Halo BDS Final at Llangollen, Wales.

Sep 25, 2012 at 15:14
by Si Paton  
Photos by Keith "PHUNKT" Valentine.

Noticeable missing Pro's were Steve Peat and Josh Bryceland who were both out on sponsorship duties at Interbike in Las Vegas along with Danny Hart who was celebrating his 21st birthday in style. Friday afternoon come 15:00 the muddy track was open for foot inspection and a large number of riders checked out the new Squirrel track that was cut out by hand by the farmer Martin Sands. The track starts off on the far right hand side of the hill with a start straight littered with several table tops before you dive into organised chaos. Super steep, a freshly cut out track with deep and loose corners to catch the skilled riders, with a super dense bracken to make the landings nice and soft for those out of control. The course winds down the hill before it meets the old section just above the derelict house and the three famous step downs.

photo by phunkt.com

Dave Kynaston warp speed into the finish arena.


Saturday morning a freezing fog laid down on the venue and temperatures dropped some 5degrees. The fog soon cleared come 11:00a.m to reveal the sun and blue skies, the riders knew to make the most of it as Sunday afternoon's weather report was looking wet, windy and damn miserable. Then as predicted come 16:00 the heavens opened and a once drying track became super slick and greasy to the enjoyment of the crash hungry crowd. The weather did flip the category times upside down allowing the early racers a drier and faster course meaning Phil Atwill (the Saracen/Madison rider in Juniors) got the fastest time of the day. Also note Taylor Vernon a Youth rider stormed in fifth fastest overall with a suepr quick time.

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Elite men (Schwalbe)Ruaridh CUNNINGHAM Alpine Bikes / POC 2:14.183
Oliver BURTON Fetish Bike Co / KORE / Norco / One Industries / Schwalbe 2:16.666
Bernard KERR 2:16.672
Al BOND Bennett's Bicycles / Nukeproof 2:16.733
Ben REID Dirt Norco 2:17.023

Expert men (Descent-Gear.com)
Dave KYNASTON 2:23.501
Brad MATHER EMPIRE CYCLES 2:23.638
Oliver MORRIS 2:24.352
Jay WILLIAMSON WideopenMag.co.uk 2:24.864
Matty STUTTARD Ride-On 2:25.030

Juvenile men (Leisure Lakes)
James PURVIS Team-chr.co.uk 2:29.179
Charlie HATTON FlyUp Downhill / Pedalabikeaway 2:30.399
Andrew BARRETT J-Tech / Pearce Cycles 2:43.631
Kade EDWARDS Torico Morzine 2:43.992
Robin SPENCE 2:44.375

Youth men (Rose Bikes)
Taylor VERNON Bike It / Fox / Maxxis / Mojo / Scott 2:14.806
William WESTON Madison / Saracen 2:17.015
Laurie GREENLAND One Industries / Orange / www.psyclewerx.co.uk 2:18.472
Frazer MCCUBBING Lapierre Cadets 2:19.443
Dan FARLEY Kona / Wheelbase.co.uk 2:20.308

Junior men (Fox Head)
Philip ATWILL Madison / Saracen 2:11.223
Mike JONES Team Bicycle Doctor 2:14.140
Joe CONNELL Prestige Cycles / Zerode 2:14.253
Fraser MCGLONE 2:15.337
Josh LOWE Madison / Saracen 2:15.760

Senior men (Knox)
Reece LANGHORN 2:22.958
Glenroy MARTIN Aston Hill MTB Club 2:22.997
Samuel MADDISON 2:24.095
Sean DAVIES 2:25.180
Michael COUPE 2:28.366

Master men (Nukeproof)
Tom POWIS 2:22.659
Seb FROST Renthal / Rootsandrain.com / Schwalbe 2:23.704
Dave LIST 2:25.445
Dan HAINES Balfa / Foes / Knox Armour 2:26.456
Craig TAYLOR Devinci / Haven / Loaded 2:26.725

