Bala

Bala. For me the most anticipated race of the year! I look forward to this race all year and I wasn’t disappointed. As usual at Bala it was glorious all weekend and the track was rough and fast just as it should be. Practice had started before I knew it and the track rode even better than it looked. Roots rocks and everything in between made practice fly by I guess time does go quick when you’re having fun.

Sunday came and the nerves kicked in. I pieced together a scrappy run. To my surprise I broke the beam 5 seconds up with a respectable time which gave me the green light to get loose in my second run! I was up 3 seconds at the split with a 51 kmph through the speed trap smashed the woods where mistakes had been made in my first run and was on for a much improved time. Unfortunately I went over the bars on the last corner and hopes of an impressive race run time where broken. Never the less I grabbed the win and had bucket loads of fun, Bala once again didn’t disappoint! Well done Pearce for a brilliant weekend! See you soon Will.
Pics thanks to Jeff at    http://www.monkeyspoon.com/

Midlands Champ!

Bringewood Pearce cycles round 3

I arrived on Saturday to find sun and dust and a mint track that was extremely fun to ride. The Pearce team had really pulled one out the bag this time with great pits and superb new technical sections. Saturday had come and gone before I knew it and the excitement of racing had soon filled the air. Due to a really fast uplift I got 2 solid runs in Sunday morning and by 11 I was in the starting gate ready to go!

The run was fairly average despite coming of the track in the open section I was still on for a good time but whilst riding through the bottom section a red flag was thrust in front of my face. Unfortunately Sam Clixby (a good friend of mine and a bit of a legend) crashed on the bottom table top and broke his elbow. I was soon at the top of the hill for my rerun and was going pretty well, I was two seconds up on the split but my front wheel got away from me in one of the new hard-ish section causing me to slide on my belly like a penguin. I crossed the finish line in 2nd and 3 seconds back from the lead.

But my second run was a different story: The whole way was really fun and pretty pinned and despite holding back a bit on the section I crashed on in my previous run I managed to win by 5 seconds and grab the midlands champs title!!

See you soon, Will.

Pictures from Iain @ http://www.turniptowers.co.uk/

British Downhill Series Rd2 Fort William

British Downhill Series Rd2. Fort William.

With the weekend starting very early on Friday morning for most of the team as they made the long journey up to Fort William in Scotland, we arrived with sunshine and clear skies! Fort William to most of the UK racers is the only opportunity to ride the same track raced at the world cup event. The track is probably one of the hardest in the UK, both on the bikes and body. With both Will and Josh making their first trip to Fort William, this was a steep learning curve for both of them. Keeping them off the bike was a bit of a challenge, but pursuading them to only complete 4 practice runs on saturday allowed them to feel fit and fresh for race day.

Saturdays practice was brilliant! No broken bikes other than wheels which don’t really count up here, or broken bodies!! Shame it wasent the same story on race day. We arrived with a van full of spares (mainly wheels) and left with a van full of broken parts and wheels; but this is all part of the fun at Fort William. The young guys were chomping at the bit to ride and cram in as many runs as possible, but with experience from both Richy and Jack teaching both of them to relax and enjoy the sun meant the bikes and riders were both looking and feeling good. The sun was still shining after all!

Race day came round far too quickly. The bikes were looking good and everyone feeling ok. Practice soon finished and the bikes were prepped for seeding runs. All the guys went up and down in-turn with no hiccups, well until Richy’s run. Following a long wait he rolled down the hill with three other elite riders, all of which had fallen victim to a large hole and rock near the top of the hill. Generally the bikes don’t go that quickly without a rear mech.

Race runs were next. Will was up first and with a very good run came down in a 6:32.10. He finished in third place, another brilliant result from will and even more so considering this was his first trip to Fort William.

Josh was next and again with his first experience of Fort William being this weekend riding the small 6 inch Ancillotti FRP bike, he did an amazing run and finished in 24th position with a time of 6:34.08. Well done josh.

