Sunday 12th May: Juice lubes South West XC series Round 2, Newham park Plymouth.
Time Triallist-Triathlete, Jon Clemas (Bournemouth Jubilee Wh) tries his hand at mountain-biking and enjoys himself
It was a cold damp misty morning at Newham park today, after heading out for a practice lap to see what lines to take, and what to avoid, I suddenly realised ‘’ Oh dear’’. After the normal talk of what tyre pressures to run, and lines to take , headed up to the start line at 10am.
The Elite men and woman were lined up in ranking order, Then all other categories were lined up in rows of 4 behind them, BOOM we were off a mad dash on the hard pack saw it bunch up as shoulders and handle bars touched, it suddenly turned sharp right and up a sticky tacky climb, bodies jumping off the bikes and making a run to the top slowed things down and destroyed peoples lines and rhythm, Running seemed like the only option.
A tricky sticky bit of bit of single track with some sharp ups and downs saw gaps open, and with ‘’chicken runs’’ offering a slightly easier but longer route to the same place helped the less technically gifted amongst us gain a position or 2,
A rocky Rooty downhill sharply twisted round and went DOWN a very steep loose muddy hill, if you made it to the bottom without having a word with the forest floor.. It sharply banked right and twisted through a set of rocky descents, then relief as a bit of fire road that felt like glass led up to another rocky sticky up, where the lighter weight whippets could open gaps up and steel positions, legs and lungs on fire it peaked and twisted down a nice rocky bit of single track, rattling down to a field, where you can see other racers setting up for a long slog up a straight bridle path, the week would fall behind, but this was rewarded with yet another bit of fine single track as it sweeps and turns through the forest with a few sharp ups, and greasy off camber keeps you concentrating on the job and the legs spinning.
A river crossing cleans the tyres off and gets everyone’s feet wet
A slippy grass section again crosses the water but on a narrow bridge.
Leading to yet more delicious ups and downs, lefts and rights, before a short shape rooty up, wheels slipped and riders of all abilities unclipped and jumped off a few steps to remount and drop down to cross the river, then ‘’the only way was up’’ up it was!!!
A grassy rocky sticky up,(formally known as the ‘’pipe’’ in the world cup race back in the 90’s) the skilled could edge forward on the tips of the saddles and pick their way to the top, or admit defeat at the bottom and stomp to the top.
A short tacky flat let your heart rate lower and legs cool down before a steep rocky decent with another ‘’chicken run’’ decisions were made , the brave took a shorter line but with an added drop, others took a bigger right hander linking up in the same place.
Then the finish was near the music could be heard, the classic sound of the cow bell was always playing. It twisted in and out of trees and a ‘S’ bend round boulders scrubbed off speed, then the finish straight ( or not so straight) on a grassy left then right hander, or for those that wanted to do a little crowd pleaser over the pallet stack and over the finish line.
To then do it all over again 5 laps in total.
Sport - Male
1 192 5 01:48:33 ross flashman, colin flashman motorcycles 00:20:32 00:21:12 00:21:22 00:22:22 00:23:05
2 198 5 01:50:24 Mark Byrne, Plymouth Corinthians Cc 00:20:45 00:21:55 00:22:13 00:22:46 00:22:45
3 208 5 01:50:36 Jon Clemas, Ridebike/Training room 00:21:12 00:21:21 00:22:16 00:22:57 00:22:50
4 50 5 01:50:54 Sam Barley, Bigpeaks Adventure Store 00:20:53 00:21:59 00:22:05 00:22:30 00:23:28
5 55 5 01:52:55 Paul Sole, Kernow Riders 00:20:58 00:22:21 00:23:00 00:23:15 00:23:22
6 95 5 01:53:22 Rich Hobbs, Bikecity.biz 00:20:07 00:21:29 00:22:27 00:23:49 00:25:30
7 176 5 01:57:06 Russ Holman, RAFCA 00:23:29 00:23:10 00:22:44 00:23:39 00:24:05
8 206 5 01:57:37 Tom Thorne, Certini 00:21:56 00:23:09 00:23:18 00:24:05 00:25:10
9 207 5 01:59:22 Chris Wills 00:22:53 00:23:44 00:23:42 00:23:57 00:25:06
10 172 5 02:03:21 Matthew Zietz, i-ride.co.uk 00:21:32 00:22:49 00:23:34 00:25:35 00:29:51
11 221 4 01:36:48 Alex Tompsett, Ausom/ICTM 00:23:19 00:23:53 00:23:39 00:25:57
12 178 4 01:38:37 tom evans 00:23:52 00:24:35 00:24:48 00:25:22
13 170 4 01:39:08 Liam Harris, M&D Cycles 00:23:35 00:24:24 00:24:52 00:26:17
14 203 4 01:40:50 Ben Farrer, Certini 00:23:39 00:28:59 00:22:51 00:25:21
15 62 4 01:41:16 Henry Charles Beaumont, Corridori 00:23:17 00:27:07 00:25:17 00:25:35
16 205 4 01:42:20 Max Johnson, Yogi 00:23:48 00:25:42 00:26:31 00:26:19
17 227 4 01:46:55 Rob Commons, kernow Riders 00:24:59 00:26:46 00:26:56 00:28:14
18 58 4 01:51:24 Matt Jepson 00:26:41 00:27:56 00:28:09 00:28:38
19 64 4 01:56:20 Duncan Baldie 00:26:20 00:28:28 00:30:23 00:31:09
20 197 4 01:59:12 Paul Stowell, Somerset Road Club 00:24:27 00:26:55 00:39:35 00:28:16
21 167 4 02:00:30 Carl Barter 00:27:55 00:30:01 00:30:44 00:31:50
22 201 3 01:10:34 James Varah, Cycle logic 00:23:02 00:24:00 00:23:32
23 168 3 01:38:03 James Cartlidge 00:30:53 00:33:39 00:33:31
24 175 3 01:41:57 Rob Quartermaine 00:30:39 00:33:46 00:37:32
25 174 1 00:35:59 Rob Cartlidge 00:36:00
Full Results on fullysussed.co.uk (dated 12/05/13) Newham park.
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