MIJ - Nant Gwrtheyrn Round Up

Well the time had come after months off since my last race to load the van and get on the road for my first visit to Nant Gwrtheyrn which is a former quarrying village on the north coast of the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales. I was rolling with young Dan Coulson who's local to me, super keen and has style for miles.

We arrived on friday evening and with Dan being uber keen he did a torchlit walk of the course whilst I accidently found the bar straight away with a little help from Jason Carpenter! some old habits die hard.

Any way, after a lengthy delay SPS team player manager and room mate for the weekend Tristan Tunstall rocked up with his race prepped food from Waitrose (he doesnt do things by halves) and brought the rain with him.




The Makeshift Pits (Full SPS Enchalada to follow at all supported rounds)

We woke up on saturday morning and went about setting up the make shift pits with some help from the rest of the SPS team who were now turning up in full force (minus Jack & Ally)

Practice was pretty hard to get a good flow going because the steep course was causing some carnage with riders and bikes splattered all over the hillside. Now, i've had a few years away from racing DH up until last season but it has to be said this is a serious course remeniscent of some of the Welsh Dragons back in the day and made a refreshing change to ride a race track that makes you kind of anxious whether you're going to stay on or not each and every run, the secret was all about carrying good exit speed and keeping it flowing, do as I say not as I do....

Lamborghini Tractor (Farmers take note!) Plenty of BHP to get up the uplift road

Race day soon came around and everyone was up and super keen to try and get some qulity practice runs in without tiring themselves out on the bottom pedally section, which, even with all the training we've been putting in i think everyone would agree was brutal. I know my legs were burning!

Racing was a mixed bag of affairs and pretty sure no-one had a super clean run. I managed 3rd in my first run with a pretty average run then had a massive boulder to pedal interface on my 2nd run and hit the ground hard, luckily i had my 661 protection on as it defintely saved me from anything more serious, fortunately my 1st run time still kept me in 3rd place overall and i bagged my first podium for the team whcih i was stoked with.

CG in the woods

Some of the boys over cooked it both runs or had mechanicals etc which was gutting to see for them but i know they'll re-group, gather their thoughts and come back stronger for the next event, just you watch.

It was great to see a big presence of SPS riders making the podium and it soon became clear that as the team grows throughout the season there is some serious potential for many more podiums positions. Billy Matthews and Freddie Oxley both podiumed in the juniors and Nathan Vials put a storming time in to take the Expert win, great work.

Well, let the good times roll!

The Build Up - SPS Debut..!

Dusty XC training ride

Well this coming weekend 19th/20th will be my first race of the year at http://www.simplydownhill.co.uk/ and also the first of many under the SPS banner throughout the 2011 season. Can't wait now to get the season under way especially at the new venue of Nant Gwrtheyrn and also gonna be cool to catch up with a load of the team.

Spent quite a bit of time in North Wales over the years and it never fails to impress me, reckon it's gonna be a gnarly track.

Good job i've been put through some tough training with http://www.adywatts.com/ who's hit me with a totally new approach to training which is tailored specifically around the kinds of rigours involved with DH mtbing. Needless to say he's got me fast twitching to near perfection... and the plus side is I almost look stacked even if a little haggered after all the early morning jaunts...

In the mean time i've got a bike to prep

Hey you guys, get along to full size screening of THE GOONIES at the Courtyard, Hereford Sat 12th feb

Well the weekends practically started (it is Thursday right) and I thought I'd post some fundraising info about a good friend of mine Ben Botwright who's running the London marathon this year to help raise funds for spinal research.

This Saturday (12th) evening get yourselves down to the Courtyard in Hereford for 20.00hrs (20.30hrs showing) and come along and watch a full size cinematic screening of legendary 80's film THE GOONIES... It's open to all and tickets are only £6 pp with all proceeds going towards spinal research. There will be drinking involved before, during and after the show so get yourselves along for an evening out with a difference and to help raise money. 80's fancy dress is optional.

Now for those of you who don't know Ben, statistically his genetics don't add up and straight away scream out 'natural runner' at you (below left) but I know his Arabian background just screams endurance and stamina and not just at drinking.!



(gimp optional)

Well I can honestly vouch that this boy has been putting in some serious preparation and has already put a few more established and serious runners to shame so I'd just like to say that I wish him all the very best for his London 2011 and hope it's not too emotional.