Jack loves Fort William. What more can I say. It’s a big boys track and he always seems to shine here. Seeding in 1st position and coming down the hill as first Expert rider to allow time for stealing bits from his bike to help Richy’s broken bike. He went straight into the hot seat and stayed there for the duration of the catorgy, finishing in first place by 3.29 seconds with a time of 5:26.93. this was the 23rd fastest time of the weekend.

Richy T finally made his way up the hill after a frantic bike fix with only minutes to spare before his run. He arrived at the top in the nick of time and rode from the gondola station straight into the start hut! He came down in a super fast time which placed him in 17th place 5:19.37.

What a brilliant weekend!!! and a lot of fun was had by all.

Now time to fix some wheels.

Welsh Champs 2010

The track at Llangollen is recognised as one of the steepest in the UK and with a new track being raced for the first time, me and my bro were pretty excited to be racing here. As we arrived we pulled up and you could see the whole track from start to finish and it looked like it was going to be fun!

Saturday was all day practice and things went really well, most people opted to go for flat pedals as the steep technical track was too challenging for them. I stayed on clips and felt more comfortable. After a few practice runs the track turned into a straight line, people were littered all over the track and was just a general mess. The marshals did their best job of putting the tape back, but with no joy as people kept running through it. Lines were forming all over the place and it was hard to decide which one to choose.

Sunday morning and the track had been re-taped and ready to race. After two practice runs my bro had a big crash and knocked himself out on one of the fast rutted sections. Will also had a massive crash on the lower section of the track. He was carried off by the Extreme Medic's team and allthough he was ok, wasnt allowed to race
I was ready to race. On my first race run I had a few crashes which left me way down going into the second runs. By the time the second race runs were here, the tape was all over the place, leaving straight lines for the people in the know how. My second race run was a bit better, I managed to stay on the bike and have an average run, finishing the day in 4th 3 seconds off the leader. It was a good weekend apart from the track tape changing every 5 minutes!

Jack

pictures from:

http://www.anthonywillett.com/

and

Stu Hopkinson.

British Downhill Series RD1.

With the sun out and many excited faces we all arrived in Rheola, south Wales for the first round of the 2010 British Downhill Series. It was the first time the team had all been together at a race and a good chance to introduce Josh into the team.

Saturday’s practice went very well with all the riders managing to get down the hill without too many problems. Will found practice hard as he was riding with a broken bone in his left hand. He used the day well, spending a good few hours walking the track whilst many of the elites showed him the secret lines.

With practice coming to an end, tire choice became the talk of the Pit. Richy and Jack both rode on wet screams for practice and as I prepared the spare wheels with High rollers, Only Richy choose to change.

Race day was here and out came the new race shirts! I picked these up on the Friday so fresh from the printers! Each rider came in and out of the pit in age order and headed to the top of the hill.

Will was first off in Juvenile, which allowed him to gain the hot seat and sit tight for the first 5 riders. He ended up in 5th position, which meant he was on the podium even with a broken hand.

Josh was next in Youth and with the pace so high finished in a very respectable 18th position. Josh is riding on the 6 inch Ancillotti FRP frame, putting many riders on full downhill bikes times to shame.

Jack came down the hill covered in mud and had unfortunately crashed twice on his way down. He Still posted a very fast time leaving him in 15th place and only frustration on what could have been a podium position.

Richy Thomas was last to join the team at the finish line, Richy went fastest with 14 riders still left to finish. Richy finished in 10th position in the elite category only being beaten by some of the fastest world cup riders in the world.

Overall it was a brilliant weekend. Bring on Fort William.

Josh Lowe Join's Ancillotti UK

Ancillotti UK is proud to announce its newest member of the team Josh Lowe. Josh will be riding for the team as one of our first young development riders aboard a short travel Ancillotti. Josh has been riding his Ancillotti for a few weeks, putting in three very strong results including finishing in 18th place at his first ever National Race.

Jacob Gibbins spends a day with Richy T.

Hi guys,

Fab photographer Jacob Gibbins has spent a day shooting with Richy T for Dirt Mag.

Check out Jacobs Website: http://www.jacobgibbins.co.uk/

Heres a cheeky peek at some of the shots: