It was great to get back out on the bike after a few weeks stuck in front of a computer. I headed out with Rob and James up into the hills to do a bit of exploring and find some new tracks. The sun was out and it was great to be back out in the woods and check out some new lines. The afternoon was finished off with a play on the bottom half of Cwmcarn. I know it has its critics but I love it. Sometimes a manmade track is just needed and it was loads of fun charging about and hitting some decent sized jumps. James left us early to enter an Aquathon; a swim across the lake at Tredegar followed by a big old run, I will happily admit I cant think of anything worse. He definately deserves some respect though its a pretty hardcore way of topping off a days riding and shows an offensive level of fitness!
Thursday, 28 May 2009
Out in the Valleys
Tuesday, 1 April 2008
CwmCarn Report - Descent-World
Just got sent this great write up on the BUSAs by Sue Mahoney, sums the weekend up perfectly, havent got a clue where this poser idea is coming from though!!!
http://www.descent-world.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=812&Itemid=95
Monday, 10 March 2008
BUSA MTB 08- CwmCarn washout! - Swansea take the win.
  1)Swansea boys on top of the podium. 2)Me and Jack (AKA Hill) 3)Will Mk2 - Just goes to prove where theres a Will theres a way! 4)Will storming his way to the finish line |   |
The Welsh racing gods came out in force for the BUSAs, to ensure an unforgettable weekend of big gusty winds, torrential downpours and hundreds of dirty soggy students. The turn out was awesome with CwmCarn absolutely full to capacity and 290 riders on the start list. Loads of rental vans were rocking about rammed with bikes people, and all the other random stuff required for the student champs such as the air horns, cowbells made from swingarms, cow print pyjamas etc. Its always good to see such solid investment of so many student loans!!
Initial impressions of the track were that it was tame and pedally especially when comparing it to Dunkeld last year, however this changed dramatically come Saturday. The weather really helped liven the racing even if it did scare off the spectators. The final section of the track became fairly hairy with the wind, the last jump was taped in and took a few victims, I watched 3 people in a row get taken by gusts and blown clean off their bikes coming off the bridge before it. Chris Barnard receives trail points for pulling out awesome whips over the last jump while the rest of us were hanging on and hoping. Barnard had some of the best style of the weekend on a bike that very closely resembled a shed, he really needs to get off his lazy trucker arse and get back out riding again, oh and rebuild the hardtail!
  |   1) Barnard whipped. 2) Me over the last double 3) Al showing off the gold. 4) Vanning it. |
First run was nuts, no visibility, wet sticky track and loads of blown out corners. It only took one run to remember why we do it and to make all the other shit and hassle that comes with racing worth it, no normal ride will ever be as intense. Alex Roberts was first to set the bar for Swansea and put in one of his best performances yet on a borrowed Solid, One word to describe Al's bikes is bodged, this just goes to show how much potential he has if only he could learn how to tune a bike without making use of the hammer! A few too many mistakes and getting held up by traffic left me back in the rankings. Jack set a decent time, looking incredibly fly in his new SH kit. This left Will Soffe who was seeded 5th and the last Swansea rider on the hill. Will has started this year with so much confidence and determination, and had really set his sights high for this event. He came down absolutely storming leaving him in the hot seat after the first run.
Second runs were very cold and wet, with a lot of drowned looking people at the start hill. The rain had cleaned the track up a bit but it was now resembling a river most the way down. Severe goggle issues left me completely blind 100m off the start hill killing my chances of a decent second run. Alex was able to knock another 3s off his first run and sticking him in 17th. There was some real tension at the finish while we waited for the final riders to come down and see if Will could hang on to the top step of the podium. He showed some great consistency coming in only 2s short of his first run however Ralph Jones and Chris Hutchens just sneaked in front, still 3rd isnt too bad for a fresher! Rob Hinds had a huge grin on his face all weekend and made it into 92nd place which is definately not bad for his first DH race.
Importantly this left Swansea to take the team win, we have all got a bit used to the 3rd step of the podium and there was a moment of doubt where we thought we had missed the podium completely as 3rd and 2nd were called. This was followed up by the XC boys taking the team win on the sunday, leaving Swansea's record of being undefeated in all cycling events this year intact.
The weather meant all but hardened few bailed to warmer places on saturday night so the epic BUSA party never happened. Big thanks to Paddy who pulled off another awesome event with the help of Dragon DH, CwmDown and Extreme Medics. Bring on next year!!
Full results at www.busacycling.biz
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Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Wednesday, 31 October 2007
Swansea Uni Bike Club - Update
Half the term has flown by already! I thought it would be a good point to post an update on the uni club. I think we are really set to achieve a lot this year and so far have had an absolutely awesome start. The more "pedally orientated guys" went up for the Student Hillclimb Championships on the weekend and absolutely rocked, taking the team win for Swansea. Pete Greenwood won the individual despite being new to racing and riding a mountain bike! Some serious props being handed out to those guys, that is some real bravery/insanity racing up a hill, from what I have heard the celebrations after were equally impressive! The bar has been set though and definitely a challenge for the rest of us to keep Swansea high in the BUSA rankings.
The Downhillers were also out in force with the final round of the Dragon held up in Caerphilly. The welsh weather played its part as ever to provide interesting conditions for the weekend. Will Soffe and Jack Malone were representing for Swansea. Will ended up taking 5th in the senior, we should see him dominating the podiums next season!
We had a club ride up at Cwmcarn the weekend before last which was a great blast. The riding was dominated by hangovers thanks to Alex throwing one of the best house parties I have been to the night before. This definitely left me Jack and Sion farely well written off for the morning! Once the head had cleared though the riding was awesome. CwmCarn definitely has to be one of my favourite tracks in terms of sheer fun. All in all it has a perfect combination of flat out sections, switchbacks, that tight techy black run through the trees and then of course the jumps. I think I have finally got over my fear of jumping a full suss, mainly thanks to turning the rebound up to a sensible level! There was some good banter going on, I have to say Monet winding Jack up on the bus was absolutely classic, I am not sure I have ever seen a grown man that embarrassed! The uplift service up there is running really well they were fully booked up and yet the service was still slick and we still got loads of riding in, well recommended.