Descent-Gear/MSC Bikes National Champs 2009

Despite many of the top names being absent from the National Points Series, the National Champs still has a place in their hearts. A one off race held each July, the National Champion's jersey is still coveted by the top riders of each category. Last year it was Bala, this year it's Innerleithen, having last held the big one back in the summer of 2000. Then it was Warner who took the win, whilst Steve was out of action with a separated shoulder.

Read on for the whole story,Words: Alasdair MacLennan, Pics: Charles Robertson

The track this year was very similar to the 2000 route too although in the intervening years the hillside has seen a fair number of trees harvested. So long ago did that happen many riders now can't even remember what trails were hidden in those now lost areas of woodland. Back then, Jerry's nightmare was one of the best trails on the hill but, the original 39 Steps was still in great shape and any weekend riding down there consisted of a builder's van and a key to the main gate. In 2000, the track started at the main hut as it did this year and carried you through the quarry and into the tunnel. For this year the jump into the top of the quarry was built back up and the lip reshaped on the road gap into the tunnel, itself with a rebuilt jump half way down thanks to some fresh hardcore. The old singletrack lining the tunnel wasn't used but, with the tunnel now running so fast, this was hardly missed. From the end of the tunnel you're out of the dark and into the light before cutting off the older trail and back into the trees with roots and tree trunks to avoid as you barely slowed. Cutting through the New Luge, you pop out over the top of the berm on the Old Luge (the original route). Drop left through some trees or cut around the outside on the grass and then into the stumpfield before being dropped onto the road.

So far so fast. Now the feel of the track changes and gets back to what most people think of when you say the name 'Inners'; tight trees, relative high speed, rocks and lots of turns. This is now called 'Another Brick in the Wall' and starts with a steep run in off the road and onto the singletrack traverse through the trees. Watching Lewis Buchanan jumping into this was impressive and showed just how at home the youth rider feels on this hill. Winding through the trees, ducking diving to avoid any hand meet tree incidents, you start dropping down the hill to the right on a meander to the main road crossing at the bottom. Firing out across the bridleway you enter a new section to the right (as you ride down) of the main ski jump and finish arena to come out over the top of the berm with a straight run to the finish line. And what a new section. Very few criticisms were heard of this over the weekend although some didn't like the idea of riding it in the wet. Steep, very off camber and actually pretty fast once you got into the swing of it, there wasn't much margin for error as you slammed the tight corners. Very tight in places, you picked your way from corner to corner, dropping into the built up berms and then heading through the trees over loose rocks and roots with an off camber greasy rut to the road. This caught a lot of riders out throughout the weekend and saw many picking their bikes (and frequently themselves) out of the undergrowth.

National's Action:

UK National Championships 2009 - Innerleithen

by TeamBoon

Views: 4,669 Faves: 69 Comments: 12

Having started out with light showers, 60mm of heavy rain was forecast so many were eagerly keeping an eye out for the dreaded black clouds and, although they didn't turn up until practice was nearing the end on Saturday, those caught out in their shadow ended up looking like proverbial drowned rats. Not effecting the course for that run much thanks to it’s hard base, by the time practice started early on Sunday morning, things were beginning to tack up and made some of the corners in the dark woods a bit more interesting.

With the XC race going on at the same time and spectators and families around to watch that, there was a massive crowd gathered at the final section of the downhill course to watch the drama unfold and gave an electric atmosphere which was amazing for a UK National event.

In the juveniles race, Philip Atwell took third spot with a time of 3:24, narrowly beaten by the 3:23 of XC Championship winner, Ross Wilcox. With both races on the same day, that’s some feat and one shared by his brother who finished 2nd in the XC and 4th in the DH. George Gannicott however was the Downhill Champion on the day and took home the spoils with a 3:18.

In Youth, it was always expected to be a tight fight for the top spot given the level of competition in the category. In the end it came down to Fraser McGlone in third for All Terrain Cycles alongside his team mate, Mark Scott in second with a 2:58. Local Lewis Buchanan took the win for Empire with a time of 2:56.

In Junior, Harry Heath pulled out 3rd with a 2:56 whilst Lapierre’s Danny Hart, and pre race favourite, was narrowly edged into second spot by Bernard Kerr. Both were on a 2:50 but Bernard took it in the end with just over three tenths.

Masters was split into two age categories; 30-34 and 35-39. In the former, Anthony Gaskin took third with a 3:09 just 9 hundredths down on Jamie Smith. Dave List took first with a 3:03. In the 35-39 group, Zac Hubery was third for Mountain High with a 3:13 whilst Tom Reed took second for Descend-Hamsterley. Taking the win not only in the group but the Masters title overall was Chris Whitfield on a 3:03, just two tenths up on Dave Lists time.

In the Vets 40-44 category, Rich Simpson took third for BikeActive with a 3:21 with Darren Howarth second on a 3:13. Taking it on the day however for Glentress Riders was Neil Wilson with his 3:12. 45-59’s saw Aston Hills Richard Abbot in third with a 3:52 whilst Jerry Twigg was in second on a 3:19. Taking the win in not only that group but the overall Vet’s title was Alastair MacLennan for Off Beat Bikes with a time of 3:10. European, Scottish, World and British Champion. Impressive.

In the Senior Womens race, it was all Tracy’s to lose given Rachel’s continued absence through injury. Jess Stone took third place with a 3:30 for 2Stage with Helen Gaskell not far ahead in second with a 3:28 for 4Mountains. Tracy held it all together to take the win with a margin of nearly fifteen seconds and a time of 3:13.

In the Senior Mens race, all eyes were on the top guys to see who would pull it off. Steve was favourite given the nature of the track but would a local hero shine or would Gee roll in to spoil the party? With nine riders separated by four seconds it was tight racing. Joe Barnes had looked quick through the final turns but ended up 11th and so was out of the picture. Simmonds sat in third with a 2:48, Cathro in second with a 2:48 just four tenths up and Gee in the lead with a 2:46. All eyes were on Steve. Having won the seeding race, there were no doubts that he was capable of it but would he push too hard for a race jersey he still wants even after winning it many times? Coming into the finish arena he was visibly up as he was at Moelfre in 2006 but, just as with that race, he stumbled and went down hard on the turn into the greasy off camber finish straight. Still in 5th with a 2:49 it can only now be stories of what might have been. Gee took the title in a reverse of fortunes of the 2008 Bala event where he had gone down hard in the trees whilst both Ben Cathro and Matt Simmonds looked pretty pleased on the podium at the end of the event.

So the titles decided for another year and, what was described by many as a great event. Granted, the transport on Saturday left a lot to be desired but the fun track and great atmosphere on Sunday led to many forgetting that and remembering it positively. The double header with the cross country certainly helped and it was great to see many of them hang around to watch the downhill once their racing had finished. The next race is round 4 of the NPS which has just been confirmed as Caersws.