661 Mini Downhill – Forest of Dean. Race report
It was the last round of the 661 Mini Downhill this Sunday at the popular Forest of Dean venue. Will Soffe headed down there to report on the action.
This Sunday was the final round of the Mini DH Series 2014/15 from Chris Roberts and the Naked Racing team. The weather was fantastic and I put my Powa Defender in the car and the dry tyres on, looking forward to riding some loam in the sun!
Naked Racing had switched up from the usual tracks and used “Endo” for the first time ever. The track started on some flatish natural turns before dropping onto the fire road for some old-school flat turns. Then after a tricky left hander off the fireroad the track became a series of very difficult off-camber rooty switchbacks, where the race was sure to be won or lost. Finally riders burst out of the woods onto an open section which was basically a 4X track; a spectators dream!
191 riders competed despite a clash with the first Pearce Cycles round, proving that DH racing is alive and well. The tricky nature of the track meant that there were many offs in practice with frustrated riders pushing back up to the top to try the latest fashionable line around a root filled hairpin! Many riders had booked onto the Flyup Downhill bus which took to the top in style or paid a bargain price of £2 per run. The FOD format is two timed race runs starting with the Rippers, Juvenile and Youth riders, finishing with the Pro-Am category. Racing was fast and furious with riders setting off through the World Cup style start-gate at 20 second intervals.
In the Rippers category, many under 12 year-old riders showed up with a large field of 15 riders! Daniel Cope came out on top of the podium ahead of Dowie Evans and Henry Crease. The stacked Juvenile field was headed by local rider Evan Davies with a time of 1:12.67 ahead of Luke Williamson and Sonny Goode.Youth rider and local hero Jordan Beighton set a great time of 1:09.77. He was joined on the podium by Josh Howell and Rob Thomas. Junior was won by Josh Corbett from Ciaran King and Ian Taylor The Senior Men 18 – 29 category was won by James Windley with a 1:08.47 from JJ Scott and Matt Kovar. Senior Women was won by Maddy Hall ahead of Meghan Harris and Ellie Dewdney.The win in Hardtail went to Steven Jones with a very respectable 1:11.37 ahead of Sonny Baston and Simon Nash. Imagine what these boys could do with some rear suspension!
In the Master Mens category, Brad Hale beat Tim Hall to take the win leaving Stuart Wiltshire third. Master Women victory went to Emma Bradley with Kerstin Pereira second and Toohula Moomin third. In Vets Welshman and one/third of MIJ racing Ian Bray won beating Graham Ayling and Simon Baldwin for top honours.
The Pro-Am category was won by Weston-Super-Mare’s World Cup star and top arbourer Rich Thomas. The crowd were suitably impressed by the way he slayed the jumps at the end of the course and Rich even gave his One Industries prize away to a younger rider, so top marks that man! In second place was local Ieuan Williams who was trying out 650b wheels! I managed to come in third place and was loving the track and the atmosphere, a return to grass-roots racing, albeit with a modern 2015 bike!
The guys from One Industries were on hand presenting some snazzy glass trophies and providing goodies to those fast enough to get a podium spot.
Words by Will Soffe
Photos by Dave Price Photography
Full results over at Roots and Rain