While not strictly a XC rider, XC events have been very much part of my riding. From the early days of Sport cat socalisation at SCUM events, through to building for Worlds last year, attempting A grade with WSMTB and SCUM. And when I heard there would be a 2011 NSW XC Championships, hosted by SCUM and all pulled together by a south coast crew, I knew it wouldn't be "just another" XC round. The only problem, I would be racing for the fourth weekend in a row.
We, the Expert men, were launched briefly after the Elite men scratching for the front positions up the fire-trail, almost making the gap to the Elite men before the single-track. From here we were on the Superbowl's turms, narrow on-camber traverses, log roll-overs and a few rocks to keep you focused on the task at hand. The pace was fast, a small mistake could mean loosing multiple positions. Winding down the hill and crossing the gully a multiple of times, you could test your skills with log doubles and narrow bridges.
I lost a couple of places on the first lap after a technical mistake and fought to hold onto my slipped position. Gasping for breath and with my heart trying to burst through my chest I zipped along the single-track. Then the track turned back up the hill, on the fire-trail, I cursed but held it in the big ring. Then it was back down the other side of the hill all on single-track and back to transition, onto the next lap. Gee, how many of these do I have to do at this pace?
It turned out I had to do three more and they were just as painful as the first.
Thanks to the organisers for their commitment, I had a lot of painful fun, as I'm sure many others did.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
Wingello, this time, no monkey business!
With the Husky 100ker, the JetBlack 12hr and a little GP under my belt in the last month it was time to tighten it up a notch or two and emulate my team mates success. Sure, they didn't have the same racing schedule as I but, it was Wingello, fun, fun Wingello. Time to put the serious hammer down and have a ball.
There was a little problem, as for the Husky the weather was playing a factor, well lets just say Moss Vale had a fairly high rainfall the previous 48hrs. I forced a smile, there wouldn't be big bottomless pools of water, there would be a bit of sticky clay and possibly some mud. From what I could remember Wingello was hard packed, mostly on-camber and could handle a little dampness.
With a mix of mostly Canberra and Sydney riders numbers did seem down a little from previous rounds. The rain had stopped some time during the early morning and it was breaking into a fine morning as we bunched up, the fast boys hustling the front rows, for the fire-trail start. I squeezed next to Merida rider "Tails" and just behind SS Ed. Then we were off and flying.
Thanks to a great long fire-trail sections before and after transition and regular breaks in the single track I never had any problems with traffic throughout the day. Early on it was all about holding the fast pace, keeping up with the team riders and holding a good line through the muddiest bits. Before long it was lunch time, the track had cleaned up nicely but if you were looking for mud you could find half an inch of it covering myself and the Yeti.
Then there was the sweet single track, you hardly had to brake it flowed so nicely. Winding up and down the ridgelines with a few pinches just to keep us honest. My crew said I was in 7th early on and I kept my pace as high as sustainable, then it was 5th, over the final hours I pulled in 4th and managed a little breathing space too. Time to break out the GoPro on fun, fun Wingello.
Very happy to finish 4th. Loving the new Team Enduro Pulse kit from Champion Systems, have to say, they best knicks I have ridden in yet. Thanks to my support crew for dishing out my Hammer fuel and for keeping an eye on me. It was super fun to ride with such nice riders out on course, see you at the next enduro!
There was a little problem, as for the Husky the weather was playing a factor, well lets just say Moss Vale had a fairly high rainfall the previous 48hrs. I forced a smile, there wouldn't be big bottomless pools of water, there would be a bit of sticky clay and possibly some mud. From what I could remember Wingello was hard packed, mostly on-camber and could handle a little dampness.
With a mix of mostly Canberra and Sydney riders numbers did seem down a little from previous rounds. The rain had stopped some time during the early morning and it was breaking into a fine morning as we bunched up, the fast boys hustling the front rows, for the fire-trail start. I squeezed next to Merida rider "Tails" and just behind SS Ed. Then we were off and flying.
