Mother Nature had a few tricks up her sleeve this weekend and she played them all, including a couple of jokers.. Click here to find out who came up trumps..
Before we start there are several Moelfre's in Wales and this reminds me fondly of the time the Irish lot turned up (Joe Ward the Captain) almost a day late after going to the wrong one. This year it was the Scots turn and Friday evening 21:00 the mobile / cell rings and directions are required.
It goes a little something like this:
Si, “Where are you?”
Scots, “Moelfre!”
Si, “Which one?”
Scots, “There’s more than one?”
Si, “There’s Several”
Scots, “F*&k!”
Si, “What can you see?”
Scots, “The Sea”.
Si, “The Sea? F&*k me your miles away”..
They realised something was wrong when they went into a shop and it was selling buckets and spades. Next they stood outside a chip shop and another MTB van turns up, again from Scotland. That’s two vans, six riders both turned up at Hollyhead over 100miles away from the race venue. At last Jon-e Beckett will no longer have to listen to any more Irish jokes..
Friday morning setup and will anyone believe me when I say we had tops off, shorts on and was basking under the sun? It’s true.. The team laid the timing cable and then went up and down to prod 600 poles into the ground for the course tape as there is only one tree on the whole course! The finish gantry goes up, banners, flags and were pretty much done as everyone starts to park up. Fires are lit, BBQ’s smoulder and the sky was crystal clear and full of a billion stars.
Saturday a.m and whoosh, heavy rain in what still remains a calm and warm finish arena. Maxxis WetDreams sell out within minutes at the Descent-Gear store as do those RRP Mudguards. It’s going to be a wet one. What nobody realised was the wind conditions up top. In the pits all was calm, then we ventured up the hill VIP style with the UCI Commissaire (it’s a UCI Cat 2 Race) inside one of those huge Monster trucks.
At the top it was almost impossible to stand up, 40-50mph gusts meant the Funn MTB E-Zee-Up that was welded down had finally given up the ghost, even after a strong fight. The UCI Comm immediately made the decision on safety to drop the start to a stone alcove some 200 yards further down that would provide slightly more shelter. Practise continued though come seeding at 15:00 visibility was reduced to the end of your nose at times due to thick mist and fog. Therefore practise was extended leaving one race run for Sunday.
Saturday evenings entertainment was provided by an impromptu long jump contest. Running along the last part of the course we had a small 3ft kicker to mellow landing some 30ft away. The riders lined up encouraged by some rapidly poached prizes for the winner who was to take all. Steve and myself threw in £40 and that was topped up by Rich from Fenwick’s and Pete from 2Stage Bikes who stumped up cash and a 2stage sweat, a case of Monster Energy and a big blow up pic from Dave Lane at Fast Lane Photography of said culprit in the air.
Ben Moorehouse of www.ticket2ridebc.com came in third in distance, if it was a height contest he would of won defo.
Mojo rider Ken Bathro without skin suit this time popped his 7ft frame onboard a 14” kids bike and still went pretty big. Sion Whitecross came close but not close enough to MSC Bikes Kieran Mcavoy who went well over 40ft to take the $$$$. Biggest crowd pleaser was Alex Gray aged 6 who went MASSIVE. The pocket rocket attacked the take off like a child possessed by the Devil. Launched the jump and sent it.. O.K so he didn’t land it, his Mom dusted him down and the crowd cheered, he was the real winner!
More pit antics with Tinys Steak Cooking Master class in front of a huge audience went down a spell. Scott Mears Dad not one to be upstaged by Paul Hart (Break Dance Inners Champion) at the Winter Series scared us all and got himself a free ambulance ride. Get well soon fella. Other injuries were Martin Crocket who broke his leg on the BC jump just before the finish. Another close call was the lunatic who thought the race/camp pits was a rally track on Friday night at 23:30. We caught up with him, luckily for him he listened to the quiet word we had in his ear.
Bike Radars Will Longden was being dragged out of the field in his super-pimp van by a tractor and smashed straight into an out-poking Tranny vans tow ball, “Ouch”. Not good news after he lost both 6x3 E-Zee-Ups at the National Champs a few weeks before.
Racing took part on Sunday after open practise with full runs between 09:00 to 12:25, Experts and Elites have 30minutes to themselves from 12:30 to 13:00 to let them have some full clear runs. Then we went racing at 13:30 sharp.
