Davy Down, October 19th

Senecio [Daniel D]

For those wishing to ride the next round of the Eastern CX League at Davy Down (Thurrock) please be advised that on-line entries close today. Link is HERE

Daniel

Tom C

Entered and ready to go! Any chance i can get a lift from someone? I'm in Royston but can get the train further south if required.

Senecio [Daniel D]

Tom, I can certainly give you a lift there. Coming back is a problem for this week as I need to get moving straight after my race. Can anyone else help?

Great to see you've signed up!

Daniel

Gilgamesh

Thinking about riding my 1st CX event, on the mtn bike, this being the most obvious choice of event in which to dip my toe.

Being in my 50's, I was a little confused with whom I would be racing against and if I can buy a ride on the day.
Thoughts?

I may have the family car too on Sunday as I have no need for a car myself. This means I may be able to give a lift to a.n.other.

tduckett

Tim, you would be racing at 12.00 with the over 50's and the women. The women start about a minute after the men. Looks like we will have James in that race and probably Jackie, Lindsey, Emma, Stevie? in the ladies.

I think you should be able to get a ride on the day as i dont think the over 50's sells out but it is quite close and will be a big field. bit of a gamble i guess.

Tom, i will also likely have to go after my race.

Vam Polecat

I can give you a lift back Tom if I go. I will know for sure by tonight if I'm going or not.

Gilgamesh

Still trying to clip-out smoothly from Candy or SPD's without tying my legs in a Granny knott, likewise the remount in one movement, my crown jewels do not like the look of this swift remount at all!

Think I'll start at the very rear of the field and see how I progress (?).

Vam Polecat

Tom, I am definitely going, and probably I will ride the Seniors race, so I can give you a lift back to Royston afterwards. Probs best if you cadge a lift with Daniel on the way down, as I have some errands to run in the morning.

Tim,

don't worry about the dismount/remount too much, it does not play that big a part initially. As it's your first race with Eastern League, the gridding will place you at the back of the field in any case, so the only way is up
I'm pretty sure you'll move up a few places!

Tom C

Thanks all for kind offers of a lift, looks like i'm sorted in both directions. Much appreciated.

Looking forward to it, although i should probably do at least a few practice mounts and dismounts before sunday...

JMac

Tim, as you're in the same race as me, if a liftshare is still on offer I'd like to take you up on it. I have whispered you my details.
James

Gilgamesh

Thanks.

I've been in touch with James, but until I have some issues resolved, am going to miss this round, but will endeavour to join you in a future round soon.

Aside from anything else, I have to learn to dismount on the non-drive side, something that is not natural at all, my leg muscles don't want to respond and it feels unstable and quite unnatural dismounting, even slowly, on the wrong / CX-correct side.

Stuart F

not sure if there is a right side. There are sections of some courses where it is best to dismount on the right and some on the left. The aim would be to proficient in both but most get by with one or the other.

tduckett

Thats a shame, another time maybe.

Theres nothing wrong with dismounting on the drive side by the way. Ideally you can do either depending on the approach. you ususally dismount on the non drive side if you are going to shoulder the bike as you want to carry it on the non drive side but at Davy down its just a lift up the steps and doing that either side is fine.

Vam Polecat

I'd add that changing your dismount side is a fairly difficult thing to achieve, and may not be the first thing to focus on. Famously, Bernard Hinault was told by his coach that he'd need to learn to dismount on either side if he wanted to be World Champion, and eventually he did.

I can only dismount on one side, and with the exception of one course (not Davy Down ), never find it to be a problem.

Lindsey F

I'd echo the comments above but for your first race it really doesn't matter about the mount / dismount stuff ... unless you're in it to win? I started cyclocross last year and for the first 2 races couldn't even do a moving dismount never mind having a good side and a bad side. I still can't do a running mount - I just scoot for a bit & then get on. And shouldering the bike ... never even tried it. I just lift mine by the top tube or push it up with the handlebars - it's nice to have something to lean on for a bit of a rest. Don't worry about all the really technical aspects - they're just ways to cut a few seconds off your time. Focus on the mud and the corners instead!

It's good fun - just give it a go. You've got to start somewhere.

tduckett

Another warm day although a bit muddy and squirmy in places with some tricky corners.
Ill put up the results later but James Mc on his first proper cross was third in the over 60,s and won prize money which basically means he is duty bound to buy a new bike, spend ages talking about tyre pressures and travel to odd muddy corners of Norfolk on a regular basis!

Vam Polecat

It's a slippery slope. In more ways than one.

Well done JMac!

Stuart F

Well done James. £7 will get you your first pot of tub glue.

Really pleasant morning at the most southerly of the regions events. Great showing from CCA today in all the age groups. 9 I think in my cat (40-49) and some good racing. 7th place for John P who then raced again in the afternoon.

Cycling Weakly

This is how national Under 16 champion Dan Tulett and equally talented Under 14 brother Ben tackled the steps yesterday at Davy Down: http://youtu.be/_nKdU_hJnoo

The clips that look speeded up are actually playing at normal speed...

Mark F

Stuart F

Brilliant Mark - Master class

I found those steps just the wrong distance apart. You did not hang about to get me trying the 2 step leap and stubbing my toe on the top step and nearly falling flat on my face. Twice!!!!

tduckett

Interesting video! I was tending to start with 2 steps but without enough speed reverted to 1 steps by the top. also interesting that from what i could see those lads didn't step through. And Dan Tulletts lap times were very similar to the winner of the seniors race. Scary.

Results below, hope i haven't missed anyone. Dave H was 35th, couldn't quite hold him! What happened to Travis he was going really well, didn't realise he hadn't finished. Well done to Tom too on his first race, hopefully not the last!

U10

2 Joseph Hadsley
3 Mark Lightfoot
8 Evan Foulkes

U12

3 James Fraser
4 Archie Foulkes
7 Freddie Cooke
9 Sam Daniels

Youth

12 Noah Field
17 Adam Lightfoot
21 Harley Pell
DNF Travis Pell

Vets50+

25 James McKenzie (3rd 60+)

Women

5 Jackie Field
9 Lindsey Foulkes
13 Stevie Wyer

Vets 40+

7 John Polak
29 Mark Wyer
32 Richard Law
37 Stuart Field
38 Timothy Duckett
43 Jonathan Cooke
44 Daniel Doncaster
45 Peter Daniels
DNF Richard Lawrence (puncture)

Seniors

30 John Polak
41 Tom Charlesworth

geoffg

according to facebook Harley got 1st girl u14 and Travis broke the bike!!! great results all round though. Well done CCA.
I was coming back from Grassington on Saturday, (farming stuff) and stopped to watch a Rapha sponsored Cyclocross at Broughton Hall outside Skipton. It looked a great course and well attended. Very popular up here....going to have a go next season probably.