Thanks to a great long fire-trail sections before and after transition and regular breaks in the single track I never had any problems with traffic throughout the day. Early on it was all about holding the fast pace, keeping up with the team riders and holding a good line through the muddiest bits. Before long it was lunch time, the track had cleaned up nicely but if you were looking for mud you could find half an inch of it covering myself and the Yeti.
Then there was the sweet single track, you hardly had to brake it flowed so nicely. Winding up and down the ridgelines with a few pinches just to keep us honest. My crew said I was in 7th early on and I kept my pace as high as sustainable, then it was 5th, over the final hours I pulled in 4th and managed a little breathing space too. Time to break out the GoPro on fun, fun Wingello.
Very happy to finish 4th. Loving the new Team Enduro Pulse kit from Champion Systems, have to say, they best knicks I have ridden in yet. Thanks to my support crew for dishing out my Hammer fuel and for keeping an eye on me. It was super fun to ride with such nice riders out on course, see you at the next enduro!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
JetBlack 12hr
A week of 12hr work days wasn't the preparation I had in mind heading into the Rocky Trail weekend at Dargle Farm. That and carrying out a full bike rebuild after the muddy Callala 100km. So between work, the rebuild and adequate sleep, there didn't seem enough time in a day to punch out a nice taper or even just a lap around the block.
We arrived early Saturday morning for the start of the JetBlack 12hr, but it wasn't near as cold as last years 12hr. The NSW and ACT members of Team Enduro Pulse were all due to arrive with our dedicated support crew, excited to get out on our Yeti's and have some fun. Craig and Jamie planned to team up and give the pairs category a run for it's money while my plan was just to ride through the day and enjoy the night laps.
The track was very similar to last year with just a couple of short additions to get around some fallen trees. Due to some moisture laden ground sections did get a little tacky but nothing to worry about. The trail is a mixture of open fire-trail, rocky single-track traverses, a few berms and pumps, with just about all the downhill sections being single-track. You even would have to use the granny on the finally a climb, unless you were a SS.
After some solid hours out on track I was sitting comfortably, it seemed like everyone was out for a good time, happy to chat and offering room to pass. There were few incidents that I saw, the occasional flat of the first few hours, a couple of broken chains and a few of the unfortunate stick vs hanger/frame. There was a generous vibe and relaxed atmosphere over the course of the 12hrs, can’t forget a big shout back to those people encouraging throughout the race.
Just before the half way point I had a small issue and made a quick fork swap on the bike, then headed back out for my remaining laps. From there it didn't seem to long before everyone way putting lights on, bring on the darkness, I had my Ay-Up's fitted from the start of the race. The darkness brought with it a temperature drop and out came the arm warmers and wind vest.
Jason English made it look easy, again winning the event. While I placed a comfortable 7th, Team Enduro Pulse Pairs pulled themselves into a podium position and took out the top peg. Congratulations to the riders who backed up from last weekends Callala 100km. And a massive thumbs-up to the half a dozen or so dedicated riders who helped getting the injured rider out.
A big thanks to my supporters for their dedication, real advice and keeping me riding. Thanks to Team Enduro Pulse and our team partners who keep us on the trails and racing. Keep an eye on Enduro Pulse for a full report and the next great event.
We arrived early Saturday morning for the start of the JetBlack 12hr, but it wasn't near as cold as last years 12hr. The NSW and ACT members of Team Enduro Pulse were all due to arrive with our dedicated support crew, excited to get out on our Yeti's and have some fun. Craig and Jamie planned to team up and give the pairs category a run for it's money while my plan was just to ride through the day and enjoy the night laps.
The track was very similar to last year with just a couple of short additions to get around some fallen trees. Due to some moisture laden ground sections did get a little tacky but nothing to worry about. The trail is a mixture of open fire-trail, rocky single-track traverses, a few berms and pumps, with just about all the downhill sections being single-track. You even would have to use the granny on the finally a climb, unless you were a SS.