The weather on Sunday was so much kinder to us, not to the Monster Energy Wig Wam though that caught a big gust and toppled over with several people holding onto one corner. Luckily the old bag who lives down the valley couldn’t hear the mega sound system we had due to the wind direction. That meant no environmental health officer calling us up this week. She’s had a decibel meter installed to monitor the noise. Can you believe these are the sort of hurdles we have to jump over to run a race?
The sun shone and the wind was lighter yet still blowing which meant many riders took off their peaks (DISGRACEFUL BEHAVIOUR) in order to combat the speed destroying gusts that destroyed your legs. I also hear that many riders also cheated by riding something called “Spuds”? Surely this should be stopped, Devil Pedals that is..
The track itself as previously mentioned is 99.9% open to spectators and the elements. One tree on course means this is a high speed shuttle from top to bottom. Rolling grass Welsh Hill side up top followed man made doubles and switchbacks cut into the hill side. Get any of these wrong and a soft landing was guaranteed into razor sharp and prickly Gorse bushes. A huge road gap that only a handful cleared due to the wind conditions before we scooted around the hill and towards the finish. Natural whoops and greasy corners meant many a comedy moment before we launched off the BC jump and onto flat out wet and grassy corners (Thank God for cut down Wetscreams).. A mach 10 right hand corner, the long jump and a fine Olympic style sprint to the finish.
Results
Race 1 Juvenile Men
McGlone is National Champ, 12 secs up is the reason why. Mathews is closing as is the rest of the field. These here are the future Champs, mark my words. Jevan Williams also had a pretty good pop at the long jump, well done fella.
1 Fraser Mcglone 02:30.2
2 Billy Mathews J E James Cycles 02:42.5
3 Mathew Downes Dave Rayner Cycle Sport 02:48.2
4 Alex Glass Bedstone College 02:54.1
5 Mathew Lean 02:59.3
6 Sam Herd Perth City Cycles 03:06.3
7 Jevan Williams 03:17.8
8 Fraser Leadbetter 20 26 Distribution 04:06.0
Race 2 Youth Men
Any of these top 5 can win on the day though on paper Arran should win as he’s off to Juniors next year leaving the younger guys behind. Mallers Nat Champ here so he’s full of beans and confidence. Scotts got all the skills, he just needs to grow and be as tall a s me. Flockharts too tall! A mechanical today puts him out of the top spot. Buchanan still up there from the Inners local.
1 Arran Gannicott Santa Cruz 02:24.3
2 Mark Scott Ecosse Dh Racing 02:24.8
3 Jamie Maller Knox 02:25.9
4 Sam Flockhart Astrix/Descent-Gear.Com 02:27.3
5 Lewis Buchanan Mt Cut Tv/Orange 02:29.1
6 Callum Dew Msc Bikes/Descent-Gear.Com 02:35.2
7 Stephen Millyard Descent-Gear.Com 02:37.5
8 Andrew Kelly All Terrain Cycles 02:38.6
9 Brad Mather 02:38.6
10 Ronan Taylor 777 Racing 02:38.8
11 Toby Davison Team Chr 02:39.0
12 Reece Shields Pearce Cycles Rt 02:39.2
13 Willem Herd Perth City Cycles 02:39.3
14 Tom Knight Mtb Bitz.Co.Uk 02:39.4
15 Sam Webster Team Skene 02:39.7
16 Sam Wakefield 02:40.8
17 Sean Davies Foel Dh 02:41.0
18 Adam Burnside Santa Cruz/Formula 02:41.1
19 George Belk 02:41.6
20 Oli Wakeman Sun Microsystems 02:42.4
21 Jamie Crump Pure Riders.Co/Bike Tape 02:42.9
22 Richard Aycott Foel Dh 02:43.2
23 Robbie Nelson Hetton Hawks Cc 02:47.6
24 Vivian Jones Dragon Dh 02:50.6
25 Johnathan Beattie 02:51.6
26 Pete Robinson 02:53.3
27 Charlie Beach 02:54.6
28 Adam Jones 02:54.9
29 Tom Housman 02:55.0
30 Alex Powell Team Loctite 02:56.9
31 James Connock Wood N Wheels Dh Team 03:01.0
32 Robert Black 03:01.8
33 Joseph Vials 03:23.1
34 Benjamin Williamson 03:31.8
Race 3 Junior Men
NPS rd 3 winner Brewins just passed his test, watch out for a 4x4 rolling by. Shucksmith back from injury but where is his brother Phil, we miss him? Kerr onboard that Millyard bike with a new dynamic and exciting shock that weighs nothing! Repo coming real soon.. Heaths fit as a butchers dog which would have helped him down this tiring course. Wilson must have had an extra gust off the start. 2 secs up is a convincing win.
