm. As always the midlands series had the uplift running smoothly whatever the weather and I was able to get 6 runs, changing tyres in-between. Some riders got more than 10 runs in!

Sunday mornings practise I set out to do 2 practise runs down the hill and achieved them in just over half an hour in the first phase of practise. It had rained very hard overnight but was drying up. This made it hard to carry speed through the ruts that were showing no sign of improvement. I had ample time to get collected for race runs and clean my bike.

I was looking forward to race runs and got up the top early to walk the top part of the course. I found lines through the first new section of the course that were able to keep me out of the wheel grabbing ruts.

I saw the person before me fall off at the first corner. I asked the timing people for some extra time but they weren‘t having any of it. Not doing the series I was ranked very low and had to overtake 6 riders over the hole course. I wasn’t particularly pleased with my run time but it saw me in second place once everyone came down. I got my bike clean and fuelled up for 2nd race runs.

I walked the top section again to look for more lines with my dad. He showed me an awesome line that looked sketchy but fast. We watched many people running this section with their bikes because it was faster for them. I walked back to the top and waited for racing to commence. I went a little to eager into the first corner and this made me slip into the rut on the second corner. It consequently through me over the bars into the mud… I thought it was all over and took some time to gather myself and pull my shin pads up. The next part was the line I hadn’t done. I was very annoyed that I had blown it so I nailed the line and rest of the track. I got half way down realising that the track was in good conditions and I was not going to keep my position. Getting to the bottom I still went 5 seconds faster than my first run. Maybe if I didn’t waist time doing whatever I messed about at, at the top, my result would have been different. I came 6th in my category with my fastest run being the run I had fallen in; I was not a happy chappy!

Here’s a few pictures of the weekend!

-the youth catagory winner; Bernard Kerr

Thanks to Muddy Fox, rezurgence.com, Lifestyle Ford and Mojo suspension.