Gorrick Rnd 5

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BY: Matthew Lewis

Published: 12th April, 2011

I've had a bit of delayed start to the season this year. I've missed the team meet-up at the Midlands, the 3rd round of the Welsh series AND the first round of the BMBS.

 

If it wasn't work then it was our youngest boy being ill. He's had more drugs in the last 3 weeks than Charlie Sheen but unlike Sheen he has been reluctant to shove them down his throat. He's getting better but sometimes the bike has to be pushed to one side.

I was keen to get racing again though so was able to make the drive up to the final round of the long-running Gorrick series. The weather was unbelieavble and certainly not what you'd expect in early April. Typically on such a hot day I lost one of my bottles on the first descent and had to ride the remaining 4 laps with half a bottle. Bloody lovely weather! Excuse number 1.

The Supermasters category was full of 'faces' and there were some pretty quick boys lining up for the 9.45am start. Excuse number 2! In fact one of the faces was Paul Lasenby, a previous National Champion. I think I'm right in saying that he was the first to win the national title on a full suspension bike. Who was the first woman though?

Anyway at 9.45am we were off but I was too busy fiddling with the bloody bezel on that Garmion watch and was slightly caught out. Excuse number 3. I'll stop offering excuses at this stage it's only embarassing me.

I quickly got going though and began the chase of the Super star Supermasters. They were quick though but entered the first bit singletrack in a pack of 10. The course was a quintessential Gorrick affair; full of twists, turns and nasty little walls of gravel.

By the half-way point of the first lap I was beginning to lose touch of the fast boys and began to get used to the sight of Nick Onslow (Pedalon) disappearing and reamerging through the trees. For the next 3 laps I and a chap in VC Meuden kit found ourselves riding together with barely a fag paper seperating the two of us. God knows why he stuck on my wheel for so long because when he did shoot past me on the last lap he went off like a rocket. And I was slower than my usual standards on Sunday! Thanks to Joolze for the pic of me and my 3 lap shadow. www.joolzedymond.com

By the 4th and final lap a lack of racing time was making itself evident. I just didn't have any racing speed in my pasty legs. The race was eventually won by Luke Smith with Aidan Bishop of Rapid Racer products 1 second behind. Paul Lasenby behind him and Graham Warby in 4th.

I managed to grab 11th place but was secretly disappointed but never mind plenty of more races to go. I'm just a little late to the party this year.

Thanks to Martyn and Inevent. Accelerade, Exposure lights, Gateway cycles and Mt.zoom.

 

Matt Lewis