1 Alastair Wilson Ancillotti Uk 02:16.5
2 Harry Heath Morewood/Derry Air Cycles 02:18.6
3 Bernard Kerr Marzocchi/Millyard Racing 02:19.0
4 Sam Shucksmith Ram Bikes Uk 02:20.1
5 Gareth Brewin Descent-Gear.Com/Santa Cruz 02:21.7
6 Ewan Doherty Eze Fitness 02:22.8
7 Todd Kierney Solid/Electric 02:23.2
8 Sion Whitecross Team Skene 02:23.2
9 Ashley Maller Knox 02:23.8
10 Ben Moorhouse Ticket2ride/Descent-Gear.Co 02:23.8
11 Kyle Farrow Derry Air Cycles 02:23.9
12 Lewis Hawthorne Team Skene 02:24.6
13 Harry Molloy Dmr/Resurgence/Mojo 02:25.2
14 Ben Rodgers All Terrain Cycles 02:27.6
15 Joe Taylor Mojo/Orange 02:27.8
16 Joe Flanagan All Terrain Cycles 02:28.2
17 James Scott Cycle Jersey/Burgtec 02:28.5
18 Dale Russell 02:28.6
19 Robert Williams Team Skene 02:28.7
20 Martin Young 02:29.0
21 Joe Edge Stendec 02:29.5
22 Gregory Hampton 02:30.4
23 Scott Jones 02:30.5
24 Daniel Jary 02:30.5
25 Ross Hammond 02:30.6
26 Chris Collins 02:31.3
27 Daniel Millard Ecosse Dh 02:31.5
28 Sean Pringle 02:33.7
29 Mark Blackler Karcher 02:35.1
30 Perry Gardener Pearce Cycles Rt 02:35.5
31 Cameron Leadbetter Perth City Cycles 02:35.8
32 James Metcalfe Moonglu Cycles 02:36.1
33 Jamie Callow 02:36.3
34 Ian Stark Kustom Bikes 02:36.5
35 Huw Oliver 02:36.8
36 John Bolton 02:38.4
37 James Storey Pscycles.Co.Uk/Cwmdown 02:38.5
38 Craig Munro 02:39.4
39 Alex Holowko 02:40.2
40 Ed Parks 02:41.2
41 Simon Parsons Freedom Bikes 02:42.0
42 Benjii Harrison Pureriders.Co.Uk/Bike Tape 02:49.4
43 Charlie Collins 02:50.0
44 Jimmy Smith Bergamont Bikes 02:56.4
45 Nicholas Burton Legge Red Mist Racing 03:06.1
46 Sam Potter Mountain Trax 03:13.6
Johnathan Weaver Non-Fin
Race 4 Veteran Men
Close as this gets, Vets is almost the new masters! Cobbs almost back 100% from that shoulder injury and cracking his frame in 7 places after doing that huge drop at Ae Forest. Beef into 4th, what a result for the Raver. Twigg lets Simpson drift ahead and Maclennan can be beaten, it’s true and by the man with the thinnest ankles in MTB history.
1 Rich Simpson 02:27.5
2 Alastair Maclennan Off Beat Bikes 02:29.6
3 Jerry Twigg Cycleworld 02:30.1
4 Keith Clarke Rave Racing 02:30.6
5 John Cobb 02:31.1
6 David Michael Fastlanephotography.Co.Uk 02:37.5
7 Jason Gun Brennan Rave Racing 02:39.8
8 Steve Felstead T2r/Descent-Gear.Com 02:43.2
9 Neil Edgar Rave Racing 02:43.9
10 Iain Wilkinson 02:47.3
11 Tim Webb Red Mist Racing 02:49.0
12 Greg Taylor Rave Racing 02:49.1
13 John Boylett Dartmoor Cycles 02:51.1
14 Dave Wills Foel Dh Riders 02:54.4
15 Derek Laughland Castle Melamine 02:58.3
16 Paul Molloy Lifestyle Ford 02:58.5
17 Peter Southern 03:16.5
18 Jeremy Scott 03:27.9
Martin Crocket Msc Bikes/Descent-Gear.Com Non-Fin
Race 5 Master Men
Harland a previous NPS winner settles for 5th. List slips up again, must be that 6ft 7ins frame. I like Milward, I’m now officially not the smallest man in UK DH. Lewis can pedal but Titley stormed her with a time that would of put him 2nd in Experts! Take note james Hughes, Masters ain’t easy.
