HSBC UK National Downhill Series Round 4, Llangollen - Saturday Practice
Round 4 of the HSBC UK National Downhill Series takes place this weekend at Llangollen, North Wales. The well-established venue is proud to present an all new track, crafted by Brian Mundy of Ride Portugal. It stretches nearly two kilometres down the well-renowned steep Welsh hillside. The new trail offers multiple line choice with berms, man-made jumps including doubles, tabletops, step-downs, triples and hip jumps.
Intense UK young gun Charlie Hatton currently leads the series standings for the elite men with a 45 point lead over Danny Hart in second, followed by Matt Simmonds in third. In Elite women, Tahnée Seagrave leads the pack with a 120-point lead over recently retired Manon Carpenter, with Veronique Sandler in third.
The Junior Men’s field is stacked with some serious rising talent including Joe Breeden, Matt Walker, Henry Kerr, and Joe Parfitt and is set to be a fierce battle.
The weekend weather forecast is typical to North Wales for this time of year with a breezy outlook filled with a spectrum from sunshine to showers. Heavier rain is currently forecast for Sunday afternoon – let's hope we don’t get a UK National level repeat of the Lourdes World Cup round.
The strip
Soft morning light on the campsite
A damp start to Saturdays practice but so far the Welsh summertime seems to be holding
Respect the send
Robert Smith appears focussed as he leaves the start line
Luke Williamson drops into Death Valley with confidence
Tahnee tears one of the freshly built turns to bits
Scott Richardson styles the step down when many remained grounded for this one
Gazzy B sends the triple with ease
Matt Walker is looking pinned, will he top the Junior Men's tomorrow?
Jack boosts the triple
Andrew drops the anchor through the corners
Luke Cockburn is another name who is thrilling to watch, sending it into space on this hip
Kade has to be one of the top spectator favorites in this year's series
Peter lets it fly over the top double, there were a lot of riders coming away in search of a good lawyer for their case on this one
Al Bond tucks it up above the valley
Jack Reading holds it low through the turns in the ferns
The strider racing is back tomorrow and this kid ain't holding back on getting his practice in
Will Charlie retain his 45 point lead come race day?
Kade gets his knee down dropping into Death Valley
Mark Weightman takes a tumble at the final hurdle of Death Valley
Matt Walker and Matt Simmonds keeping it high in Death Valley
Gazzy B tries to snake past Hopes Matt Rushton on the inside
Dan Farley keeping it real on an Iron Horse Sunday
Jay flying high on the final step down to draw a close to Saturdays practice
MENTIONS: @GTBicycles / @si-paton / @tris400d
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3 Comments
- 13 0
flymcg
(Aug 19, 2017 at 13:30)
Dan Farley might be keeping it real on an Iron Horse Sunday, but he ain't getting round that berm...
- 4 0
DanFarley
(Aug 20, 2017 at 12:02)
why
- 1 0
ompete
(Aug 20, 2017 at 7:46)
I'd boost that hip,with a name like Cockburn !
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