661 Mini Downhill. January 2010 - Forest of Dean

Feb 3, 2010

I was up at the Alpine Bikes Winter Series round one in Scotland on Saturday for some scary riding in very icy conditions. After getting the nod that the race was going to be canceled, we packed up in the evening and some 350 miles later we were down at the Forest of Dean in Gloucester for 08:00.

Who needs sleep when there is a race to attend...

Plus I had my new Orange Strange 225 to test out, more about that later...

That said I was still scared come practice as the under floor heating still hadn't been switched on. All the open sections including those awesome last berms were well frozen and super slick.. Good job the under cover sections under the trees were good to go. That said so was the rest of the track come first runs which dropped on time come 11:00


No uplift, just the good old fashioned walk up talk around 10-15minutes and warmed you up nicely. Staring above the fire road again a new section lay before us, no ups, just downs unlike last time. A super tricky step down with an off camber entrance was almost impossible to clear and still make the next corner without clipping the tree.


Drop into the fire road at way too much speed and bottom everything out then try and scrub your speed without sliding out and off the track.


Then off the brakes and accelerate, thank god for suspension, how the hard tails get down with pace still worries the life out of me. Pedal, pedal across the uplift path and drop down again at speed and through the brightly painted roots, note to self: Don't look down. That right hander next, those with the skills hoped off the root and up left to make the corner wider and help to rail it.


Then wind her up for the crowds, the big table still needs a few pedals in the tacky muddy conditions. Then off the brakes and into possibly the best two corners in Downhill in the U.K, maybe... Jump across the road step down, two more great berms and across the finish line.


Sub 1:30 and you can ride a bike, sub 1:20 and you definitely know what you're doing. Under that 1:10 mark and even Buzz and Hensley will stop bin sniffing to shake your hand.


The guys from MMA the U.K disty for 661, Maxxis, Sunline and Royal dished out the prizes and trophies to the well deserved so many thanks to them.


Rippers
12 entered in this new category for the young guns and check the times out for the top flight around that 1:30 mark for the 10-11 year olds!
Archie Walton 1:31
Charlie Hatton 1:32
George Lynch 1:35
Jaccamo Hartshorne 1:39
Chris Corthorn 1:40

Juvenile
29 riders in this one though it was all about the winner, Harvard onboard his Specialized. Almost sub 1:10 would have won him the Youth title! Is this the next Danny Hart / Josh Bryceland? Watch this space.
Callum Havard 1:10
Tom Bell 1:16
Taylor Vernon 1:17
Zach Peters 1:21:5
Joel Anderson 1:21:7

Youth
49 riders with the top three really battling it out. Tyne was 4 seconds up on the first run so was full of confidence come run two. NPS 4X rider Jones went 5 seconds faster to put the pressure on for Isaac who delivered by slicing 7 seconds off his first run time. I'll also mention my little brother Oli Paton who came in 27th place on his battered hardtail with a 1:24. 9 seconds behind his big brother he reckons he'll be beating me within 12 months, lets see...
Isaac Anderson 1:11
Will Tyne 1:12:2
Jono Jones 1:12:9
Ben Humphries 1:14:2
Jordan Clift 1:14:2

Junior
27 riders, previous Youth National Champion this was Maller's show, consistent with two 1:08 runs he proved his experience. His only contender today was Cartigny who went 2.5 seconds faster but still no cigar.
Jamie Maller 1:08:5
Tom Cartigny 1:08:7
Ben Gillett 1:09
Jonny Howe 1:10:6
Sam Copp 1:10:9

Seniors
77 riders in this the biggest field, 19-29 year olds. The top five were all on a 1:10 or better so good work guys. Haines gate crashed the top three after a poor first run, Jenkins went 2.5 seconds faster but Lane proved his weight in salt with two consistent runs of well under 1:10 to take the top spot.
Rich Lane 1:08
Oliver Jenkins 1:09
Dan Haines 1:10:0
Carl Bartleman 1:10:5
Laurence Cripps 1:10:6

Masters
42 riders, 30-39 years olds. Hats off to Wilkinson who destroyed the field by over five seconds. Leaving the rest of us in second to fifth to play catch up and fight over one second that split us all.
Andrew Wilkinson 1:09
Giles Austing 1:14:9
Marc Mchale 1:15:22
Si Paton 1:15:29
Sean Warren 1:15:6

Vets
22 riders 40+. Ingrams coming on strong and was flying with hot competition from Jerry Twigg, a previous National Champion and multiple podium finisher at Nationals. MIJ main man Mr. Bray came in a close third onboard his Giant for Team Skene.
Niall Ingram 1:12
Jerry Twigg 1:14
Ian Bray 1:15:3
Mark Neal 1:17
Anthony Badgers 1:18

Women
5 riders in this one, all ages put together! Obviously the Bartleman show with almost a ten seconds advantage over the competition.
Lianne Bartleman 1:26
Rachel Vicary 1:35
Suzanne Lacey 1:52

Pro-Am
13 riders, that's why Cunny was riding the 13 plate, is that why he punctured? Make note that List and Bishop are Masters, showing the kids how it's done! That said the donkey that List is he missed his second run, good job nobody beat him second run.
Dave List 1:06
Ashley Maller 1:07
Joe Bishop 1:08:1
Harry Molloy 1:08:4
Joel Moore 1:09

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Video by Tom D
For more info on the next race please go here, Mini Down Hill.

The next 661 Mini Downhill is on Sunday the 28th of February 2010.
How to get there?
Pedalabikeaway Cycle Centre, Cannop Valley, Nr. Coleford, Gloucestershire.
GL16 7EH.

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