1 Andrew Titley Kona Sombrio 02:16.4
2 Alan Lewis Aw Cycles 02:20.6
3 Mark Milward Swinnerton Cycles 02:21.4
4 Dave List Stourport Cycles 02:21.7
5 Russ Harland 02:22.2
6 Stephen Russell Badd Ass Bikes 02:26.2
7 David Tallontire Msc Bikes/Uplift Scotland 02:27.2
8 Andrew Buddin Descend Hamsterley 02:27.6
9 James Roberts High Peak Cycles 02:28.9
10 Lance Harland 02:29.5
11 Mark Wilcox 02:29.6
12 Jason Cavill 02:29.9
13 Sion Jones Santa Cruz Mtb Direct 02:31.7
14 Andy Williamson Foel Dh 02:32.3
15 Jason Gidney Cycle Centre Pz 02:33.0
16 Neil Cousins Tf Tuned 02:34.9
17 Phil Gray Rave Racing 02:35.6
18 Jamie Armitage High Peak Cycles 02:38.7
19 Paul Bowyer 02:40.6
20 Alex Slater Rave Racing 02:42.2
21 Dave English Descend Hamsterley 02:43.3
22 Peter Roberts 02:43.3
23 Paul Bridge 02:43.7
24 Niall Ingram Redmist Racing 02:44.3
25 Philip Mclaren Descend Hamsterley 02:45.5
26 David Carpenter All Terrain Cycles 03:13.5
27 Colin Williams Solid 03:24.6
Chris Whitfield Leasure Lakes Non-Fin
Race 6 Women
Wareham beat Adams, that was her long term Gold. Adams beats Stone and Kerrys comes third. It’s all chop and change in the leaders board here.
1 Emma Wareham Trek-Extreme Medics 02:46.1
2 Monet Adams Solid Electric Cwmdown 02:51.4
3 Kerry Wrigglesworth Mtb Bitz 02:58.1
4 Jessica Stone Trek-Extreme Medics 02:58.6
5 Bex Reilly Castle Douglas Cycle Center 03:07.0
6 Harriet Latchem High Peak Cycles 03:07.5
7 Wendy Chambers Msc Bikes/Descent-Gear.Com 03:15.0
Race 7 Elite Women
Gaskell takes this one for the big H, Curds doing well and staying close and where was the rest of the Calamaty Clan?
1 Helen Gaskell Halfords Bike Hut 02:31.7
2 Katy Curd Giant 02:35.8
3 Haby-Blu Cann Embc/Cf 3 02:44.1
4 Sarah Newman Balfa Uk 02:47.6
5 Aimee Dix Mojo Orange 02:50.6
Race 8 Senior Men
Whiteheads frist NPS win, Experts for him next year then? Smith who’s been winning the regionals lately almost made it. Challinor and Woodvine are close on track as well as off. Is that a rumour I'm starting? Goddard who won Fort Bill and is now sporting a big scar over his left eye after a slight altercation down the Mega.
