From Somme to Sun

Saturday morning 6am is a time to be sleeping not greasing. (That sounds so wrong) But anyway… 6am start for the DHP team as we finally got all our crap together and headed off towards round 6 of the midlands series in Kinnerton. Entertainment was provided by Robin, in the form of his new flashy laptop ‘’ queue oooos and aahhhs’’. But the battery packed in halfway there so we had to make do with just laughing at him instead....


REST OF POST
Cheers to the farmer and his cronies for helping us get into the field or we would still probably be there. After me and Rob got all our gear together, we were just about to set off up the hill and guess what…. My rear brake needed bleeding. So after 2 hours of searching round and round the pits I finally got what I needed and got it bled. Cheers to the Morgan bro’s, the Burg and Rob Breakwell for helping me out, you’re saviours.
Now, onto the track. First run down I’ve never hated a track so much in my life. The top woods looked liked they’d just been raked and left to be bedded in, meaning ruts bigger than my bottom bracket (cheers turner) opened up left right and center. But thanks to all the elites, come the end of practice day, these were dug out and the track turned into one of the most fun this series. After you’ve pinballed your way through the woods, and maybe even over the road gap?


I think I only saw about 4 people hitting this, very impressive.
You were straight out into the open where u could either hit one smaller double or one massive one which I don’t think even the best were hitting that weekend.Over some roots, and then pump or drop the next mound of dirt which engulfed more than a few peoples wheels including mine. Over the fire road and batter your way through a load more turns over roots and stumps, then hit a nice tree stump jump which could either be hit flat out to clear the slimy root on landing or a bit slower to the right.
Sam Dale was looking very impressive here all weekend, landing in the corner. Then into the last woods. These were very fast and caught a few people out who weren’t concentrating 100 %, over the last fire road and off a small drop, which the Morgan’s made look like a booter to sail through the trees. Pedal pedal pedal, skip the road gap and final hip by taking a new stump infested line, and bang you’re out in the open. Up the old step up and carve your way through the finishing field corners like a pro.
The off camber left caught more than a few out, especially one woman who I saw go down hard in the first runs. Hope she’s ok. At first I thought this track was really dyer like a lot did, but towards the end of the weekend when you’d had a look at the lines available and tried and tested, it became an awesum track. The uplift was on form, with Steve Parr doing an excellent job making sure everyone got a tonne of runs in on the Saturday and Sunday. I especially liked it when you got the kids driving the tractor, when they were racing each other like Gran turismo it meant we got to the top in record time.
My first run went brutally wrong when I found out my brake was pissing oil for the 3rd time this weekend and I had to do my run with just my front one. I think I counted 3 tree hits? Anyway the second went much better even though I got stuck behind someone for a loooonggg time, but hey that’s racing!




Results:

Hardtail: Once again my mate Jayden from the dis dirt team took top honours earning himself first place overall in the series.Check the gap out between first and 2nd…..

Jayden Waddington Dis Dirt / www.newhoneys.com 3:44.567
Edward Parkes 4:15.825 +31.258
John Willerton Astonhill.com 4:15.950 +31.383

Juvenile:

Brad Mather 3:35.581
Josh Hodgetts Somerset Bike Centre 3:39.967
Josh Swire 3:44.128

Youth: 75 entrants in my catergory, this only means good things for the sport… Sam Dale once again flying to the top spot , and getting 3rd fastest time of the day!

Sam Dale Goldtec 3:00.867
Joseph Smith Ancillotti UK 3:04.976
Gareth Brewin Fort Royal/Descent World 3:09.335

Junior: How close can you get??

Darrell Upton DDR/Electric 3:14.352
Jason Davies Fort Royal 3:14.453
Bradley Shields Pearce Cycles 3:14.463
Master: Col Williams charging on a chumba, paton having a stormer of a second run grabs second, Ian white rounds off the podium in 3rd. Rich burgoin just missing out on a podium coming home in 5th for burgtec ( cheers for the brake oil mate )

Colin Williams Yeti/Electric Visual 3:13.238
Simon Paton Descent-World 3:18.339
Ian White Pearce Cycles RT 3:22.806

Women: theres tooo many catergorys in the womens so ill just list the top 3 fastest times. Monet adams went down very hard in the grass, hope shes healing.

Aimee Dix Team Skene 4:00.193
Sue Mahony Psyclewerx.co.uk.Bristol 4:07.947
Lynda Davies Ticket2ridebc.com/NWMTB 4:12.084

Senior: Ben morgan screaming into first as usual, with a kieron mcavoy close behind in second riding for burgtec, and sams good friend tim from nocycling.com coming in in 3rd!! gud effort son.

Ben Morgan Pearce Cycles Race Team 3:05.914
Kieron McAvoy 3:08.136
Tim Pearson nocycling.com 3:08.592

Experts: Very close for first.. Rob Breakwell is a savior for lending me break oil.

Fergus Lamb Ancillotti UK 3:02.630 2 65
Alex Stock Descent World 3:02.879
Rob Breakwell Dirt Mag 3:07.066

Elite: Track builder matt simmonds made everything look uber smooth all weekend, sailing the road gap as if it wasn’t there…scary. Braithwate in second, iv’e got an unreal pic of him on the road gap, think blurry. Him and matt are the only 2 alll weekend to go sub 3. Rob smith round off the podium in 3rd.

Matt Simmonds Ancillotti UK 2:52.799
Tom Braithwaite Giant Racing 2:53.737
Robert Smith Yeti/Electric 3:03.684