Northwest MTB Series Round 1 – Farmer Johns
With overnight temperatures down to -3C and two metres of snow bordering many of the trans-Pennine roads you could be forgiven for thinking the opening round of 2013 Northwest MTB Series at Farmer Johns was kicking off in the middle of winter, not at Easter!
Despite the weather, and attractions of a last minute holiday in the sun, there was an excellent Bank Holiday weekend turnout with good representation in all categories. The team at Farmer John’s had been very busy in the preceding weeks and riders were getting their first taste of the new 2013 features added to this already excellent venue. Talk was about new found speed over the hard packed sections, getting psyched up for the new rock garden and, as always, pinning the final descent through the woods that would make or break a time.
The new rock garden was soon claiming it’s first victims as the drop into a tight gap under the bridge punished anyone who got their line wrong with a snagged left pedal and a chance to test their body armour.
First race runs threw up no surprises as Josh Bryceland (StevePeteSyndicate), Elite Men, stopped the clock at 1:19.23 with a perfectly controlled descent to set fastest time. Other stand out times were in the Youth men category where 15yr old James Hurst (Evolution Racing) set a rapid 1:33.32. Nial Oxley (Great Rock) looked equally on the pace but for a big off in the final section of the woods where ‘carnage corner 2013’ lived up to it’s reputation. Line choice and speed some 15 metres out were proving critical, get it wrong and there was little room for adjustment into the corner. For the Junior men category it was Liam McDermott setting the early pace with an impressive 1:28.53 and Conor Bate (TeamRockGardener), below, looked unstoppable, his 1:39.89 being 10 seconds clear of the pack in the Juvenille men category. Indeed he would not be caught all day.
Rebecca Baraona (Team NCA), below left, had a clear 24 sec lead in the Womens category after her first race run, but things were less clear behind her with the Team Cycopath duo of Llinos Brow, in 2nd place and Cath Short, 4th place, split by Emma Whitaker (All Terrain Cycles). Just 10 secs covered all three of these chasing riders.
Second race runs naturally saw improved times for most competitors. Chas Barker took over three seconds off his first run time to set a 1:27.54 which was enough to hold on to first place in the Master category. Similarly James Hughes (1868 racing/Antur Stiniog) tightened his grip on the men’s Expert category with a 1:22.78. Nial Oxley came back with a 1:29.17 to nick the lead from James Hurst in the Youth category. However, no one improved enough to catch Veteran Adrian Bradley (Antur Stiniog), above right, who impressed with a stylish second run to a 1:29.44. Rebecca Baraona didn’t improve on her time but comfortably retained her first place, however Cath Short took a whopping 14secs out of her initial time to leap into second place.
The events youngest competitor, Owen Mapleson (Clwb Beicio Mynydd Dyffryn Conwy), above, in the Ripper category showed terrific spirit as he slashed over a minute off his initial run to finish with fine 2:11.68, well done Owen.
Josh Bryceland, above, went on to set a stunning time of 1:17.28, fastest of the day. But maybe, just maybe, the ride of the day goes to Richard Acott (DMR/TRP/Xfusion/YBN/Konola), below. Not for winning the men’s Senior category with an excellent 1:24.76, but for wringing every last second out of the course on a hardtail.
Results
Elite men
1 Josh BRYCELAND StevePeatSyndicate 1:17.28
2 Jack READING Jackreading Racing 1:20.28
3 Dale RUSSELL (exp) Grizedale Mountain Bikes 1:24.08
Expert men
1 James HUGHES 1868 Racing / Antur Stiniog 1:22.78
2 Jamie SCOTT Freeflowbikes / Teamrockgardener.co.uk 1:23.82
3 Josh LEWIS StevePeatSyndicate 1:24.50
Ripper men
1 Owen MAPLESON Clwb Beicio Mynydd Dyffryn Conwy 2:11.68
Juvenile men
1 Conor BATE 1:36.00
2 Jake MONK Sheffield Dirt Society 1:43.84
3 Oscar MONK Sheffield Dirt Society 1:45.39
Youth men
1 Nial OXLEY Great-rock.co.uk 1:29.17
2 James HURST Evolution Racing 1:33.32
3 Davey BROOKES 1:34.72
Junior men
1 Callum RUSSELL (jun) 1:27.91
2 Liam MCDERMOTT Teamrockgardener.co.uk 1:28.53
3 George CLARKE 1:30.25
Senior men
1 Richard ACOTT DMR / Konola / TRP 1:24.76
2 Matthew HAKES 1:27.32
3 Mitch INGLEY Knox Armour / Racers Guild 1:27.55
Master men
1 Chas BARKER 1:27.54
2 Adam TAYLOR 1:29.76
3 Tony KAY 1:31.63
Veteran men
1 Adrian BRADLEY Antur Stiniog 1:29.44
2 Martin CREASER Standards Down 1:37.37
3 Michael HILL Teamrockgardener.co.uk 1:37.44
Grand Veteran men
1 David BRADY 3:00.94
Hardtail men
1 Richard ACOTT DMR / TRP / Xfusion / YBN 1:28.41
2 Sam FAUX 1:41.44
3 Ste TOMLINSON SWT 1:44.25
Women
1 Rebecca BARAONA Team NCA 1:45.40
2 Cath SHORT Team Cycopath 2:05.00
3 Llinos BROWN Team Cycopath 2:09.20
For full results see
http://www.rootsandrain.com/race1719/2013-mar-31-northwest-mtb-series-1-farmer-johns-stockport/
Words John Pearman
Photography MJP Photography
http://www.rootsandrain.com/photos/mjp-photography/
http://www.pinkbike.com/u/mjp-Photography/
For more info on the Northwest MTB Series visit www.borderline-events.co.uk / @borderlinemtb