XC Racer Blog Post

2XC Rd1 - Haldon Forest

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BY: Rob Smith

Published: 21st April, 2013


Sat recovering from the first round. 

 

 2XC have definitely been to the same school of course design as Jay and Maddie.  If some of you lot thought that an event at Haldon would just be a blast around the blue run then you'd be very much mistaken! 

 

The team have been out and about sizing up and scoping out the best bits of "alternative" trails that snake around behind, under and through the blue route and had managed to cram plenty of technical climbing and descending.  

 

Whilst some of the SWest's "usual suspects" choose to follow the Fully Sussed wagon to Wales, there were still plenty of the usual suspects lining up to support local grass roots racing  including a couple of Certini riders, a handful of Sotuhforks a brace of RN riders, a juicy lube and a certain Paul Hopkins riding for Merida. 

 

For a change, all those old enough to know better were set off together after the masters were given a 1 minute head start.  An up hill start "for a change" led through the timing tent before heading out into the 3 and a bit miles of rooty twisty single track and challenging technical climbing. 

 

Now my start of late have been poor to say the least, and thanks to Mark Minton and Background films, recently immortalilised on line with excellent slow-mo footage me going backward off the start at Wheal Maid, rd 1 of the other SW race series. Something I know I need to work on.

 

As the horn sounded, my heart rate went up and we were off.  I tried to ride aggressive and not ease off as the head of the race entered the first single track; it seemed to work as the head of the race was still in sight as riders in front concertinaed and skidded into the 90 degree left into the single track.  

 

The first lap was a blur of roots, rocks and lung bursting climbs, in fact all 4 laps were a blur of roots, rocks and climbs with places swapped, riders from other cats caught and drinks left un-drunk due to the full on nature of the course. 

 

Crossing the line just over an hour after the start all riders agreed that racing in the SW was safe if this was the standard of courses on offer. 

 

Some pictures from today: 

 





I'm sure more pictures and full results will be up on  http://www.2xc.org.uk/references very soon. If you with in traveling distance of Haldon then get down there for rd 2 - Wed 22 May. 

 

Update

Results are now up http://www.2xc.org.uk/results

 

and more (read better) photographs are here  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/88523005@N03/sets/72157633294295665/





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Rob
 

Rob Smith

new racer trying to fight his way through the masters pack.

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