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MSG Round 2: Henham Park
Another good turnout from cca with 8 riders racing across 5 different categories. The course was a horrible slog, with sticky mud covering most the course. Only one technical section which was easily ridable but scary from the top.
The open race was the most competitive with Stuart, who was ungridded, attempt to chase down Dave, who was gridded front row! We had two other riders as well in the open race, Pete Daniels and Shelton Pell, who both had a strong ride.
The juvenile race was going well with Sam Daniels and Thomas Ayers both riding very well for their second mtb race, and Harley was left all alone as the only rider in her juvenile female category. Archie rode well in a very strong field of U12's.
After the open/youth races the heavens opened up with hail and rain just to make the course even less enjoyable for my race. The course was now one massive slog fest with the only real respite being the a line which was fast becoming deeper and deeper as more people locked their back wheels up on the descent. I didn't feel great at the beginning of the race so I resigned to timetrialling for the whole race and hoped I picked people off as they died later on. This luckily payed off and I managed third despite the fact that the race lasted 30 mins more than it was supposed to. This was a problem with the youth races as well as some of the juveniles ended up racing for longer than me!
Results
U12 Male
21st - Archie Bracewell - 20:32
Juvenile Male
9th - Sam Daniels - 1:15:27
17th - Thomas Ayers - 1:53:11!!!!!!
Juvenile Female
1st - Harley pell - 1:06:02
Junior Male
3rd - Travis Pell - 1:42:40
Open Male
12 - David Hadsley - 1:24:06
13 - Stuart Field - 1:25:10
28 - Pete Daniels - 1:34:07
43 - Shelton Pell - 1:17:41
Photos
Only got photos of people doing the a line.
The open race was the most competitive with Stuart, who was ungridded, attempt to chase down Dave, who was gridded front row! We had two other riders as well in the open race, Pete Daniels and Shelton Pell, who both had a strong ride.
The juvenile race was going well with Sam Daniels and Thomas Ayers both riding very well for their second mtb race, and Harley was left all alone as the only rider in her juvenile female category. Archie rode well in a very strong field of U12's.
After the open/youth races the heavens opened up with hail and rain just to make the course even less enjoyable for my race. The course was now one massive slog fest with the only real respite being the a line which was fast becoming deeper and deeper as more people locked their back wheels up on the descent. I didn't feel great at the beginning of the race so I resigned to timetrialling for the whole race and hoped I picked people off as they died later on. This luckily payed off and I managed third despite the fact that the race lasted 30 mins more than it was supposed to. This was a problem with the youth races as well as some of the juveniles ended up racing for longer than me!
Results
U12 Male
21st - Archie Bracewell - 20:32
Juvenile Male
9th - Sam Daniels - 1:15:27
17th - Thomas Ayers - 1:53:11!!!!!!
Juvenile Female
1st - Harley pell - 1:06:02
Junior Male
3rd - Travis Pell - 1:42:40
Open Male
12 - David Hadsley - 1:24:06
13 - Stuart Field - 1:25:10
28 - Pete Daniels - 1:34:07
43 - Shelton Pell - 1:17:41
Photos
Only got photos of people doing the a line.
Comments
As usual well organised but they need to something about the timing for these races as that is way to long for younger riders to be racing.
Thomas' 1:53 was bit worrying. Another minute or so and I was going to ask them to go and look for him. He had a great start off the line making up places but had a 'mechanical' on the first corner. Everything locked up. He had the presence of mind to stop quickly and check it out before anything broke. Not sure what it was, likely a stone in the rear mech, but by the time he got going he was flat last. He then over did it trying to catch up which ultimately caught up with him on the last lap and he was completely burnt out. An adult St.Ives rider stayed with him till the end which was really thoughtful of him.
He was a bit disheartened to be the last one back but later learned he wasn't actually last, a few others had been lapped twice or DNF'd.
Despite being completely worn out and really struggling he said he was never going to DNF.
He's hoping for some more technical stuff at some of the races and to keep on working on building up his speed and strength too.
He's pleased he did it, pleased he finished and looking forward to the next one.
I think the rider from St Ives was Mick Curtis who often helps organise junior events as his daughter rides.
The other courses have a variety of technical challenges which you can opt in and out of with the A B C lines. Hopefully as the weather improves the courses will run a bit faster and will not be so draining on the energy reserves.
Well done again
Stuart