Innerleithen
Innerleithen. SDA Round 1, 6/7th April 2002.
First off the weather was superb, it couldn't have been any better. Sunny both days, with not a cloud to be seen. Not what was expected in scotland, and i doubt all the rounds will be as sunny as this one was!
The course was excellent, it really suprised me. The course started at the infamous quarry drop, then was straight into a 20ft road jump into the tree's. Going from bright sunlight to near total darkness was confusing, taking a little while to get used to, and caught a number of riders out. A Guy on a DH-I stacked particulary hard into the first tree on the left, hope your ok mate!
Following the jump was a long, wide, pedally bit with lots of rocks, roots and little jumps. If you had mind to pedal you could, but you had to be wary of catching them on the rocks that jumped out of the dingy light. This opened out into sunshine and an off-camber rock/gravel garden, which quickly dove right onto either a low bermed corner, or a quicker offcamber corner leading onto a drop off.
After the drop the course went down the Luge as it's called, rather like a dried out stream, this bit was really fast, sweeping round a right berm after which theres a bermed left/right combo. Then it turns left on a bumpy berm into the steeper bit then right again on the bus stop/drop offand then onto a small, steep drop onto the fire road. Time to catch your breath!
After a quick sprint (or slow roll) along the fireroad, the course dropped steeply into the tight, wooded section. A few high/low line choices, a lot of big nasty roots and some real tight corners later you hit a flat bit across a drainage ditch. Straight after the ditch the course went down even steeper through some big old rocks and some real narrow tree gaps that you had to duck and dive around. Then followed an open section on the side of the hill along a wide gravel track with tabletop, stepdown and hip jump type things. After a brief spell back in the woods over another drop and step down you were nearing the end..
After a tight right and open loose left, you dropped into a bombhole, and upon launching out the other side found to your horror someone had stolen the floor. Landing someway down the slope, you slammed on the brakes in sheer panic. Not that it helped much with huge braking bumps all along the surface. Next followed perhaps the most annoying bit of the track, a real loose, rooty, long off-camber right hand turn into a small bombhole. This caught a lot of tired riders out. A small speedbump and 180º turn finished off the course.
A large electronic board at the end of the course displayed your time and current
position. There was Race commentry from somebodies mum, well, she really liked
one of the riders anyway, so i assume it was his mum. The choice of music was
a little cheesey, far too many boy bands and teeny pop. I suppose they have
to keep it polite though. A Small shop stand and Fish and Chip van (not just
burgers!) completed the full to bursting car park. 242 Riders on the day, and
many, many spectators!
How'd I go...
Because the course was very demanding with a lot of oppurtunities to crash, and it was the best of two runs. I reasoned that i'd get down in one piece on the first run, and go hell for leather on the second run.
I managed of 3.18 for the first run, which although not too bad i was disappoined i didn't go faster, which made me determined to put in a good second time. There were 3 hours between run times, enough for anyone to psyche themselves up (or out).
Within 10 seconds of the start of my second run it was all over, got a pinch puncture (4 holes on later inspection) dropping into the quarry at the top. I pulled off the track immediately, i can't afford to wreck wheels, and i wasn't going to put in a good time.
I was 18th after my first run, and fell to 26th after everyone else got quicker for their second runs (70 riders in sport/senior category). It was still a good weekend though, superb course, one of the best i have ridden in the UK. I'm sure that i will be back up that way soon to ride the rest of the courses up there.
Steve Peat won by 7seconds over local boy Crawford Carrick anderson with a time of 2.41. Guess that shows how much quicker we all need to be!