Racers Guild Steve Peat Charity Race at Cannock!

Nov 20, 2008

Downhill Mountain biking this weekend reached a milestone in racing history. Stile Cop in Cannock Chase (Near Birmingham, England) didn't know what hit it with huge crowds, a Storm Trooper, a Gorilla, Steve Peat and Josh Bryceland in attendance and all for a good cause.

Saturday 15th November 2008.

Photos courtesy of Andy Dunwoody. Have a wizz through his site and if you're after one of his awesome shots then drop him a line, drop him the dollars and "Bobs your uncle" you can have a card, framed print, poster etc. Please note all money from any orders through Andrew Dunwoody from this race will also go through to the charity. www.andydunwoody.com


First of all let's take our hats off to the crew down at the Racers Guild www.racersguild.co.uk Every month up at Cannock Chase on one of the many DH courses that they have built and maintained they hold timed practice. Times are published online later in the week. Cost to the rider is sweet FA (nothing). If you can pay a few pennies towards the running costs (medic), then dig deep and cross their palms with silver.


So back to Cannock it was, which is steeped in Mountain Bike racing history. I used to race the Cannock Chase XC Classic back in 1992/93 was it? The good old days, clipped in? No of course not I was riding toe straps!


We last raced DH there back in 1992 I think it was for a Midlands race where I'm pretty sure Raleigh's Matt Farmer took the win by cutting out a large section of the badly taped out course.


2008 and we're back almost ten years later and a lot has changed. A new start hill (mound) to send you into the two tracks we would be racing on. There are several other tracks up there to keep you occupied for a full day, guaranteed with plenty of drops, berms, rock sections, roots and jumps. Just make sure you look before you leap kids.


Open practice on either course started when you did, so all relaxed before the first of your two timed runs which started at 10:30. Good thing was you could choose when you wanted to race, just pick a sticker from the sheet which listed all the start times.


Wonderland first, which is a nice flowing mellow course with some great corners up top which even tested the best of them before firing you into the rough stuff down below. Peaty of course pulled our pants down and Miami was clearly just cruising. Heath will never live this one down. Milward followed Peaty down on one of his practice runs with a camera on his head. He kept with him for most of the way before he binned it.


1. Steve Peat 0:51.7
2. Mark Milward 0:56.0
3. Andy Hughes 0:57.0
4. Greg Hampton 0:57.1
5. Josh "Miami" Bryceland 0:57.1
6. Dave Cotton 0:58.4
6. Si "Superfly" Paton 0:58.4
8. Harry Heath 0:58.8
9. John Hayes 0:59.5
10. Jamie Munroe 0:59.7


Then for those that raised money for the charity got to race on the second course and beat Steve Peat! What a course that was, how surprised? Really good berms up top and two mellow step down kickers into a naughty rock section, brilliant. Then four nasty corners, mixing it up big time, swooping into the berms, then hop the eroded roots, then go light, go wide, go high, stay on! This little section saw all the crowds and was super tech and wouldn't have been amiss on a World Cup course. If that wasn't good enough then two big suspension bottoming out drops flat out before being fired in between the trees like a pinball.

Views:9015    Faves:32    Comments:21

Video footage courtesy of the very talented Ian Harvey of Boon Productions.

Two runs in the afternoon using the handicap system worked out by some huge mathematical algorithm and Aaron Newmann's abacus showed the following results:

1. Dan Green 0:55.5 0:46.5
2. Steve Peat 0:48.7 0:48.7
3. Tristan 'Terror x 10' Tunstall 0:55.8 0:49.8
4. Matt "Smithy" 0:59.9 0:49.9
5. Mark Milward 0:52.9 0:49.9
6. James Hopkins 0:59.4 0:50.4
7. Greg Hampton 0:54.7 0:50.7
8. Josh "Miami" Bryceland 0:54.7 0:50.7
9. Dave Cotton 0:55.8 0:50.8
10. John Isaac 1:02.9 0:50.9

Back to Peaty.
We all know Steve could have just turned up and paraded around like a superstar. What he did do was make himself available to all the fans and sign autographs, be in photos and generally chat to everyone and make time for them. Then he delivered what we all wanted, he raced down Stile Cop. He showed the riders, the spectators of which there were many how to go faster than anyone before him had ever gone. Personally I've watched Peaty ride for over 15 years now and still drop everything whenever I see him come into view. Peaty at Cannock Chase was an education for us all, we stood, we watched, we were amazed and we were thankful that he graced us with his presence.


Now what you didn't know.
Just before he left, Steve Peat handed in his sponsorship sponsor form with a load of handwritten sponsorships, along with a load of cash and coins. It added up to £551. That's on top of the £105 he paid to get into the event. He'd gone around and done things the old fashioned way, raising more than any of us for his friend Stephen Murray. He then waited until the end of the day to quietly give it to us so he wouldn't steal the glory from any of the other top fundraisers.


And that's why Steve Peat is and always will be the rider's, racer's, spectator's, sponsor's, media, organizer's and his friend's favorite Downhill Mountain biker of all time.

After the event, the money raised has smashed the target of £3000, is currently £5675 and it keeps on climbing.


If you were unable to make the event but still want to help out Stephen Murray, you can donate online at www.firstgiving.com/racersguild.

Never, ever, clip in.

Si Paton..
www.Descent-Gear.com
Leatt Adventure Neck Braces Instock £179.99

These Photos are by Hodgett, so many thanks fella for answering the call, good work!

Next Timed Practice (Race) is December 21st 2008.
We'll be there, will you?

For more information, visit the Racer's Guild website: www.racersguild.co.uk