SDA Rd2: Fort William

Posted on Wednesday 20 May 2009 by Jamie

Wideopen team rider Steve Larking just sent over a quick report from last weekend’s SDA race at Fort Bill.

He raced on his Dialled Alpine hardtail and made the top 80 – nutter.

“The race was great, the weather held off on Sunday so the track started to dry out and speed up a lot

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I had no major issues bikewise, that track is just too much to get a respectable time in seniors on a hardtail. 6:38 saw me way down in 74th. Fastest and only hardtail again though!

Pete (Wideopen staffer Pete Scullion) had a worse time of it. Blew the damping in his lyrics at the end of Saturday practice and we only managed to get him going again for the race runs on some borrowed (slightly shagged) boxxers, 7mins+ for him and way off the pace.

Chris Hutchens took the win in Elite but it was Ben Hall in Expert who had the fastest time of the day with a 5:02!

I’ll get a repo over to you in the next couple of days, and hopefully Mr Ian Linton will hook you up with some photos.

Oh and I managed to back the hire van into someones campervan on Saturday night. Complete arse! That’s me stung for £250 excess, ouch! Oh well shit happens. Now I really need to find a job.

Meant to send you a text on Friday to say that the Fork Juice arrived! Thanks a lot for that, it’s always nice to get stuff out of the blue. It seemed to do a good job of keeping the slop that was the woods section off my forks and seals (and goggles!).

Cheers,
Steve”

Yeah that’s snow up the top of the hill. The weekend before was the opening weekend, and there was still snow down the first 100m of track apparently.

Check out the SDA website at http://www.sda-races.com/sda/

Pearce Cycles Round 2: Hopton

Posted on Monday 18 May 2009 by Jim

Despite all the rain there was still a packed field who turned up to brave the weather. The track started off pretty flat, with a few doubles that almost everyone had to roll, thanks to the super tacky Hopton mud.

Out into the open section and as usual line choice was key, Pearce always tape wide where possible and the combination of possible lines amongst all the tree stumps made for great racing and some comedy crashes.

The rain and mud meant that spikes were a popular tyre choice and with all the pros out racing in Andorra this was a proper regional event, as well as the Midlands Champs decided.

All the results are available here on Pearce Cycles. A full write up from our racing reporter will appear in Issue 10 of wideopen along with plenty more pics!

Here’s a sweet video from the event as well, courtesy of Ian at Boon Productions:

Photohack’s Journal #5 – STEVE PEAT

Posted on Sunday 17 May 2009 by Jamie

Holy shit. Steve Peat has just become the most succesful downhill moutainbike racer of all time – over taking Nico’s win record. What an amazing weekend of racing.

Our man at Vallnord Keith Valentine has been braving the elements and battling with shoddy broadband to ebeam updates over all weekend. Here’s update number 5 live and direct from the Steve Peat show…

As I woke up this morning and climbed out of my cold, smelly tent who would have thought what I was about to hear – “Peaty!Peaty! Peaty!” I can still hear the cheers now.

Peaty just won by o.2 of second over Gee Atherton. He went for it again big style. Sam Hil was 1.5 seconds up at the first split but had a crash near the top… ouch double hurter. Greg Minnaar was 3rd, Hannah 4th.

In the women’s Sabrina won by 4 seconds over Ragot – pushing Tracy Moseley down to 3rd.
josh-in-9th-1

Run of the day has to be Nick Beer in 6th who was beating Peaty, Gee and Minnaar at the first split– ZOOM. Also big well done to Josh in 9th and Jess stone finishing 19th

I’m getting a lift from the UCI to barcelona at the moment where I’ll be sitting in the lounge emailing photos for the next 2 days till I get my flight – yawn. I have to say a big “well done” to Vallnord for leading the way with the food and ast internet for us photographers. There are some great pics on the way to my Flickr site. They may take a few days though because there are loads to go through!

sj-wins-3

Many thanks & see you all in Fort Bill – Keith -phunkt.com

www.flickr.com/photos/phun ktcom/sets/

MTBCUT.tv Vallnord final video

Posted on Sunday 17 May 2009 by Jamie

Here’s the final vid of the weekend from the team at MTBcut.tv. Massive thanks as ever to them for doing an amazing job of bringing the World Cup onto our screens. Cheers fellas!

www.MTBcutproductions.com
www.MTBcut.tv

Photohack’s Journal#5 – Last updates before the final

Posted on Sunday 17 May 2009 by Jamie

It’s the big day in Vallnord – DH Finals. Live coverage of runs will start here at 12:15 GMT and we’ll see just who has got the minerals to take home this weekend’s silverwear. Next time we update we’ll have a Rd3 World Cup winner. Good luck to all the UK guys!

Here’s Keith’s final update before it all kicks off… Anyone else just a wee bit nervous?

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Syndicate team boss Kathy Sessler - I reckon she's probably a wee bit nervous

“So here it is. The biggy final day in the downhill. Firstly, the weather is colder today so gloves advisable, it may even rain which should make it interesting as every practice has been in the bone dry.

Where do I start? Well firstly can a big shout to Arran Gannicott – big day for him ahead as he is the first man down the slope at 2pm – meaning he can say he led the field for a bit ha ha! Fastest male and last up is Sam Hillin qualies. His 12 practice runs paid of yesterday. Gee, Peaty and Minnarr are before him. Nick beer had a stormer too.

