Race Report: PORC 2014 Downhill Championship Series, Round 5

With the leaves beginning to turn, the autumn Kent countryside was a fitting backdrop for the last race of the 2014 PORC Downhill Championship series. Although a new track was planned for this race, the heavy rain a few days before race day meant that it would have been a mudfest. Luckily, PORC is agile enough to cater for situations like these and Mike Joseph and team quickly taped up a new line in time for practice on Saturday.

Riders ready? It was a glorious autumn day in Penshurst for the last round of the series.

With it being the last chance to claim Championship points, there was a great turn out by riders of all ages and abilities, with a particularly strong turn out by the younger riders who were keen to test themselves against the pros like World Cup rider Harry Molloy.

World Cup rider Harry Molloy was back at his home track but certainly not taking it easy now the international season is over this year.

Over the summer, PORC has seen a shift in trail building, all in a positive direction, with new and bolder features installed and with the uplift service well embedded, the venue has been getting better and better. With the dirt jumpers wondering what all the fuss was about, racing commenced early on Sunday to enable everyone to get three runs in against the clock.

Jamie Ledson brought a bit of Whistler magic to the race by whipping his way down the track.

The track itself was fast at the top - with a table followed by a gap jump into a multiple-choice drop zone where the pros took the outside line and the greener of the riders took the inside line. Some used this section of the track to throw in some style, whilst others were thinking about whether they had too much or too little speed to rail the following berm.

The BTR Fabrications Team have had a strong season and this 4X style start to the track made them feel right at home.

The berm was followed by another which entered the riders into the first wooded section of the course. It was tight and technical (thanks to the damp track) and dotted down the line there were a series of rock drops - all of which had chicken lines - where rhythm was important, if not essential in getting past this section without plunging into a young sapling or less forgiving rock.

There goes Oli Evans. He did a great job in all but his second race run where we went over the bars right in front of a crowd.

Not without encouragement by the crowds who were drawn to this section knowing this was probably where there would be a few offs, riders soldiered on. There were some riders who got caught out - luckily unscathed - in this section when they misjudged their speed and control and ping-balled down the track, barely holding on.

Full on and flat out - grassroots racing at its finest.

Hugging the berm out of the woods, riders were up to speed again and shooting over a series of gap drops and jumps down into the heart of PORC. Over the stream, riders were careful to keep on their toes, as the loose mud either side of the well ridden race line caught riders out and sent them off line and just about able to make it over the gap. With a slight uphill to follow to get the heart pumping, riders showed their endurance as they pedalled to the next features nestled in the second wooded section. Off camber and loose with fine roots, riders couldn't let up until the beeps of the timing device of the finish line.

Forget the brakes, this section was all about pinning it.

With three runs available to all the riders, the race at PORC allowed everyone a really good chance to improve on their time. Everyone was checking whether Harry Molloy would be knocked off the top spot, and come the second run, it was Kona rider Matt Cooper who managed to beat Harry's first run time - but could it hold? Harry, one of the last riders on course was well aware of the time he had to make up and pulled in an impressive second run. With Oli Evans, crashing out on his second run, it was all going to be down to the third run of the day to see who would take home the win.

Come run three, both Evans and Cooper did their best to find the time and beat Harry, but Harry's experience came into its own and he was able to confidently do a sub 39 seconds run and beat both his rivals.

It was a nail-biting ending to what has been a fantastic season at PORC which has seen rider numbers increase as well as those of spectators. With prizes galore, each successful racer had a nice bundle to take home with them, and the Championship overall winners were awarded their unique trophies, handmade by the fantastic guys at BTR Fabrications.


The hand crafted and amazing BTR Fabrications trophies - who wouldn't want one? And yes, the wheels rotate!

Full race times can be found on Mikrotime's website alongside the PORC 2014 Championship Series ranking table.

Photos courtesy of Marcin Bialas Photography.

Thanks to: Downhill Freeriders, geebeebee media, Schwalbe, Kenny Equipement, Whisper Bikes, Juice Lubes, Broken Riders, Zagway, Mucky Nutz, Mulebar, Ti-Spring,com, Wizard Wash, South Coast Suspension, Mozartt.com, Enduro MTB Training, Jack Chapman MTB Coach, Mikro Time, and PORC's Mike Westphal for the venue.

Time to go home and train for next year.

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