Veteran men (Stendec)
Nigel PAGE Chain Reaction Cycles / Nukeproof 2:24.638
John COBB 2:31.242
Darren HOWARTH Grizedale Mountain Bikes 2:33.221
Pete LITTLE FlyUp Downhill / Pedalabikeaway 2:34.918
Rich SIMPSON Balfa / Foes / Knox Armour 2:38.847

Elite women (Schwalbe)Manon CARPENTER Madison / Saracen 2:33.910
Jess STONE UNIOR TOOLS 2:40.942
Emma WAREHAM Leisure Lakes 2:54.704
Veronique SANDLER 2:57.450

Women (Monster Energy)
Rosie SMITH Biketart.com / Knox Armour / Schwalbe 3:05.955
Traharn CHIDLEY Blackspire / Commencal / O'Neal / Renthal 3:08.699

Series Overall Results courtesy of RootsandRain.com

photo by phunkt.com

Sean Radcliffs seeing the sights of Wales.


photo by phunkt.com

Jonathon Foster-Smith Barrrpppppp.


photo by phunkt.com

Blake White working the corners.


photo by phunkt.com

Stephen Mccormack trying to keep her low.


photo by phunkt.com

Dan Farley celebrating the zero pressure of Saturdays practice.


photo by phunkt.com

The Halo BDS team went big when it came to dressing the event.


photo by phunkt.com

Jack Reading fresh back from a spell at Whistler Crankworx.


photo by phunkt.com

Manon Carpenter is currently destroying the womens category.


photo by phunkt.com

CRCs Nigel Page took the win here and the series overall.


photo by phunkt.com

Saturday mornings mist soon burned off.


photo by phunkt.com

Red flags are the curse in practice at Llangollen with such a steep course.


photo by phunkt.com

Grant Boyce getting airtime along the start straight.


photo by phunkt.com

Llangollens corners are that of legends according to Dan Sheridan.


photo by phunkt.com

Matty Studdart at the last bus stop.


photo by phunkt.com

Taylor Vernon mid-pack in the final three step downs.


photo by phunkt.com

Llangollen uplift is never the best, Seb Frost managed nine runs on Saturday, the track is more than worth it though.


Big thanks to our main sponsor Halo Rims

Stay Unclipped.
Si Paton.

2013 BDS Dates.
1- 13/14th April tbc UCI cat 2
2- 11/12th May Fort William UCI cat 1
3- 1/2st June Innerleithen UCI cat 1
4- 29/30th June tbc UCI cat 2
5- 17/18th August tbc UCI cat 2

Entries are £70.00 per round and go live January 1st through the British Cycling website.

Author Info:
si-paton avatar

Member since Jul 26, 2006
361 articles

15 Comments
  • 11 0
 Still don't get why bernard Kerr hasn't been picked up by a big team third here and smashing out some decent results in the world cups as well.
  • 6 0
 And I thought I was a fast DH'er......
  • 1 0
 I helped out on this one , doing a bit of track maintanence and relief marshalling, the track totaly changed when the rain came, but on that point there's not takeing it away from the riders in the dry , they where bating it 4/6, but in the rain you couldn't walk up or down it.
  • 5 1
 That slow-mo of the bike flexing in the beginning was sick!
  • 3 1
 Still don't get why bernard Kerr hasn't been picked up by a big team third here and smashing out some decent results in the world cups as well.
  • 1 0
 this was the first time i have seen a typo on the home page.
  • 2 0
 Really? There's been quite a good few.
  • 1 0
 I love to see events like these when the junior men spank the elites Smile
  • 3 0
 if you'd read it, it rained heavily after juniors
  • 1 0
 Best Slow-mo crash footage I've ever seen
  • 1 0
 Check the junior and youth times quality!
  • 2 0
 To be fair the track got really wet really fast for the elites, barley walk down the bugger at the end
  • 1 1
 wait was he actually saying when riding!
  • 1 0
 NICE.
  • 1 0
 Gnarly Smile







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