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PHOTOS FROM LARRY HICKMOTT

Downhill Series Finale - Innerleithen

Chain Reaction NPS Downhill Round 5

Innerleithen, 14 October 2007

Images: Larry Hickmott

Results - see bottom of page!

Gee Atherton

The final round of the 2007 NPS Downhill series took riders back to the classic Innerleithen course in the Scottish Borders. With the series titles to be wrapped up, there was an excellent turn-out and some cracking racing.

In the Elite Men's Category Gee Atherton took his third win of the series and claimed the series title in the process, with a comfortable 2.7s win over last year's champion Marc Beaumont. It capped a great year for the Commencal rider who picked up a well-deserved bronze at last month's worlds.

Sister Rachel followed in Gee's wheeltracks and took the Women's series, though she had to give best on the day to Tracy Moseley - the margin of Tracy's win was just 0.3s and reflects the close rivalry which is developing between these two for the title of Britain's best female rider. Katy Curd won the Junior category - she was the only entry - but her excellent time of 3m 36.6 underlined her progress this season.

In the absence of close rival Josh Bryceland, newly crowned world champion Ruaridh Cunningham could have been excused for relaxing on his way to winning the Junior Men's race, but relishing racing in his champion's jersey the young Scot blasted down the course in under 3 minutes, joining an elite group of just 8 riders who managed this feat - all the others were Elite Men and Ruaridh's time was actually the 5th fastest on the day!

Youth winner Danny Hart was the final rider to slip under the three minute barrier and he was a superb 7th overall on a course he clearly relishes. The Juvenile race went to Mark Scott by thousandths of a second from Lewis Buchanan.

The Expert's race went to Richard Cheetham, whilst Pete Williams was the top Senior rider with a cracking time of 3m 08.1s.

In the age category races, Master David Tallontine and Veteran Paul French both recorded their fourth wins of dominant seasons, though both had to go hard to hold off determined challenges from Chris Whitfield and Martin Crocket respectively.

Marc Beaumont

Ruaridh Cunningham

Tracy Moseley

Event Junior Podium

Senior Men Event Podium

Elite women Event Podium

Junior Men Series Podium

Elite Men Series Podium

Elite Women Series Podium

Results

Race 1 Juvenile Men   
1 Mark SCOTT Ecosse DH Racing 03:18.2
2 Lewis BUCHANAN Dust Till Dawn/Last Bikes/M 03:18.2
3 Fraser McGLONE  03:25.8
4 Sam FLOCKHART Astrix/Descent Gear 03:31.2
5 Bradley CRAGGS Descend Hamsterley 03:32.0
6 Andrew MABON Quick Drill/Sandy Wallace C 03:38.8
7 Johnathan BEATTIE  03:47.2
8 Sam WAKEFIELD  03:51.2
9 Brad WILLIAMS  03:52.5
10 Robert BLACK  03:52.8
11 Charlie BEACH Www.Ibike.Co.Uk 03:59.5
12 Benjamin WILLIAMSON  04:20.6
13 Jevan WILLIAMS  04:21.2
   