First to go last to know - Gannicott, photo'd here in La Bresse

Last to go for the women is Sabrina Jonnier with Tracy just before her due to a brush with a tree in qualifying. Katy Curd has a real chance for a podium spot too…

Predictions? mmm it’s gonna be close, let’s just wait n see!”

phunkt.com bring it on

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Robin Wallner scrubs Keith's nose in the tight woods

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Scotty Beaumont - new shorts, new logo but a crash in 4X yesterday. Let's hope they fit him a bit better in today's DH.

Vallnord 4X Finals – Joost Wichman and Ffion Griffiths win – Patt CJ takes 12th place!

Posted on Sunday 17 May 2009 by Jamie

Gold medal for the UK's only female rider on the hill. Ffion Griffiths. Get some.

The results are in. Ffion Griffiths takes GOLD in Andorra 4X for the ladies and Joost Wichman wins for the guys. Patt CJ is the fastest UK fella just over a month after battering his shoulder at UK Bike Park! F-in awesome work to Patt and Ffion. Another quality day for UK racers on the World Circut!

Keith just got in touch and reckons Wichman put in a hell of a race. He came from behind several times and did it where it mattered in the final. “pure raw energy” in what was an aggressive day of racing in the men’s field. Ffion apparently lead from the start and took advantage of a crash from Kintner which kicked her out of the running and into 4th.

Looks there are a few downers in the results despite the good news though. Obviously Dan Atherton with his bust collarbone, Keith reckons Dan has been chilling in the media tent today with his arm in a sling. Also Charlie Phillips who is out of this weekend’s racing but is apparently now up on her feet which is awesome news. It looks like Scott Beaumont didn’t finish his race either… No word on that so far.

Men's 4X winner Joost Wichman from the Netherlands

Scanning the rest of the UK results you’ve got a 23rd for Tom Dowie (Answering Dirt mags ‘who’s fastest between Patt and Dowie’ question!), 34th for Lewis Lacey, Scott Roberts, Will Evans and Bristol local Duncan Ferris were 37th, 38th and 39th respectively, 45th to Bernard Kerr. Looks like with Charlie out, Ffion was the only UK lady on track. Where are all the UK girls?!

Jill Kintner. Numer 1 plate on the bike but number 4 on the results sheet.

Anyway – awesome day of racing and a strong UK field. Good job all. MASSIVE thanks to Keith Valentine for getting his ass out and snipering these awesome shots for us.

Cheers mate! Your cider is in the post! Check out Keith’s images here: www.flickr.com/photos/phunktcom/sets/

Men’s results:

Women’s results:

Vallnord Video Roundup – Saturday

Posted on Sunday 17 May 2009 by Jamie

Seriously – how bloody good is the coverage of the World Cup this year? You’ve got live coverage on race day and awesome vids before and after to make sure you don’t miss a pedal stroke.

Here’s a few of the vids that have appeared online today following DH qualies and 4X finals. Cheers to MTBCut and Freecaster for beaming international World Cup DH and 4X racing live to our screens.

Photohack’s Journal#4 – Saturday teasers

Posted on Saturday 16 May 2009 by Jamie

Above - 2Stage Bikes Tom Deacon. Kiwi bike, UK style. 21st place last weekend with the chances of another stormer tomorrow looking good. Pin it mate! Below - Sam.Hill. Vallnord is his sort of track - fast, drifty corners up top and steep tech woods down below... He may not have won here last year but he'd be a good man to place a fiver on for the win.

Olympic superstar Jill Kintner showing 'em who'se boss in the 4X.

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Yeti's Jared Graves posted fastest time in 4X qualies - only cos Dan was out of the running right?

Dan Atherton way up top on the loose, fast, rough switchbacks. Down but not out let's hope.

Zumbi/4Mountains rider Charlie Phillips after what sounded like a savage crash. Get well soon mate.

BIG thanks again to Keith Valentine for sending these over. Keep your eyes locked onto his flikr site for more sick images: www.flickr.com/photos/phunktcom/sets/

Photohack’s Journal #3 – No glove no love in Vallnord

Posted on Saturday 16 May 2009 by Jamie

Pro-snapper Keith Valentine just sent us update #3 from the World Cup in Vallnord.

4X is gearing up and after the shitty weather the riders have finally got out on the mountain.

Read on for the latest in Andorra…

Friday

“Thursday night’s 4X practice was cancelled due to heavy rain and a soft track so as usual the riders only got one day of practice. All the riders seemed in high spirits though and as there was no racing to shoot I took a few shots round the pits instead, which you can see on my Flikr.

I made the rather stupid choice to pitch my tent at the top of the mountain last night and temperatures fell to 1.4c at one point (very cold). It looks like Saturday morning will be dry with patches of sun but still bitterly cold so any riders thinking no gloves better think again!

Ps – Broadband speed in the press tent is by far the fastest on the world circuit and the food is great too – other organisers need to raise their game!”

Saturday

“So the media room doesn’t open till 8.30 and riders are on the mountain at 8am. The media room also closes 30 minutes after the 4X finishes. What’s that all about?

Dan Atherton crashed in DH practice with a suspected fractured collar bone and so did Charlie Phillips, possible leg or pelvis injury. Fastest in practice by far was Sam Hill – he did 12 runs yesterday in nice sunny weather. In the 4X Jill Kintner, fresh from Olympic bronze, was back on form and showing them all how it’s done. Jared Graves kicked some ass too.

I’ll try and keep you informed of what’s what but the media are up in arms with the crappy service and crappy access to the media room. I’ve got some cool shots that I’ll send through soon.”

www.flickr.com/photos/phunktcom/sets/

Phunkt.com

Huge thanks again to Keith forbattling the worst the World Cup can throw at him and getting this beamed over – what a legend! Cheers mate!