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Midlands Super Series - Rounds 4/5
Rhyd Y Felin
James, Photos: James (Copyright) - 3rd/4th July
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 Just after leaving my house the thunder clouds start to surround our car, looks like its going to be a wet one, we are going to Wales, things can surely only get worse?
After driving around what seems like an eternity of small narrow lanes we finally get to the race, after driving the car sideways into the field thanks to the mud at the entrance as always!
The finish arena was across the road from the car park, there was a small tent for registration and the timing people had another tent where they were supposedly showing the results...
The course begins right at the top of the mountain, the top has been completely deforested so there are large piles of branches everywhere and the wind easily cuts across it.
The track at the top begins with a sprint to the first steep roll able drop over loads of roots, which goes straight into a right hand turn down a very fast fire road. The branches had been piled up on one side of the course which made it easier for riders without the strong crosswinds blowing them off course. Coming down to the next corner which was heavily rutted and you had a choice of take it wide and hit the berm, or cut it tight and jump your way down the section.
Next up came the road crossing into the section you can see on the Earthed DVD, where Dan, Gee and the Don are riding the large berms. It switches through two huge corners and into a little sprint to another roll able drop into a right hand turn. Then another quick sprint down the hill over the road jump and straight into a very fast section and over another jump.
This then took you down into the wooded section where the conditions were very muddy and the course very twisty, a bad combination!!
The course snakes down through the wood, with a few jumps and some very muddy sections which many riders struggled on, as there was no grip anywhere!
 
Then the course moves out onto the finish fields, over a jump, down a steep bank and a very fast sprint through a long sweeping corner, then over the amazing step down, over the small stream (which did manage to slow a lot of riders down, and cover people in mud who were standing next to it..) then comes a tight right hand turn through two trees, round the last corner and an all-out sprint to the finish..
And not a speck of rain all day! I get home and it's poured down here...
Please to ANYONE thinking of bringing a mini bike or motorized something-or-other other than your car to the race, DON'T the organisers do not have insurance for them, and you're jeopardising the future of the race, get on down to your own land, or organise a mini-bike race yourself!
116 Photos from the event here..
All results here
Juvenile Men
1st Josh Bryceland - 3:18.87
2nd Joseph Smith - 3:42.85
3rd Joseph HORTON - 3:48.18
Somehow Josh Bryceland managed a time which had most of the riders scratching their heads, he had clocked a time which rivalled nearly every category podium!!
Youth Men
1st Brendan Fairclough - 3:09.00
2nd ----------------------- 3:24.20
3rd Andrew Cooper - 3:34.42
As always Brendan winning again, looking to do very well in the coming years.
Junior Men
1st Matt Simmonds - 3:16.64
2nd Robert Smith - 3:19.02
3rd Mike Strickland - 3:22.50
Congrats to Matt Simmonds, a great time set there, keep it going.
Master Men
1st Steve Goode - 3:29.97
2nd John Finney - 3:43.42
3rd Si Paton - 3:48.87
Veteran Men
1st Robert Munn - 3:59.52
2nd Adrian Hume - 4:09.74
3rd Chris Waddup - 4:14.86
Elite Women
1st Jules Coventry - 4:36.49
2nd Kirsty Price - 4:58.82
Well done to Kirsty, doing well despite the mud! Pity we didn't have a higher turnout!
Senior Men
1st David List - 3:16.73
2nd Lee Bertram - 3:20.42
3rd Tim Green - 3:20.74
Some very quick times there and an obvious battle for 2nd and 3rd !!
Expert Men
1st Rowan Sorrell - 3:17.10
2nd Jason Bayliss - 3:19.20
3rd Alex Stock - 3:19.24
Another very tight battle there for 2nd and 3rd, really all that separates them is a slightly wider line on a corner, or a millisecond more airtime!
Elite Men
1st Dan Citchlow - 3:06.58
2nd Dave Smith - 3:09.04
3rd Danny Harper - 3:11.62
Bloody quick times there from the Elites, where no-one else thought the 3:10 barrier would be broken!!
Thanks to all the uplift drivers, Dave Pearce, Gary Brain, Chris Roberts, all the marshals, course builders and of course all the riders for racing!
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