Race 2 Youth Men   
1 Danny HART Balfa UK 02:59.7
2 Alastair WILSON Ancillotti UK 03:09.1
3 Bernard KERR Marzocchi/Extreme Medical/B 03:10.5
4 Arran GANNICOTT Santa Cruz 03:11.5
5 Harry MOLLOY Muddy Fox/Resurgence/Lifest 03:13.5
6 Gareth BREWIN Descent World/Quad Brakes 03:14.8
7 Ryan MARTIN Mountain High Cycles 03:16.5
8 Harry HEATH  03:16.9
9 James SCOTT  03:17.1
10 James DOWER Jamesdower.Co.Uk 03:18.6
11 Joe EDGE Fenwicks/Foeldh Riders 03:18.7
12 Callum DEW Active Sport 03:24.1
13 Keith MABON Quickdrill/Sandy Wallace Cy 03:29.0
14 Todd KIERNEY Solid/Electric 03:30.5
15 Jake BOYLETT Dartmoor Cycles 03:31.0
16 Andrew GRANT Team Ecosse 03:32.1
17 Jimmy SMITH Rhuk Roots 03:32.5
18 Pete ROBINSON Utopia Optics/Bucks MTB 03:32.7
19 Scott JONES  03:32.8
20 Ben MOORHOUSE Moonglu/Zeal Optics 03:33.4
21 Stephen MILLYARD Millyard Racing/Descent Gea 03:33.6
22 Ronan TAYLOR Team Pursuit 03:35.8
23 Aaron SHEARER  03:36.7
24 Joe YOUNG Descend Hamsterley 03:38.7
25 Rich ROBERTSHAW  03:40.9
26 Jamie BELL  03:41.8
27 Jamie CALLOW  03:44.5
28 Martin Simons  03:44.9
29 Alex POWELL Team Loctite 03:46.5
30 Benji HARRISON  03:46.6
31 William HERD Pen3 Perth City Cycles 03:46.7
32 Sam WEBSTER Team Skene 03:48.5
33 Joseph VIALS  03:49.9
34 Cameron LEADBETTER Riding High UK 03:50.5
35 Gregory HAMPTON  03:52.2
36 Christopher TAYLOR  03:52.9
37 James STOREY Pscycles.Co.Uk 03:54.8
38 Nick BLACKBURN  03:56.5
39 Tom KNIGHT MTB Bitz.Co.Uk 03:58.8
40 Rory WATSON  04:03.1
41 Jamie CRUMP  04:06.8
42 Oli WAKEMAN Svn Microsystems 04:08.7
 Wiiliam HEWITT Banjo Cycles Non-Fin
   
Race 3 Junior Men   
1 Ruaridh CUNNINGHAM Bike Love Glasgow 02:58.1
2 Chris HUTCHENS Cycle Jersey.Com/MFX Airart 03:03.0
3 Ben INESON  03:09.8
4 Emyr DAVIES MSC Bikes UK/Descent Gear 03:10.9
5 Scott MEARS Denton Cycle 03:11.3
6 Joseph HORTON Pearce Cycles Race Team 03:14.9
7 Joseph SMITH Ancillotti UK 03:18.2
8 Thomas WHEELER MOJO/Orange 03:19.1
9 Sam SHUCKSMITH  03:19.1
10 Owain JAMES Pearce Cycles RT 03:20.2
11 Alex BOND  03:20.9
12 Nathan VIALS  03:21.4
13 Daniel MILLARD Team Ecose/Asep 03:23.0
14 Alistair PARKIN Angus Bike Chain 03:23.4
15 Sean PRINGLE Gala CC 03:23.6
16 Oliver BURTON Hastingscycles/Sottoclothin 03:24.5
17 Joe TAYLOR MOJO/Orange 03:26.0
18 Sean WHITECROSS Skyline Cycles 03:26.1
19 Andrew PHILIPS Ionashop 03:26.3
20 Daniel FIETSCH Descend Hamsterley/Mountain 03:27.0
21 Bradley SHIELDS Pearce Cycles RT 03:27.3
22 Daniel JARY Utopia Optics 03:27.4
23 Damien GROVES Team Goldtec 03:28.5
24 Christain FAIRCLOUGH Rezurgence 03:28.7
25 Sam ROBERTS  03:29.3
26 Gavin BLACK Perth City Cycles 03:32.2
27 Chris COLLINS  03:32.6
28 Jeremy CALLOW  03:34.2
29 Grant GARDEN Team Ecosse 03:40.5
30 James METCALFE Silton Downhill/MTB Bitz 03:42.9
31 William DAVIS Team No Good 03:44.7
32 Nick CRELLIN  03:47.2
33 Thomas CLARKSON Foel DH Riders 03:47.3
34 Daniel NEWMAN  03:52.0
35 Boris KERR  03:53.1
36 Cameron Argyle ROBINSON  04:42.7
37 Stuart FERGUSON D Ferguson Welders 05:33.2
 Martin YOUNG  Non-Fin
 Kris BLACKBURN  Non-Fin
   
