DMR Dirt Wars: Chicksands Bike Park - Video and Report

With the British weather being so unpredictable at this time of year, the Chicksands Bike Park in Shefford, Bedfordshire was the only choice for round one of the seventh series of the DMR Dirt Wars UK Dirt Jump Series. Chicksands is well known for its all year round riding. Situated on a small incline in the middle of a sand based forest, the trails drain really quickly and run really well, regardless of what mother nature throws at them. Dirt Wars UK took over the Dirt Jump section of the bike park once again on the 15th of May and here’s what went down...



After a few hours of both Open/Am and Pro/Elite mixed practice it was all out for the first qualifying round of the year. The Open Class were up first as always and the riders were few compared to the opening rounds in the last few years, this was mainly due to a few of last year’s open riders deciding to take sponsorship deals throughout the winter or like Jack Ambler, just wanting to push themselves through the UK ranks by taking on the pro class with no sponsorship backing.



Qualies began and it was soon clear who was going to be getting through to the final. Jack Cardy throwing down his super stretched suicide’s and Kerry Perts clean 3’s went down a treat for the judges whilst Ben Nolan (hasn't ridden for 6 months) and newcomer, Zac Rainbow, struggled to put a run together.




Harry Campbell came out with all canons firing pulling the most perfect front flip over the last jump setting the crowd and fellow riders into a frenzy. After all 10 riders had their three runs, the six riders through to the final were as follows:





The Pro riders were out in force for this round with a few foreign riders chucked in the mix too with both Alexei Domme and Gordon Brown having both travelled over from Germany to compete in the first round. Alexei hit the Chicksands round of last year’s series and enjoyed it so much made the journey to compete again. With 15 riders on the roll in it was time to get this year’s Pro/Elite Class off the ground and see who would make the top 8 for the final




Although now unsponsored, Joe Simkins totally stunned everyone with an awesome 720 on the last jump securing himself a spot in the final as did Daryl Brown with his super straight stretched out supermans and 360 double barspins. Tom Reynolds' Indian Air Tailwhips were off the hook and so clean you could of eaten your dinner off them. After the 15 riders were all out of runs the top 8 Finalists were as follows.






After the riders had grabbed some lunch from the Thai Bar at the top of the trails it was all set to go off in the first final of the DMR Dirt Wars 2016 series. The top six Open/Am riders lined up and began to drop in after the three runs were done and the judges had tallied up the scores the results went as follows


1st: Harry Campbell - 1 foot x-up, Flip 1 foot x-up, Superman, Frontflip
2nd: Cameron Crozier - Barspin, Flip, Truck driver, Tailwhip
3rd :Jack Cardy - X-up, Tuck no hander, Barspin, Suicide no hander.






The top eight in Pro all looked ready to throw down their top tricks but a few of the regular podium guys struggled to chuck a full-run together and ended up without the result they were looking for. After the top eight had three runs, each with the best run counting the top 3 went as follows.

1st: Daryl Brown - 360, Flip no hander, Tripple Truck Driver, Front flip
2nd: Tom Reynolds - 1 Foot X-up, Flip Table, Tailwhip, Front flip
3rd: Freddy Pullman - Tailwhip, 3 invert, Flip Barspin, Front flip


A Massive thank you to Ali Dunn and the staff at Chicksands Bike Park for being such an awesome team and looking after a top venue. Thanks to all the Riders and Sponsors as well as the Dirt Wars Team.

See you at Round 2 at Holdshott Trails in Hampshire on the 19th of June 2016.

---

MENTIONS: @dmrbikes / @FMBA / @DirtWarsUK

---