After some solid hours out on track I was sitting comfortably, it seemed like everyone was out for a good time, happy to chat and offering room to pass. There were few incidents that I saw, the occasional flat of the first few hours, a couple of broken chains and a few of the unfortunate stick vs hanger/frame. There was a generous vibe and relaxed atmosphere over the course of the 12hrs, can’t forget a big shout back to those people encouraging throughout the race.
Just before the half way point I had a small issue and made a quick fork swap on the bike, then headed back out for my remaining laps. From there it didn't seem to long before everyone way putting lights on, bring on the darkness, I had my Ay-Up's fitted from the start of the race. The darkness brought with it a temperature drop and out came the arm warmers and wind vest.
Jason English made it look easy, again winning the event. While I placed a comfortable 7th, Team Enduro Pulse Pairs pulled themselves into a podium position and took out the top peg. Congratulations to the riders who backed up from last weekends Callala 100km. And a massive thumbs-up to the half a dozen or so dedicated riders who helped getting the injured rider out.
A big thanks to my supporters for their dedication, real advice and keeping me riding. Thanks to Team Enduro Pulse and our team partners who keep us on the trails and racing. Keep an eye on Enduro Pulse for a full report and the next great event.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Mum, Dad I want to join the Circus - Pictorial
When Ay-Up turns up to a race, things can get a little freaky.
Ay-Up Enduro rider Bozz finds a tongue warm-up before a race helpful.
Al and me catch up before the night performance, watch out for Al at Enduro events in QLD.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
THE 100ker
The day dawned bright and with an almost cloudless sky. As we were on the coast, for the second running of The Husky Enduro 100ker, the morning air was cool but not cold and riders were streaming into the event hub. Then they streamed out to park on the street outside the event location due to the moisture laden ground.
There was anticipation, hydration packs and a few mudguards. As we milled around the grassy start area, the ground turned to mush, a sign of things to come? We were launched down beside the golf course on a hard packed track in large bunches but there seemed to be quite a few riders short of the 500 odd registered for the 100km.
Sure it did start out well, great trail, it separated riders as we pushed along. But it wasn’t long before we found our first puddle, riders dived to the outskirts for the shallow ground but were you one of the riders who threw caution to the wind? I know I did during that first section, flying down the hill there was no fingers on the brakes, I was hoping for a shallow hole or just a little bit of moving water. No, there was a brief second where the water was some where above my knees as I kept the bike well in front of me, hoping not to bury the front wheel. Then I popped out the other side very wet, I had cold feet and was still very muddy.
Not everyone was lucky, just in this first section I came across a couple of riders who had buried their front wheels while attempting a puddle crossing and were a little sore from the ungraceful dismount. Then even before we crossed Forest Road a guy was asking which way was the fastest way back, he had seen enough and just wanted out. He may have been one of sixty odd riders who started their 100km journey but didn’t make it through the course, defiantly not an isolated case.
Did a lead rider take a wrong turn? Why did 100km riders have 50kers riding head-on to them on the same trail? These are some of the questions I have, does THE 100ker need to be reviewed for continual suitability?
But credit to the riders who were out there for nine plus hours. Credit for the selection of SCUM single-track, we rode some of their best, with highlights from firstly Superbowl, then Butterfly and finally after more fire-trail the classic Coondoo. It wasn’t an easy day and as I passed riders pressure washing their muddy rigs, I pondered the massive rebuild ahead of me.
There was anticipation, hydration packs and a few mudguards. As we milled around the grassy start area, the ground turned to mush, a sign of things to come? We were launched down beside the golf course on a hard packed track in large bunches but there seemed to be quite a few riders short of the 500 odd registered for the 100km.
Sure it did start out well, great trail, it separated riders as we pushed along. But it wasn’t long before we found our first puddle, riders dived to the outskirts for the shallow ground but were you one of the riders who threw caution to the wind? I know I did during that first section, flying down the hill there was no fingers on the brakes, I was hoping for a shallow hole or just a little bit of moving water. No, there was a brief second where the water was some where above my knees as I kept the bike well in front of me, hoping not to bury the front wheel. Then I popped out the other side very wet, I had cold feet and was still very muddy.