Race 4 Veteran Men   
1 Paul FRENCH Ancillotti UK 03:23.7
2 Martin Ernie CROCKET Victor Meldrew 03:24.8
3 Alastair MACLENNAN Off Beat Bikes 03:26.1
4 Keith WILSON Online Bikes 03:37.3
5 Chris PORTER MOJO 03:40.3
6 Neil EDGAR Rave Racing 03:40.5
7 Steve FELSTEAD Ticket2RideBC.Com/Descent G 03:55.7
8 Greg TAYLOR Rave Racing 03:57.9
9 Richard ABBOT  03:59.5
10 Dave WILLS Foel DH Riders 04:10.2
11 Chris ROBERTS  04:46.8
12 Jeff ADAMS Dragon/The Defective 05:07.8
13 Peter SOUTHERN  05:18.0
14 Paul BRAITHWAITE Vertical Access 05:25.6
   
Race 5 Master Men   
1 David TALLONTIRE Biking Heaven/AE-Up 03:17.3
2 Chris WHITFIELD Leasure Lakes 03:18.6
3 Sion JONES Electric/Santa Cruz 03:21.0
4 Mark WEIGHTMAN Leisure Lakes 03:22.1
5 Andrew TITLEY Kona Sombrio 03:22.9
6 Alan LEWIS AW Cycles 03:26.0
7 Russ HARLAND  03:27.0
8 Allan HAY  03:28.3
9 Darren HOWARTH  03:29.0
10 Paul BRIDGE  03:30.2
11 Lance HARLAND  03:30.7
12 Joe WARD Crc/661/Potato Bred/Maxxis 03:31.0
13 Daron OSBORN 0zZ 03:31.6
14 Zac HUBERY Descend Hamsterley/Mountain 03:31.9
15 Philip MCLAREN Descend Hamsterley 03:32.4
16 Ian MCINTYRE CRC 03:33.3
17 Gary BURNS Midlands & Borders DH Club 03:33.8
18 Andy WILLIAMSON Foel DH Riders/Corwen Carpe 03:36.5
19 Thomas REED Descend Hamsterley 03:37.9
20 Alex SLATER Rave Racing 03:38.9
21 Jason Gun BRENNAN Rave Racing 03:41.6
22 Gavin BEAUMONT  03:42.6
23 Dave ENGLISH Descend Hamsterley 03:42.6
24 Keith CLARKE Rave Racing 03:43.4
25 Jimmy PEWTRESS  03:48.5
26 John UNDERWOOD Leisure Lakes/Cummins 03:54.4
   
Race 7 Youth Women   
1 Monet ADAMS Descent-Gear 04:07.7
   
Race 8 Junior Women   
1 Katy CURD Giant 03:36.6
   
Race 9 Master Women   
1 Wendy CHAMBERS  04:40.1
   
Race 10 Veteran Women   
1 Lynda DAVIES Ticket2RideBC.Com/Descent G 04:10.4
   
Race 11 Senior Women   
1 Aimee DIX Team Skene 03:50.9
2 Sue MAHONEY Psyclewerx 04:11.0
   
Race 12 Elite Women   
1 Tracy MOSELEY Kona Les Gets 03:17.2
2 Rachel ATHERTON Animal/Commencal 03:17.5
3 Helen GASKELL Halfords Bike Hut 03:24.2
4 Sarah NEWMAN  04:12.3
   
