Podium placing

[Grahame]

Last night at Beastway (our promotion night, thanks to those who came to marshall), I took a podium place in class! For what is technically my best ever mountainbike race result (even better than placings when I was racing seriously).

3rd In Experts!*

Also racing were Sylv and Serge. They were both going really well until Sylv retired with a damaged rear mech and suspected bent mech hanger (on a Ti frame!) . Not sure where Serge finished, the resuts will be available later.
{Edit - from the pre-release, provisional listings, it appears that Serge was placed 1st in the Sports category - remember, you read it here first}




*Reverse sandbagging is ace - there were only 3 starters in experts, so I was free to ride slowly round wearing a marshalls vest, and still claim 3rd!

[Sylv]

Well a mixed success for me
Got soaked riding in the morning
Got soaked on the 30k ride to Redbridge, thankfully the tailwind made up for the dull dull route and horrendous traffic
Was real tired by the time I got there so when the heavens opened PROPERLY 10 min before the start I had to gather all my courage to sign on and join Serge on the start line, shivering.
Then after we'd given the 3 Experts (incl Grahame) a 10s headstart I crashed ON THE STARTLINE. Still don't know what happened, but I was down in a flash and my mirror (was on my commuting mtb) shattered into bits. Got up and set up chasing 30 or so people. Having looked at the weather forecast I'd fitted some old semi-sliks (Conti Explorer Supersonics) thinking it would make the long road ride faster and be ok on a dry course, but this was as wet as it gets. For the first half lap I was all over the place (so was everyone else) and I was going to call it quits. Then I realised I was catching up lots of people and could see the Orange Monkey Expert in the distance. There were lots of ACC marshalls, thanks to them all, which was good for support. I started to get the hang of front-and-rear controlled slide and began to really enjoy myself, passing the Expert and some leading Masters. It looked like I was now leading, but Al said a couple guys had gotten away early - not sure, couldn't see anyone ahead. Anyway I got in this kind of zen state due to the constant attention required not to slip and end up off course. In these conditions you can't go flat out either so it makes it that little more enjoyable. Despite the wetness and the incredible amount of mud stuck on the wheels and bike the course was fast. Liked the short climbs, but after less than half an hour on one of them CRACK rear mech went 360 degrees, jockey wheel spewed out and ti dropout bent - race over for me. Was SO disappointed, was really enjoying myself at that stage, threw my bike away in anger before sharing a joke with someone who'd suffered the same fate as me.

[Snoop Doug]

Grahame that's excellent well done good little story!

I'm delighted that you got helpers for this important event too.

Sorry to hear about your breakages Sylv, still at least it was machine not man.

[Andrew G]

Excellent Grahame . Hopefully I should be able to make the last one next week and join you for the RS.