Marin Winter Series finale - 4 Hour Race

 

The Marin Winter series finished on a high with a healthy turn out of riders, ready to battle it out for the honour of the event win and overall series win. With many of the categories still wide open, the racing, as always was fast and hard.

This time round the course designers had come up with a worthy champions' course: six point one miles of fast, dry single-track, swooping berms and long, grassy, strength-sapping drags.

At ten-thirty, with the sun desperately trying hard to burn through above the chilly course, the start gun was fired and the four hour race began. By sending the riders in the opposite direction to begin with, the organisers ensured everyone was well strung out as they hit the first section of single-track.

Riding strongly at the front was a small group of around six riders, containing Ross Adams, Ryan Henry, Martin Smith, George Budd, Adrian Scott and super Vet Paul Ashby. Ashby, looking for the series hat trick and overall series win, stuck with the younger guys for a lap or two, before finding the blistering pace a bit too much. A steady lap on his own gave him time to recover and his determined effort to get back on terms with the pace setters were only thwarted by backmarkers.

By lap five, the all-conquering duo of Adams and Henry (pictured right, Henry leading) were working well together, leaving the rest of the group to pick up the pieces behind. Of course, Adams and Henry were locked in a battle of their own and it was one which took them right to the finish where, after 10 laps, Henry defeated Adams at the line, after an eyeballs-out sprint for the line.

Meanwhile the battle for minor placings and the overall series win was still being fought out. Paul Ashby (pictured left) crossed the line in 3rd spot to take the Male plus win and overall Male plus title, conceding just 8 mins to the two younger men.

Gavin Rumbles, the men's four hour series leader with two wins under his belt had an uncharacteristically lack-lustre race. A crash right at the beginning put him out of contention and his race was focused on clawing back positions to claim the series win.

Between him and that win was George Budd, who fought valiantly all the way. Rumbles finally came home in 7th spot giving him enough points to take the overall series, by the narrowest of margins. Budd a mere 5 points adrift, took fourth on the day and claimed second overall. Martin Smith finished third in the race, whilst Phil Peacocks twelfth spot gave him enough points for third overall in the series.

Seasoned enduro rider Lydia Gould (right) made a strong impression on the women's four hour race. As usual she started off hard, leading the race from the front. Tracey Miles tried to stay on her wheel, hanging on for two laps, before Lydia kicked and got away. Jenn Hopkins, series leader and looking to add another win, looked very uncomfortable as she struggled to stay in contention with the two front markers. She was another rider who was seriously under the weather, suffering with a cold.

Half way through the race Hopkins was ready to pack, but she carried on with the overall series win still firmly in her sights. Despite being overtaken by Janes Geddes towards the end, Hopkins valiantly clung to fourth spot to take a well-deserved series win. Tracey Miles rode her own race after losing touch with Gould, concentrating on covering eight laps, to take second on the day behind Gould and also second in the series. Jane Geddes took third on the day and third overall.

 

Results >>>>

Riders Comments:

Ross Adams - Second in the 4hr men's race
"It was a major battle all way round: quite hard. I'd just got back from Spain on Wednesday so the cold is a bit of a shock. I felt quite comfortable. At the finish, I was just about to go when he went: we were even sprinting down the finish section. It was pretty hairy!

Tracey Miles - 2nd women's 4hr
I really enjoyed the course and I'm pleased with second. I prefer the longer laps as you do less laps overall. It's all part of the challenge to keep going lap after lap; I tend to lose which lap I'm on. I love this event; it's got a really good atmosphere and really good people and really worth travelling to.

Lydia Gould - women's 4hr winner
I really enjoyed it, though it was hard. There was no rest anywhere and it's hard on the back and the knees. I've been training quite hard recently and it pays off. I had no idea where I was, no idea who was lapping me, or who was behind me. I'm pleased with the win. Great event I'll definitely come and do it again.