Circus of Dirt Round 2 - Newnham Park Report

The team at Shred Events have probably done more trail time at Newnham than any mountain bikers on the planet so if anyone was going to deliver some new pieces of trail then it was going to be them, what they actually managed to achieve was an almost completely new track. At a whopping 9km long it was like blasting back to 1993, a time when mountain bike races were long, hard graft and the chance of getting lapped were pretty small unless, a pre-facial-mole removed, Ned Overend was on course. The weather had taken a bit of a turn from the previous week, but it wasn't raining and a little moisture just added to the off-camber sections and slippery bluebell covered trails. The scene was set for a great day's riding. 

The day kicked off with another cracking 2hr enduro, turnout was up, most riders were really feeling the fun bank holiday vibe of riding a 2hr enduro instead of putting themselves through the grinder in an XC race. The bunch quickly spread out after the 10am start and before long most riders pretty much had the track to themselves, plenty of time to enjoy the trails and a perfect opportunity for beginners to take their time on the technical sections without having a leg-shaven skinsuit wearing racer breathing down their necks. The enduro proved popular with less confident mountain bike riders but there was still a fair share of hardcore trail riders that just wanted to put their nice bikes around this great riding spot and still be home in time for the family roast dinner or to head down to Plymouth's historic Barbican on the beer!

In the XC race it was elite rider John Whittington that, yet again, added another podium top spot to his season, quoting on his blog, "The course was the cream of the Newnham crop. At 9km, the world was Jay and Maddie Horton's oyster and they created a loop which went out the back of the grounds, exploring tracks I had never seen. Plenty of singletrack, techy climbs, fireroad climbs, river crossings, it had it all".

1. Jane Cumming, Southfork Racing

1. John Wittington, CNP Orbea

2. Scot Easter, Felt Colbornes RT

3. Will Jansen, Certini-McCaulay's

1. Donald macgregor, cheddar cycle store

2. Steve Whitehouse, One and All cycling

3. Donald Gray, Cardiff JIF/Cyclopaedia

1. James Birch, Shred National Trust

2. Matthew Thompson, Cardiff Jif /Cyclopaedia

1. Finley Clay, Fully Sussed

2. Joe Barker, Small Torq

3. Harry Birchill, Mid Devon CC

4. Joe Forshaw

5. Jack Hewlett

6. Freddy Birchill, Mid Devon CC

1. Kim Hawey, Bristol Mountain Bike Club

2. Millie Wilson, Filthy Foxes

1. Alistair Lovell, Royal Navy

2. Steve Ferguson, Certini

3. Matthew Lewis, Xcracer.com

1. Simon Harrison, RAFCC

2. Stephen Hodge, Koo Bikes

3. James Horton, Green Badger

1. Penny Allan, Yogi

1. Andy Gordon

2. Pete Dawe, Southforkracing.co.uk

3. Garry Pike, Shred National Trust

1. Lucy Allan, Fully Sussed

1. Ed Welsh

2. Adam King, Cardiff JIF

3. Ciaran Barker, Small Torq

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