Racing Reports

FortWilliam Nps

By Tundy

Right just got back from an eventful weekend at Fort William and not one which my team mates Grant Garden and Dan Millard I’m sure will not forget!
Practice day – Perfect riding conditions in my opinion the track was dry and you had the warm sunshine behind you. The track started from the usual platform point and went down to the first bus stop berm connecting back onto the second bus stop berm which this time at Fort bill I noticed the start top section to be a lot rougher then before. From the 2nd bus stop to the cattle grid is just fast and fun with some nice corners and little drops to keep you on the ball. After the cattle grid you go over the last rock slab then drop down into a flat right hander switch back style corner into the next left hand corner straight over a little jump/drop type obstacle then into the next right hander followed by the rock double jump which most riders seemed to double up which I found was more fun to do. Now this race being part of the National Points Series, I was told there was a high likely hood of the woods being used for this race however to my luck they were not used and the track was pretty much identical to the track I raced at the SDA earlier in the year.
From the switch backs which led onto the first fire road (missing out the wood section) you crossed over the fire road and went drop, drop, drop, into a tight right to left switch back then shot straight across out of the bushes and there was the choice of riding the wall ride or just jumping out to the right and missing out the wall ride. I opted to miss it out as I haven’t the best of luck when it came to wall rides! The track then went straight into and open patch which didn’t last long before you shot into the next section of the track and it was another fast straight then sudden small drop into another tight right hander into left hander and over the bridge over the rock garden which was pretty punishing finding the energy to pedal over it all then another little drop and into a right hander later followed by a left hander or another wall ride (optional) which was interesting and another thrilling addition to the track! From this point it was straight over the drop into left hander berm and over the stream (cattle grid bridge) which was one of my favourite parts of the track and into the woods over the roots and drops then into the rock garden which was a nightmare to find lines in (most can agree with me when I say the line choice is endless!). Though I found as coming out of the woods going really tight to the left was really good and was best for carrying the speed through the rocks and onto the 2nd fire road.
Now this was the last section also known as ‘’the motorway’’ I’m sure by the name it can give you an idea of the kind of speed through this section, so it was over the 2nd fire road and down the fast steep start of the motorway pedalling near enough the whole way! Off the first couple of jumps then rally it into the right hand berm and off the hip which took away a fair amount of speed but was a lot of fun to do. So pedalling out of the hip round the right hander and of the 1st double land smooth carry on pedalling off the 2nd double land smoothly again and pedal again a little harder then of the 3rd and you should be at high speed by now so it is all out pedalling after landing the 3rd double smoothly and pedal all way up to the Tiso jump, compression then lift up as much as possible during mid air flick the bars for a little style then land (hopefully on the landing) now your off again down the ‘’off beat wall ‘’ going at high speeds round the right hander and into 4x track, fly of the triple then another double and you have finished! Now If you are not knackered then not to worry because you still got more practise runs to keep you busy ha-ha oh and not to mention the seeding run at the end of the day!!


Race day – Now taking my teams advise I just cruised seeding and I didn’t get a very good time ( I new this because when I compared to the ours in the team I thought something wasn’t right!).
So the conditions had taken a turn for the worst over night and it was none stop rain also fog at the top all through practise and the rest of the day. Grant Garden was Unfortunate to have a bad crash on the hip jump yesterday which put him in hospital on the Saturday night lucky enough the helmet did its job well! There was also Dan Millard’s crash which I am not 100% sure what happened but it ended up with Dan coming out with a damaged kidney and spleen. Get well Dan and Grant! Though for the rest of us: John, Andrew and I (Tundy) who were left to race and I can tell you we were not exactly to optimistic about racing after the injuries Dan and Grant had come away with! Never the less we raced and all managed to stay on, enjoying our selves which I especially did after my race run by getting to sit on the hot seat ha-ha!!!

So all in all mixed thought about the weekend but we all enjoyed it in our own ways and will see you all in 07!

Dunkeld Scottish Champs

Scottish Champs - Dunkeld

GREAT NEWS - Team Ecosse Downhill Racing's Grant Garden achieved 2nd place at the Scottish Champs at Dunkeld on the 20th August 2006....Well Done Grant, our first podium....lets hope you/we get more in the future.

Inners - NPS