With 20 days of the new year already flown by, it was time for the first race of the year down at Tavi woodlands in absolutely baltic weather conditions. Tavi has recently fallen victim to being felled and Chaz Lamely did a top job to get a race track clear.
Tom Dunn racing to 17th in Seniors for Hot Pursuit Cycles. Chris Davison photography.
Using one of their most direct top sections including a few steep bomb holes, the top is always usually a slog just to pedal your way through. Then onto crossing the boggy fireroad into Krash track, which leads onto lots of fun turns and a couple of fairly technical sections. With plenty of free practice time, we managed to get five runs in. Allowing everyone to pick their lines and discover a few new ones that had been opened. With a range of riders in our group from seniors, masters, vets and a hardtail tension was building for the first runs. The good thing about going last is you get to catch your mates go first! Which did provide some entertainment (Eh Billy).
Greg Berry racing to 10th in Seniors for Hot Pursuit Cycles. Chris Davison photography.
A good solid first run from everyone, with top Tone (Williams) sitting in first in the vets, Matt in 3rd in the hardtails, Greg 8th and Tom 16th in seniors and full factory Billy in 9th in masters. So with podium places to hold onto and top tens to stay in, second runs were going to be equally as important. Tony held onto his lead going a second faster, extending his lead over John Cobb by 2 and half seconds. Billy improved his time in the masters and held onto his 9th, a great results for his first race in a fews. I went a second slower and dropped to 10th, thus not getting the single digit finish I wanted, brilliant. Tom more or less matched his first time but dropped to 17th, well into the top half of the category though. Matt also went slightly faster but Chris Lamley ended his chances of a podium by putting him in 4th.
