Southdowns Bikes Cycle Club: May 2013

Southern XC Championships

Having enjoyed the experience of dry dusty trails over the past few weeks, it was probably inevitable that while much of the UK basked in sunshine, it was drizzling down in the New Forest for the Southern XC Championships. The moisture added a glossy surface to the trails, leaving riders with little confidence in the corners and sapping their strength on the climbs. Despite the weather it would have been a terrific flowing course, had it not been for a couple of what might politely be called ‘stream crossings’. In reality these were muddy ditches; the fastest method of navigating them was to jump off the bike and leap straight in!

Things started badly on my warm-up lap, I found Doddy lying in one of the ditches clutching his knee. He had slipped off a wooden bridge the taken out one of the posts on the way. The marshals were already with him so I was able to move on, which was lucky because I had a puncture. I presume from riding over one of the nails sticking out of the broken bridge.

Back at the car I met Steve who had pulled out, but when he described his recent schedule I am not surprised. The poor man needed some sleep!

Luckily some of us did make it to the finish line, although I think we'd all agree it was tough going.

Will 2nd Junior

Marc 2nd Open

Ian 6th Grand Vet

Emma 7th Elite

Ollie 7th Junior

Ben 21st Masters

Gorrick 100

Change of venue this year as some trail work was being carried out at Swinley, so off to Porridgepot Hill we ventured. The weather had been great all week and we were looking forward to fast dusty trails. The course at Porridgepot is usually around 7 miles for the popular Are You Tough Enough event so cutting in another 2.5 miles of racetrack must have been a worry for the Gorrick team but as usual they dished up a very good course.

Quite a few of us had a late night at Matt and Anna's wedding celebrations, so the 4 lap race which was a 10.30am start was inviting and gave us a little bit of a lie in!
We had a great turnout of 10 people in the 4 lap race and 3 in the 3 lap from both the shop team and club members.

Team riders Emma,Marc and Will had great rides coming 2nd,5th and 7th in their races.
This was most of the club riders first bash at the event and by the end we all had plenty of respect for a tough course, some a little disappointed that it wasn't much fun but a great Jim Barrow statement that racing is fun when it stops, otherwise you're not trying hard enough!

So on that ethos we must have all been really riding on the rivet as they say. Well done to everyone.