Southern XC Round 5 - Avon Tyrrell

BY: Louise Robinson

Published: 9th September, 2013

I had about as much enthusiasm for this race as my eight year old usually musters for his Monday morning spelling test. It’s been a busy summer. With lots of camping, holidaying, and trips all over the country to visit relatives and friends we only see in the school holidays, all I really wanted was a weekend at home to recover and get ready for the onslaught of the next school term. However we had promised the kids a last weekend camping and the weather was looking good so we set off on Friday for Avon Tyrrell in the New Forest.

Camping with fellow rider Jo Holtom and her family – and that’s Ribena I’m drinking…honest!

Camping turned out to be a great choice. We had a fabulous last day of summer on Saturday, when most of the rest of the country was under a rain cloud, and were able to make the most of the family friendly camp site. Brick built toilet and shower blocks, washing up stations and an adventure playground meant everyone was happy.

A practice lap on Saturday showed a technical single-track course with only a small amount of climbing and included the purpose build “pump track” and “Downhill Track”. The ground was baked dry and the corners were loose and dusty. Lovely. The practice lap also gave a much needed chance to check out the A/B line around the lake. This showed that the A line was a) a cheeky little technical section likely to have me off if I wasn’t concentrating and b)significantly longer than the B line. Ah ha, a secret weapon over everyone who had not chosen to do a practice lap – B line every time in the race!

The Mens Masters race

Then it rained…. then it rained some more… and a little more. I stood on the start line, waiting for the last moment to take my waterproof off and realised that I wasn’t the only one feeling a little “end of season apathy”. This race was the final round of the series but coming at the end of the summer it did seem completely disjointed from the rest of the series. In the ladies categories at least, attendance was really low with only 3 of us entered into the ladies elite race.

Gaz Hurst riding for KTM in the mens sport race

The course suited me. No big climbs, no long fire road sections and lots of twisty, rooty single track. The rain did make the roots slippery, but the peaty-pine needle ground managed to soak up the worst of the water and as the race wore on the racing line dried out more and more.

A good start was really important on this course as there was only a short climb up the arena field between the gun and the first section of single-track. I managed to beat the other girls off the line and headed into the woods with a clear course in front of me. For the first lap I felt great. I forgot the lack of training, the holiday diet and the half bottle of red wine that had somehow disappeared from my glass last night. By half way through the second lap, I was remembering however.

Leading out the ladies Race

Lap 3 saw a moment of lacks concentration and I overcooked a corner, clipped a course marker post with my bars and was sent sprawling on the ground. By the grace that Sally Bigham and Emily Iredale were off in other far flung corners of the world winning far more important races, I managed to hang on in and take the win. This also put me second in the series with Emily first and Anna Cipullo in third place (despite a snapped saddle rails disaster that forced her out of the race on Sunday).

A great series, well run as usual. Many thanks to everyone who made it possible.

Louise Robinson – Mum, Pharmacist and Mountain Biker

XCracer.com

Four4th Lights

MTZoom

Accelerade

Scimitar Sports

More on the PedalOn.co.uk Southern XC 2013 - R5:

Event Calendar Listing

Blogger Info:

PedalOn.co.uk Southern XC 2013 - R5 Report

Southern XC Round 5 - Avon Tyrrell

BY: Louise Robinson

More on the PedalOn.co.uk Southern XC 2013 - R5:

Blogger Info:

Louise Robinson

What's New In The Shop:

Mt ZOOM ceramic Sram Eagle 12 spd pulleys 14t/12t