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Pearce Cycles Winter DH, Race 1 Hopton

Wet, Wet, Wet, Cambridge or Oxford could have entered a team and done well. The damp!!! conditions did little to hamper the enthusiasm of many foolish people such as myself who got up the wrong side of Six AM to throw themselves down a muddy, wet, windy hill somewhere in the deepest reaches of Shropshire (Hopton Woods to be precise). The course started near the old national start hill (but not on it), a short field/moor section started you off before plunging into the first woods. At first the visibility was 0 feet when your eyes adjusted to the pitch darkness you started to wish they hadn't. After a barrage of roots and trees(ouch!) you broke out on to the first fireroad with a multiple line choice then back into the dark woods with the trees wrapped in white tape so you knew when it was going to hurt.
This then dropped you out on to a short fireroad then off steeply into some lighter woods, several wet, sweeping turns later and you were over another fireroad down a steep off-camber section then trough the sharpest bombhole i have ever ridden, BANG as the back end bottoms, round some tight turns and then onto an open, speedy section then down onto a long fireroad made less of a tedious slog by a couple of bus stops before shooting you onto the fastest singletrack section of the course resulting in a sensory overload with trees flying past as you skip over roots and stumps then down a final steep drop-in, down two small drops, round an evil off- camber,loose,rooty,fast,slidy mother of a corner just as the finish comes into view then a short pedal over the line to collapse in a pile on the floor with everyone before you.
Overall a good time was had by all and there was very little delay in the timing. The setup was a little 'interesting' with the race village being situated about three quarters of the way up the hill. This resulted in a short (but steep) push up to the start to warm the riders up then the finish at the bottom with an up lift to the race village. This meant that you were stuck at the bottom needing a hot drink until the (well organised) uplift arrived. It also meant that spectators had a Ten minute walk to get a glimpse of the action. Alright for the dedicated support Parents/Girlfriends/Wives/Husbands/Mates/Idiots but the if the organisers want to draw more crowds to the events this is not the way forward.
The racing was good and close in most categories but a hint of sexism was detected with Junior Women's winner (and only participant, come on girls lets see you getting down and dirty with the lads and show 'em a thing or two) receiving only a box of chocolates for her first place effort as opposed to the cash (or so I have been informed of the lads races) prizes.

Winners were as follows:

JUVENILE MEN-Tom Sagar(unsponsered)-4:23.45

YOUTH MEN-James Pinner(unsponsered)-3:52.04

JUNIOR WOMEN-Rhian Atherton(CTM Cycle Sport)-4:59.85

JUNIOR MEN-Marc Beaumont(Climb On Bikes)-3:33.20

VETERAN MEN-Rob Kinsey(unsponsered)-4:23.34

MASTER WOMEN-Helen Gwillam(0)-6:19.60

MASTER MEN-Paul Slater(unsponsered)-3:25.13

SENIOR MEN-Steven Liggens(unsponsered)-3:32.80

PRO-ELITE WOMEN-Fionn Griffiths(unsponsered)-4:04.03

PRO-ELITE MEN-Richard Barlow(Royal Racing)-3:20.13

On a final note i would like to say big respect to all those people who come along just to have a go not expecting anything good to come of it, keep it up guys and good luck for the future.

Pete Crookes --