Not everyone was lucky, just in this first section I came across a couple of riders who had buried their front wheels while attempting a puddle crossing and were a little sore from the ungraceful dismount. Then even before we crossed Forest Road a guy was asking which way was the fastest way back, he had seen enough and just wanted out. He may have been one of sixty odd riders who started their 100km journey but didn’t make it through the course, defiantly not an isolated case.
Did a lead rider take a wrong turn? Why did 100km riders have 50kers riding head-on to them on the same trail? These are some of the questions I have, does THE 100ker need to be reviewed for continual suitability?
But credit to the riders who were out there for nine plus hours. Credit for the selection of SCUM single-track, we rode some of their best, with highlights from firstly Superbowl, then Butterfly and finally after more fire-trail the classic Coondoo. It wasn’t an easy day and as I passed riders pressure washing their muddy rigs, I pondered the massive rebuild ahead of me.
Yes that is my headset, jockey wheels, main pivot and link bearings. Next is the BB and wheel bearings......, not a quick job.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Mum, Dad I want to join the Circus
Another rendition of the Three Ring Circus Night Performance was held on the weekend. Performers had travelled from far and wide, with a large contingent making the pilgrimage from Queensland. I caught up with a large bunch from Queensland before the Night Performance, as they were enjoying the meticulously hand-swept single-track. There were plenty of positive comments on the trail, the Big Top's facilities and the atmosphere.
As the sun set through the pines Ring-Master Huw gathered the performers, with their Ay-Up's shining brightly they corralled beside the BigTop. The colourful creatures of Wingello came out to play, all flags and flames, then with a crack of the starters gun the lights were launch onto the trail.
At the high performance end Ay-Up's Andy Fellows lead the performers from beginning to end, putting the most time between himself and his other competitive performers during the final and longest ring. I caught up with Ay-Up rider Sean "Bozz" Bekkers shortly after piloting his 29er across the line in 4th overall, "I was having to much fun on the single-track and forgot we were racing, then it was like, oh crap we ARE racing".
There were 150 performers enjoying the Three Ring Circus Night Performance with around 30 of those borrowing a set of Ay-Up's to complete their Rings. It was a great sight to watch the fun and festivities that is the Three Ring Circus.
As the sun set through the pines Ring-Master Huw gathered the performers, with their Ay-Up's shining brightly they corralled beside the BigTop. The colourful creatures of Wingello came out to play, all flags and flames, then with a crack of the starters gun the lights were launch onto the trail.
At the high performance end Ay-Up's Andy Fellows lead the performers from beginning to end, putting the most time between himself and his other competitive performers during the final and longest ring. I caught up with Ay-Up rider Sean "Bozz" Bekkers shortly after piloting his 29er across the line in 4th overall, "I was having to much fun on the single-track and forgot we were racing, then it was like, oh crap we ARE racing".
There were 150 performers enjoying the Three Ring Circus Night Performance with around 30 of those borrowing a set of Ay-Up's to complete their Rings. It was a great sight to watch the fun and festivities that is the Three Ring Circus.
Monday, August 1, 2011
3 Ring Circus - Snapshots3
Ay-Up Team riders Bozz and Andy clown around after smashing the competition
How was that 55minute ride? No more like 45...
Big Top
Bozz streaks through the night
Andy leads the performers onto the final Ring3 Ring Circus - Snapshots2
The Circus was put together by some seriously professional clowns
Out early on the first ring
Performers head out on ring One
The night performance start line 
Fellows and another performer chat casually before the starters gun 3 Ring Circus - Snapshots1
Roll Up!
Yeah Huw, thinking 55mins tonight, Ay!
Atmosphere Ringside
Welcome to the Big Top
QLD guys checking out the trails
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