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Bridgnorth Downtown
Bridgnorth, Shropshire
James - 4th December 2006
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Your typical downhill race usually consists of mud, a forest, uplift drivers rallying the forest trucks and if in Wales, rain.
Not so anymore it would seem. Chopper Harris is the man with a plan, to bring urban downhill races all across the UK, currently considering locations such as Lincoln, Bath and the big name at the moment, Llandudno?!
But big things have small beginnings. Picture the end of the race season, everyone beginning to wind down in wait for the winter series next year, the usually sleepy town of Brignorth is invaded by mountain bikers of all ages. Sounds like a film really.
Brignorth in Shropshire was the venue for the first ever UK DownTown race, the course began in the high town right next to the church. Roll off the trailer and straight into a 180 degree turn, most slid this, some more expertly than others (read: go crashing into spectators) then it was a pedal down to a drop off a set of stairs, round another 180 degree bend and down a long and punishing stair set to the finish right by the River Severn.
A pretty short course i'm sure you'll agree but we have to start somewhere. Racing was tight and only held up by a few crashes, one particularily nasty crash involved one of the Rave Racers with an op on his neck, ouch!
The only problem was spectators.. or rather the amount of them, loads of people poured into the tiny town, to try and watch the racing on the narrow streets and this made for big crowds but difficult to see much for many.
Plans are already out for a series next year, one in Wales, one England and the final in Scotland. Llandudno, Lincoln and Edinburgh? Who knows, we'll see and FTMB will keep up to date with the latest.
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