Goodwood Spring Challenge 17th April

This popular event has been cancelled this year.

Giant XTC 29er Out For A Spin

29 ers Whats All The Hype

Well what with myself talking about 29ers for so long and druelling over websites(very unhealthy) and club members now riding there new big wheeled steeds i realized i had'nt ridden one ! So a request to Martin in the shop found John and myself setting out onto our familier trails with John on his trusty maxlight and me on the Giant xtc 29er test bike in a small size (had been a bit worried about that). Off we rode turning onto the climb just off the start of Chantry Hill before the first waterfall , so far so good , but boy those bars are wide , must be 720 mm at least . Gears working flawlessly as only they do on a new bike we climbed Sullington on a gloriuos spring afternoon. That was easier than i expected we were soon up and heading down towards the school and up onto the single track along the hedge opposite the Gun Club , this is where the big wheels came into there forte eating up small hits with ease , she just rolled quicker and quicker , didn't even notice any harsh feedback for the rear as i did when i owned an small wheeled cousin of this xtc before. We climbed back up to Chantry and down Greyfriars buy this time i was grinning from ear to ear , yes i want one ! And as for the sizing be very carefull i know im not the tallest but a small was perfect . And as i write this the news is the Carbon models are out there ! even better .

Stephen’s view from the back of the pack

Q: Who ate all the porridge?

A: Alex!

Porridgepot Hill was the venue for Gorrick’s latest mountain bike race. A sinuous, flowing singletrack course on firm ground with a cool and sunny spring day made for fast and furious racing. But who is fastest: Alex or Alex?

Post-race I was chilling on my car’s tailgate with Margot when the two smiling Alexs (Alexes? Alexs’?) arrived to show their trophies. This time, Alex had beaten Alex, whereas at the last Gorrick at Warren Heath Alex had edged it ahead of Alex (are you keeping up?).

Alex T

The start of the Open race was delayed to allow two crashed riders to be scraped off the track and bundled into the ambulance. The delay prompted Alex to enquire of the organiser if there was sufficient time to grab a quick cup of tea. Whereupon at the re-start, after the ambulance had trundled past the start melee with its broken contents, John the organiser checked to see if Alex had returned form his cuppa so that he could get the race under way.

Race preparation is key, we are told. Alex was explaining to Alex and my wife that he had been working a late shift the previous night (we think he’d been out on the piss, but whatever) and brought some porridge to eat before the race. This is obviously the food of champions and far superior to slimy energy gels, because as I said earlier, Alex had beaten Alex this time.

Alex D

Moral of the story for us wannabees: no more excuses that a race course is too hill or muddy, that the gears don’t work or the brakes are sticky, or that the tyre are the wrong type or too old (eek…mine are 6 years old). You just need a bowl of Alex’s porridge* to get a great result at a Gorrick. Porridge power works at Porridgepot hill!

NB Good results by South Downs riders, topped by a superb second place by Steve Calland in the Masters.

On a separate note, many years ago Gorrick organised a day/night race at this venue in the days before super LED lights. One race in the afternoon, and another one at night with combined results to count. Strangely, I was faster in the dark than the daylight.

*being mountain bikers we need more specific details, of course. Was it Tesco’s finest, Sainsbury’s organic or Shimano jumbo oat flakes?

(with apologies to Alex D and Alex T)


Stephen Turner

Saddle Skedaddle Spring Series Rd 3 - 6th Mar 2011

Results

Male Masters    6th    Matt Knight         1.06.50   3 laps
                       44th   Steve Calland        53.56    2 laps(mechanical)

Male Open        9th      Alex Taylor        1.11.45   3 laps
                        10th    Alex Davey        1.11.55   3 laps
                        52nd   Damian Redman 1.23.21   3 laps
                        70th    Stephen Turner   1.30.19   3 laps

Grand Vet Male 7th    Ian Petherbridge  1.13.22   3 laps 

Gorrick 100 2011

Started riding more now so penciled in the above for my return , tough event last year as you can see by Rory's face ! last 2 laps without brakes comes to mind . Sadly no Emma this year who did so well last year in the poor conditions but a few of us hope to slog out the 7 laps of Swinley forest .

Brass Monkeys Overall Series Results

2hr Male 40+
8th  Andy Goodyer   63 points

4hr Male
7th  Ben Connor       67 points

4hr Male 40+
1st  James D'Arcy  141 points
6th  John Davies       68 points


And the next series dates already.

Saddle Skedaddle Spring Series Rd 3 - 6th Mar 2011

Round 3 this weekend at Heath Warren Wood, Eversley, Hants.

Steve Calland lies joint 1st in the series with 57 points, Matt Knight is joint 8th along with Ben Connor with 15 points in the Masters cat. Alex Taylor is 10th with 15 points in the Open cat and Ian Petherbridge is 7th with 15 points in the Grand Vet cat.

Good luck to those who are riding.

Saddle Skedaddle Spring Series - 16th Feb 2011

Alex D & Alex T

Results from Round 3:-  

Master Male
2nd -  Steve Calland  -  1hr 03mins 47secs - 3 laps
6th  -  Matt Knight    -   1hr 07mins 45secs - 3 laps
7th  -  Ben Connor    -   1hr 07mins 54secs - 3 laps

Open Male
6th  -  Alex Taylor     -   1hr 10mins 41secs -  3 laps
57th - Stephen Turner - 1hr 29mins 33secs -  3 laps

Steve C & Matt K