Hi people, here's what I saw from last night (Friday 3rd)
A week without rain (when did that last happen?) had left the course dry and dusty. For a start the car park was sparsely used but as the race time approached so the competitors turned up. All the usual suspects were there for Senior honours; Nick Jones, Matt Barrett, Adi Scott, Jason Hucklesby, Ian Whatling, myself (ulp!)
The race was started along the flat 'fire-road' before a sharpish right hander onto the course proper, taking us up a sharp grassy rise into woods where the ride had been repaired since last time, much to everyone's approval. I got away with the leaders nicely and was third into the first corner, then watched as Barrett and Jones (sounds like a firm of silicitors) disappeared. This left me in third towing along a freight train of riders which I believe included Adi Scott, Hucklesby, Graham Dickens and Whatling, and probably some vets too. I didn't look back to check.
Coming through the second set of woods I saw Jones laying across the track, visibly shaken from losing it on some ironstone which formed the track there, speaking to hime after he said he'd actually hit Barrett and the stone at the same time, the result was inevitable. That put me second for the time being, but I fully expected the 'hounds-from-hell' to swamp me anytime soon after. This didn't happen, still not allowing myself a look back I threw it all in on the gradual climb out the back of the circuit (where I clocked 23mph on my sighting lap!), and across the field and up the side of the corn field. I could still just see Barrett ahead, but chasing him was a futile gesture so I kept my head down and tried to delay getting caught.
I did get caught on lap two, by a recovering Nick Jones who passed me then promptly rode off the course just after the point where he'd crashed a lap previously. I thought he's missed the turn and called after him, but he didn't respond so I was back in second again. It was all going off behind me by now, with the chasing group fragmenting; Jef Sharp moved through to make up the gap on me, catching me as I slipped off next to the cornfield. I hit a rut on the uphill bit, NOT the downhill bit just before the turn that seemed to catch everyone else (including Hollie Bettles on her sighting lap). Jef sort of waited for me to make up the 20 metres back to him, then we circulated together for the rest of the race. I was able to move back past him on the rocky woods section, my Scott Strike was just floating over the bumps where his hardtail was trying to shake the fillings out of his teeth! He then used me as a wind-break for the remainder of the laps.
Jason Hucklesby appeared to have secured 3rd senior place, only to get 'done' by Adi Scott just before the finish, a good scrap. Jef moved past me up the fireroad climb on the last lap and went off to secure the vets win; I wasn't racing him for position so didn't worry about chasing but that didn't stop him crowing about it afterwards! I was just absolutely chuffed that I'd 'podiumed' this year, and a second place to boot - handy points (see table elsewhere). Matt Barrett was imperious, whether Jones would have raced him all the way for it (or vice-versa) is a moot point, Barrett's was a thoroughly deserved win.
Just two counting rounds to go and it's a wide open championship in at least four categories, place your bets......
