Frower Power - The Gnomes Revolution

This is what dh is all about, this is what we live by - they may feed us mud but we live on the adrenaline - this is the creed of every downhill racer, who, through the need to race on his bike, forsakes all and agrees to ride in all conditions, and as it often tends to be (especially in the mountains) is forces to struggle with the fickleness of the weather - rain, bitter cold and mud. That is what dh is all about and it goes without saying that on the 28th of May 2011, the downhill kids contest in the woodland areas near Krakow, known as the Cadaverous forest, opened a series of four-length competition, The 2011 Gnomes Cup, and lived up to these words. Exactly at 11.00 am, when the formal training kicked off, it began to sprinkle, then came the rain, only to sprinkle again, thus until the end of the event rain and sprinkle alternating.

Nevertheless, the 19 kids aged from 5 to 12, many known to us from last year's Gnomes Cup competition, but also some new faces, which either just had a reflection: "why do uphill when downhill is so fun" or came to the conclusion that in order to have fun one must struggle through a few hundred kilometers, including the last couple of meters on a bike, with the utmost perseverance studied the routes, choosing the fastest and/or safest stretches, forming gangs, practicing jumps and getting acquainted with drifts, only, after the two hours of training, to start racing against the clock with the hope of getting a medal and scoring points in the general classification.
One had to start in at least one race to have a chance on the podium, but as the best of the two crossing times was taken into consideration, despite the extremely soggy and slippery trails, the soaking and chilly conditions the kids decided, no, for them it was on obvious course of action, that they would once again stand on the grid and go the whole length, be true in accordance with the principle "do or die."
For many the decision paid off – the lucky ones improved their timing and glory poured onto them, the less lucky ones, who, by putting everything on one card, took falls in the treacherous mud (many more than one) - happily avoided the other alternative from the famous principle "death or glory. "
In the end, each gnome was a winner, and everyone received a prize, which alluded to the inauguration of the Gnomes Cup slogan: " alea iacta est " (the die has been cast). Malicious ask, Whose die? Well, this is what dh is all about, this what we live by - as the organizers we can only ensure that none of the bones suffered serious injuries. However, from the perspective of the Gnomes, what happened last Saturday, was a real baptism of fire, lavishly celebrated, not with the waters of Rubicon, after which their lives will never be the same, but bringing with it a true Gnomes Revolution for the Polish downhill.
Full results of the above downhill race are presented on the organizer’s webpage: www.FrowerPower.com
Photos by Jacek "Słonik" Kaczmarczyk - www.JacekSlonik.pl - much more you will find in our gallery.