1 Ben Whitehead All Terrain Cycles 02:18.0
2 Damon Smith Mtb Direct 02:18.7
3 Richard Challinor 02:18.9
4 Andy Woodvine Leisure Lakes 02:21.6
5 Paul Goddard 02:22.1
6 Tom Dale 02:22.4
7 James Shirley Off Beat Bikes 02:22.6
8 Tom Lamb Alpine Bikes/Iron Horse 02:23.3
9 Neil White 02:23.5
10 Ross Anderson Msc Bikes/Descent-Gear.Com 02:24.1
11 Billy Campbell 02:24.9
12 Callum Gault 02:24.9
13 Rob Scullion Continental/Orange 02:25.9
14 Michael Inman Continental/Orange 02:25.9
15 James Green Midlands & Borders Dh Club 02:26.3
16 Adam Holleyman 02:26.7
17 Chris Breeze Utopia 02:26.8
18 Dan Simmons 02:27.5
19 Patrick Campbell Jenner Mtb-Bitz 02:27.6
20 Don Howe Kustom Bikes 02:28.3
21 Micky Boswell Solid/Electric 02:28.3
22 Jeremy Callow 02:28.7
23 Jonny Lodge 02:29.0
24 Richard Norton Urban Air 02:29.2
25 Duncan Porter Red Mist Racing 02:29.4
26 Simon Ward 02:30.3
27 Al Ward Twr Electric 02:30.6
28 Tim Breeze Cool Runnings 02:30.7
29 Richard Huggett Hg Cyclesport 02:30.8
30 Martin Nairn Msc Bikes/Descent-Gear.Com 02:31.2
31 Andrew Cooper Mtb Bitz/Found 8 Clothing 02:31.2
32 Tom Fryer Revolution Bikes 02:31.4
33 Joe Winston Www.Ibike.Co.Uk 02:31.9
34 Rob Williams Bicycle Doctor 02:32.0
35 Lee Huskinson Dmr 02:32.5
36 Peter Durston 02:32.5
37 William Davis 02:32.8
38 Steven Morris Freeflow Bikes 02:33.0
39 Seb Frost 02:33.9
40 Thomas Kelly 02:36.0
41 Craig Griffiths 02:37.1
42 Roger Valler 02:37.1
43 Robert Mcdonald 02:39.6
44 Ross Young 02:39.8
45 James Dalleywater 02:40.2
46 Ben Southern 02:42.7
47 Thomas Clarkson Fenwicks 02:43.9
48 Alastair Keen Mtb Bitz 02:43.9
49 Karl Cooper 02:46.0
50 John Stevenson 02:46.1
51 Dan Haines Red Mist Racing 02:48.2
52 Michael Crosby 02:48.5
53 Vaughan Evans Orange Bikes 02:53.1
54 Michael Papadopoulos 03:41.8
Doug Macgrain Non-Fin
Race 9 Expert Men
Thomas needs media training. He openly said on a popular MTB website that he went off course during his race run. That’s certainly a Commissaire talk to and possible penalty. Cheetham has no silver spoon in his mouth this weekend. Williams stays on? Mcavoy is so strong, he could crush a grape. Sinden loves his Commencal, as proved at the English Champs previously.
1 Rich Thomas Ancillotti Uk 02:15.5
2 Richard Cheetham 02:16.8
3 Peter Williams Descent-Gear.Com 02:16.9
4 Kieron Mcavoy Msc Bikes/Descent-Gear.Com 02:18.5
5 Chris Sinden Phil Corley Cycles 02:18.7
6 Mike Strickland 02:19.1
7 Scott Mears Fox/Astrix/5 10 02:19.6
8 Rob Young Cross Trax 02:20.0
9 Tom Rodgers All Terrain Cycles/Giant 02:20.2
10 Ben Hall Team Chr 02:20.3
11 Chris Coates Cycle Jersey 02:21.1
12 Simon Parkinson Ticket2ride/Descent-Gear.Co 02:21.3
13 Will Soffe Bigpeaks.Com 02:21.4
14 Jack Tattersall Sunn Ride-Central 02:21.5
15 Alex Florian Pearce Cycles 02:21.6
16 Richard Cunnynghame Charge Bikes 02:21.9
17 Thomas Wheeler Mojo/Orange 02:22.2
18 Jethro Whitfield Leisure Lakes 02:22.5
19 Adam Morgan Pearce Cycles 02:22.9
20 Bradley Shields Pearce Cycles Rt 02:23.0
21 James Flinders Msc Bikes/Descent-Gear.Com 02:23.2
22 Graeme Forrest 02:23.7
23 Andrew Wright Astrix Europe 02:24.5
24 Kris Boram 02:25.0
25 Joseph Horton Pearce Cycles Race Team 02:25.2
26 Dave Valler Mountain Cycle 02:25.6
27 Ian Cookson Pedal Power 02:25.6
28 Leon Rosser Bicycle Doctor/Zeal 02:26.2
29 Jack Graham 02:26.5
30 Michael Gray Psyclewerx/Cove Uk 02:27.0
31 Gary Drake Aw Cycles 02:27.0
32 Tudor Jones 02:27.1
33 Jamie Camburn 02:32.6
34 Nick Turner The Development/Orange 02:41.4
Race 10 Elite Men
With the top boys off playing in Whistler and this race being a UCI cat 2 event this means UCI points a plenty for the top ten fastest times of the day. Hughes is in Masters next year, lets see if he is all mouth and no trousers. The Smith brothers are battling hard with each other, so close again lads. Deaconator back from Benidorm and dripping, sorry I mean ripping. Simmonds makes a welcome return backed up by Dave “4x Start Gate Legend” Garland of Stendec as his pro mechanic. Cathro’s size surely hampered him down this wind tunnel of a track meaning Joe Barnes could “Go Fast”, er.. He loosened his peak bolts slightly prior to the race uplift just incase any other top roders were going to take their peaks off.
