BSCA National MTB Champs - Wilmington School

This race was quite close, as it was only about an hour from where I live. Also with this being only a School Champs, there was no need to practice the day before! On arriving at the race venue on the morning of the race, I suddenly realised how HOT it was and how harder the race was going to be because of it!

I had raced at this venue earlier in the year at a Cyclo-cross race, because of this I was interested on how good of a Mountain Bike course they were going to make it. However on practising the course I noticed that it featured alot of fast flowing, really nice single-track. The course also featured a fairly technical drop, with a sharp right hander at the bottom, followed by a concrete step section which I really liked, this technical part of the course also featured a chicken run.

After doing a total of 3 practice laps, I was confident of a good race and could not wait to get started. As I was hanging around (with many other riders) near the start for Gridding, I was excited for the race. However, because the race is not British Cycling run, they cannot grid on national Rankings, thus I was gridded second to last on a field of about 25 riders! I knew I would have to get a good start, in order to have a good race, or I would be playing catch-up.

I had a good start, as the start straight of the course was not taped at the sides, thus I was able to sprint my heart out and go round to the right hand side of the pack of riders, and consequently I was in about 5th, when entering the first single-track section. I couldn't believe I had gone from about 24th to 5th in about 40 metres!

I carried on in the first lap and because one of the riders in front of me went down on a single-track turn (Sam Stean), and from gaining another place earlier in the race, I was in 3rd! When he went down, I obviously went round him, sprinted off and sprinted up the next climb, in an attempt to gain some distance. I held him off for about half a lap and then he went round me on the only steep hill of the lap (near the finish). I was unable to follow his wheel and this put in 4th, this was where I was to stay for the remainder of the race. I carried on in the race and was really enjoying the single-track and the technical section.

I finished in 4th, and was pleased with my race. I also found out after the podium that I actually got 3rd as one of the riders in front of me was an Over-16 rider. I missed the podium because of this, but was still very pleased with the race.

I went away from this race very happy and with a tan that was a few shades darker than the one I had before! My next race will be the Southern XC Round 2 at Wasing Estate on the 15th May. I am looking forward to racing there as the course suits me well, and because, I will be doing a National Mountain Bike Race there on the 12th June.

Thanks for reading

Au-revoir!