Big Events - Redbridge Cat4

1 week later same result .. 

Cat 4 Results Redbridge Cycling Centre
1 17 Luke Forward
2 2 Sam Brown
3 6 Patrick McGrath
4 16 Ashley Harvey
5 14 James Mead
6 5 Craig Gunnell
7 12 Robert Warren
8 9 Benjamin Ryder
9 15 Angus Gillams
10 13 Sevi Webb
11 4 Lewis Bryan
12 8 Danny OConnor
13 7 Richard McShee
14 1 Victory Akinjomo
15 10 Joshua Southern
16 11 Michael Stimson
DNF 3 Luciano Brunette

Must try harder

Sprint finish

Big Events - Redbridge Cat4 and BMX

Riders Ready!

Closing out the season with some closed road Cat4 races @Redbridge Cycle Centre and a bit of BMX 

Finished in Six after a bunch sprint just outside of the money.. 

BigEventsPro

30th September 2017, Regional C+ Cat 4
Pos No. Name
1 17 Antoine Magaud
2 16 Louis Lord
3 25 Benjamin Ryder
4 15 Charlie Lacaille
5 18 Patrick McGrath
6 10 Craig Gunnell
7 27 Joshua Southern
8 34 Marcos
9 2 Daniel Baker
10 22 Danny OConnor
11 26 Craig Smith
12 20 Richard McShee
13 28 Max Thomson
14 9 Angus Gillams
15 30 Thomas Wright
16 13 Ashley Harvey
17 19 Iain McNaught
18 3 Lewis Bryan
19 11 Andrew Harbourne
20 23 Calum ONeill
21 32 Tom Reynolds
22 31 Sylvain Yver
23 21 James Mead
24 33 John Cheatle
25 4 Louis Carter
26 6 Henry Croft
27 5 David Connolly

MudSweatGears Rd8 Langdon Hills 2017

Sadly the van was packed for the last round of MudSweatGears @Langdon Hills :) :(

The weather wasn't kind to the morning racers and the course had degraded into a cyclocross climb up the steeper hills.

Kings Lynn Enduro

Kings Lynn endurance race 6 hour solo 7th place and 3rd in the mixed pairs 

BigBikeBash 2017

BBB - Event photos 

Photos of CLAN @BBB album

My BigBikeBash album

MudSweatGears Rd7 Radical Bikes 2017

Foam pits, falls and fun in the forest.

Alison and Keith went off on the practice lap whilst I fixed the gears on Nate's bike that had gone out of sync since being bounced around at Bike Park Wales!

Mobile workshop fixed and practice lap completed we headed into the main arena with Nate already lining up the foam pit jump...

The startline for the race is a short ride from the finish line and coaching so Ali, Keith and Lils made the way to the grid up for the first races of the day. Me and Nate waited for Steve to heard the cats.. 

Nathan's report:

First in my coaching, I did a lesson on passing. Then l went to the start line. We practiced starting and racing in 4's. I really liked my race because Steve said I never gave up even though I fell over at the start. After my race I went to the foam pit with a bmx jump. Before the foam pit, I had a MASSIVE ice cream. I'm really looking forward to the last race!🤘👋

Alison got caught up in the rush for the single track and lost any chance of keeping with the pack, but consistent lap times and plenty of opportunities to practice her lines in the twisty woods kept the smiles coming..

My race was an all out blast from the gun. Forming a very pleasant riding group with Clem and Mark we counted down the laps, politely passing any back markers and slower/slowing riders whilst trying to chase down Glen who was an absolute daemon through the trees.. All bets are off on the last lap and I hit the front trying to keep the pace high without running out of energy for the final sprint. This seemed to work for me and I managed to keep 3rd place with 3,4,5 separated by 2 seconds. 

Event photos mine
Event photos Basil

Event photos ROB 

Event photos ROB PM 

Roots and Rain 

Results
Nate
Ali
Keith
Craig

National XC Builth Wells

The final round of the National XC series was a big weekend adventure. With Alison, Nate and me racing, Keith and Tony on an adventure ride and all of us spending the last day Bike Park Wales.

 

The weather was very unsettled and when Alison and Keith went out on the practice lap the track conditions were as unpredictable as the welsh climate. Alison lined up on the grid and was the only only lady brave enough to tackle 2 laps in the open category. Another Podium!

 

Myself and Tony Waspy headed out for the afternoon practice session and just about completed a lap. After hitting the shoots, rocks, drops and gaps repeatedly to try and gain confidences on the A-Line features.

 

Nathans race was the last of the day using some of the main course and including a challenging little climb into the single track descent.  

 

Keith and Tony went out on a map reading expedition exploring the black mountains. Look Waspy no wonky helmets here...

The vets race was slightly less well attended than other rounds that I have been to. The race start was a frantic red zone dash as always and I started well, settling mid pack and feeling in good shape. Keeping the speed through technical sections until an unplanned peddle clip-out resulted in an unfortunate tumble on the last section of the rock garden. With my undercarriage taking most of the impact I could do nothing but curl up in the fetal position for what felt like eternity.. I eventually got back on the bike and rolled the B-Lines to the finish line at the back of the field. Credit to the course marshals and medics for keeping me and other riders safe.

 

Camp fires then railing burms at Bike park Wales, what weekends are made for!

Event Photos mine

Bike Park Wales Videos

British Cycling report 

Roots and Rain 

British Cycling pics

National XC Championships Cannock Chase

We're gonna need a bigger van... 

What a weekend! Travelling to Cannock Chase with Keith and the family for our first taste of National XC Championships. We arrived Saturday afternoon and the plan was to setup camp and get Keith/Ali out on course for practice in their open races @14:30. After playing tent peg roulette we realised the extent of the vast concrete hard standing that was covered with grass and general forest and finally pitched up on a sunny section not too far away from the main arena.

Keith and Ali returned slightly shocked and blooded, this wasn't a good sign! the A-lines were really tough and the B-lines also required full focus to complete. 

 

With 3 laps Keith was first up: runandridehednesford/videos/ and Ali in hot pursuit with two laps.

 

Open men on the line sprint finish with lunge! Result 23rd more blood/bruises..

 

Open ladies with Alison on the podium.. 

Nate on the 2nd row of the grid for the Under8's. with some fiercely competitive parents!

Storming ride to 2nd place on the first lap and then after being caught up in the inevitable traffic finishing in 5th place, well done!

 

I decided to make use of the free practice time and unfortunately had a complete mojo meltdown, crashing on all the A-lines and putting the bike away in the van before something silly happened... After the evening meal we had a family walk around the woods and I was able walk the rock garden and correct the poor line choices I had made in practice.

 

Then the weather came! From dry and sunny to sustained rain all night. Resulting in a lack of sleep and an even more challenging course. I was lapped by the top 3 in the vets and thankfully was only able to complete 5 of the 6 laps. B-lines for the two drop off's but successfully completed the rock garden every lap getting some of my mojo back finishing in 26th place.

Event photos mine
Event photos
Event photos

Derek Gourlay
Allanson Media
Peter Wilkes

AMW Photography 

Event updates 
BC Race Report

Roots and Rain

Results: http://results.smartiming.co.uk/
Nate
Alison
Keith
Craig

MudSweatGears Rd6 Hintlesham Farm 2017

Returning to Hintlesham Farm this year in the summer was a much more pleasant experience. The picturesque venue with rolling farmland and woods and lakes, ample parking close to the arena and the under 9's coaching/race course adjacent to the main race was perfect for keeping everyone happy, entertained and encouraged.

Alison started things off with a panic/quick wheel change due to leaking tubeless tyre! Returning from the practice lap happy with one A/B line, fast downhill and character building climbs.

This resulted in Alison jumping on the 2 step of the podium for the first time this year.

Nathan was next up. The coaching sessions practising skills on the course and the inclusion of an A/B line to keep everyone progressing. His race didn't quite to plan and he was caught if traffic in a couple of the technical sections.

After Alison collected her prize, Keith (lady legs) and myself (noodle legs) headed out on the practise lap to test the course. We lined up on the grid for the last race of the day. After the initial shock of the required 8 laps I started well and settled in at the back of the lead group. Unfortunately losing touch on lap 3 struggling again with acute stitch/cramp. The last two laps where my worst and disappointingly I had to watch 5th place pass me go into the distance.

Event photos (mine)

AM Race:https://www.flickr.com/…/randomold…/albums/72157686440520085  
PM race:https://www.flickr.com/…/randomold…/albums/72157683779642283 

Results:

Alison

Nathan

Craig

Keith

Roots and Rain

SouthernXC Matterly Basin 2017

Another excuse to go to the sea side, SouthernXC Matterly Basin 2017. Winchester does not have a beach but we do not need to be persuaded to visit the folks and spend a short weekend trip to the south coast. Having got a taster for SouthernXC at the regional champs we decided to put the free weekend to good use. 

The logistics for getting everyone signed on practice laps and our category races went as planned with Alison getting her sight in first me Nate and Lils chilled out and setup camp in the arena. 

Nate was first up, his lap consisted of a grassy start/finish, then a gravel incline to the singletrack wooded copse. This zig zagged down through the trees, roots and stumps before returning to the bottom of the arena and back to the start. A 15min + laps race required plenty of support, visual and audible from all parents/helpers and its was great that all finishers received a prise water bottle from one of the sponsors to take home. 

Alison was next, fully fuelled and with her race face on! Start loop up and around the 'basin' gave the riders time to settle prior to hitting the singletrack. with 2 A-Lines 1 down and 1 up Alison was happy to keep it B and push on the climbs. 3 laps completed and with a podium place in sight you have to wonder if a couple of A-Lines could made the difference.

Feeling good 

Feeling bad 

I was in the last race of the day and feeling good, the course suited my legs/ability and I was hoping for a top 15 result. It was all going so well until the last lap when acute stitch/cramp undid my hard work on the climbs and I had to watch all the positions roll past me with ease whilst I dejectedly limped to the finished line. I have never suffered from that before and I hope a poor timing choice of gels might have been the issue.

Another great day out!

Event photo's (mine)

Event photo's http://gallery.sports-alive.com

Roots and Rain (I lost 4 places on the last lap!)

Results Nate

Results Alison

Results Craig