1 Joe Barnes Mtbcut.Tv/Orange 02:10.2
2 Ben Cathro Mojo Orange 02:11.0
3 Matt Simmonds Crc Intense 02:11.6
4 Tom Deacon Ancillotti Uk 02:12.6
5 Robert Smith Santa Cruz/Reverse 02:13.0
6 Dave Smith Santa Cruz Reverse 02:13.3
7 James Hughes Yeti/Reverse 02:13.6
8 Ralph Jones Dirt Mtb Mag 02:13.8
9 Danny Hart La Pierre/Saab Solomon 02:13.9
10 Gary Forrest Sombrio 02:14.2
11 Dan Stanbridge Mojo Orange 02:14.4
12 Tom Braithwaite Orange 02:14.5
13 Scott Beaumont Rocky Mountain Uk 02:15.1
14 Liam Mason Fusion Bikes 02:16.0
15 Stuart Jenkinson Foes Racing/Rockoil 02:16.1
16 Rowen Sorrell South Wales Trail Centres 02:16.7
17 Ben Ineson Solid 02:16.7
18 Philip Ashbridge Santa Cruz/Reverse 02:17.5
19 Nikki Whiles Team Skene 02:17.7
20 Ben Baker Astrix Europe 02:18.6
21 Emyr Davies Santa Cruz/Reverse 02:18.8
22 Fergus Lamb Alpine Bikes 02:18.8
23 Will Longden Bike Radar 02:19.5
24 Andrew Philips Yeti/Reverse 02:20.5
25 Liam Little Solid/Electric 02:22.9
26 Nathan Vials Yeti/Reverse 02:23.3
27 Scott Laughland Santa Cruz/Reverse 02:26.4
28 Alistair Parkin Santa Cruz/Mtb Direct 02:28.1
Ashley Mullane Cove/Race Face Non-Fin
Thanks to everyone who helped pick their rubbish up and pop it in the skips. Also Jon Smith from Fenwicks for providing the bike wash. Four petrol washers and unlimited cleaner. He manned them all weekend, what a star.
Also Extreme Medics, Mikrotime, Steve Collins, Guy Williams the Ant Hill Mob, Registration Girls: Sam and Sue Hart, Mrs. Brewin and Mrs Thomnas, and of course all the Marshalls headed up Gilly Horton and the Comms, Colin Clewes, Steve Hogben, Tom Jones and Adrian Walls. Last and not least, Farmer Jack, the man of the moment.
Please bring along your valid BC License to sign on at the next NPS or the fine is £10 to British Cycling. Registration is open as follows, please don't turn up late.
Friday 16:00 to 18:00
Saturday 08:00 to 11:00
Arrive after 11:01 and you will not be able to ride.
One rider was disqualified for riding the whole course with their helmet undone. Please don’t let that be you next time.
Steve Parr and myself (Si Paton) look forward to seeing you all at round 5 at Carlton Bank near Middlesborough in the North East of England which is already full. There is a reserve list and you can bump yourself up that queue if you provide a marshall.
Want to marshall, get paid £30 a day and watch some of the Worlds Best Downhillers trackside? We also keep you fed and watered. Interested then please contact
[email protected]
Stay Unclipped.
Si Paton..
www.Descent-Gear.com