Race 13 Senior Men   
1 Peter WILLIAMS Alpine Bikes 03:08.1
2 Jack READING  03:13.1
3 Tom RODGERS All Terrain Cycles 03:15.1
4 Jethro WHITFIELD Chequer Flag Catering 03:17.8
5 Duncan FERRIS Fusion Bikes 03:17.9
6 Ross ANDERSON  03:20.2
7 Callum GAULT  03:20.3
8 Alan WHITELAW Wylie And Holland 03:20.6
9 Rob YOUNG Siltondownhill.Com/MTB Bitz 03:21.3
10 Dave VALLER  03:21.7
11 Andrew BUDDIN  03:22.0
12 Ricardo PARREIRINHA  03:23.2
13 Gary DRAKE AW Cycles 03:25.7
14 Grant MUNRO Guerilla Rcaing Inc 03:26.5
15 James FLINDERS Midlands & Borders DH Club 03:26.8
16 Jamie CAMBURN  03:26.8
17 Dan SIMMONS  03:26.8
18 Ben WHITEHEAD  03:26.9
19 Billy CAMPBELL  03:27.1
20 Billy WRIGHT-MOSELEY  03:27.4
21 James GREEN Midlands & Borders DH Club 03:28.4
22 Aaron FROST Badd Ass Bikes 03:30.4
23 Wayne APPLEBY  03:31.2
24 James RISKER  03:31.9
25 Robert McDONALD  03:34.6
26 Jonathan TUBMAN  03:35.1
27 Justin FISHER COOKE Foel DH Riders 03:35.4
28 Mark BIRKETT  03:38.5
29 Andrew COOPER MTB Bitz/Fenwicks 03:39.1
30 Mark PENRICE Nightingale CC/MFX/Conquest 03:43.3
31 Sandy PLENTY Leisure Lakes 03:45.3
32 Ben SOUTHERN  03:48.5
33 Ross YOUNG  03:48.5
34 John STEVENSON  03:50.8
35 Alastair KEEN MTB Bitz 03:56.5
36 Matt WAKEFIELD Vario 03:59.4
37 Vaughan EVANS  04:02.4
38 Simon PEARCE  04:03.2
 Richard SPARKS Vista Land Surveys Non-Fin
   
Race 14 Expert Men   
1 Richard CHEETHAM Syncros Electric 03:02.7
2 Nikki WHILES Team Skene 03:08.7
3 Rich THOMAS Ancillotti UK 03:09.4
4 Richard CUNNYNGHAME Charge A Bike Co 03:10.2
5 Nick GEOGHEGAN Balfa UK/Mountain Mania 03:10.9
6 Kieron McAVOY BETD Goldtec 03:10.9
7 John HOLBROOK MTB Direct/Cyclopedia 03:11.3
8 Stuart NICHOLSON Turner Bikes 03:11.8
9 Ben BAKER Balfa UK 03:12.5
10 Leon ROSSER Bicycle Doctor 03:13.5
11 Matthew PARKINSON Ticket2RideBC.Com/Descent G 03:14.3
12 Jack TATTERSALL Sunn Ride-Central 03:14.7
13 Paul WEBSTER Pro Bike Sport 03:15.7
14 Kris BORAM  03:16.3
15 Jason DAVIES Brooks Cycles 03:16.4
16 Rob POLLOCK Alpine Bikes/Ironhorse Mich 03:17.1
17 Liam LITTLE Solid/Electric 03:17.3
18 Will ROWLANDS Stendec 03:18.2
19 Alex FLORIAN  03:18.6
20 Adam BRAYTON Electric 03:19.2
21 Michael GRAY Psyclewerx/Cove 03:19.2
22 Mathew PINCHES  03:19.9
23 Simon APLIN Astrix 03:20.4
24 Stuart JENKINSON  03:20.8
25 Will EVANS Dirt Bike Supply 03:21.9
26 Jon BRAIN Pearce Cycles RT 03:23.9
27 Chris COATES Cycle Jersey/MFX Air Art 03:23.9
28 Andrew WRIGHT Astrix/Progrip/Wheels In Mo 03:25.5
29 Tudor JONES  03:41.5
30 Alasdair MacLENNAN  04:02.2
 Simon PARKINSON Ticket2RideBC.Com/Descent G Non-Fin
   
Race 15 Elite Men   
1 Gee ATHERTON Animal/Commencal 02:51.3
2 Marc BEAUMONT MBUK/Santa Cruz 02:54.1
3 Ben REID Iron Horse 02:55.2
4 Matt SIMMONDS Ancillotti UK 02:56.7
5 Dan STANBRIDGE MOJO/Orange 02:58.3
6 Ralph JONES Dirt MTB Mag 02:59.8
7 Joe BARNES Cycle Jersey/MFX Air Art 03:00.3
8 Dan ATHERTON Animal/Commencal 03:01.4
9 Dave SMITH Syncros Electric 03:01.5
10 Philip ASHBRIDGE  03:03.2
11 Gary FORREST Kona UK 03:04.0
12 Fergus LAMB Ancillotti UK 03:04.3
13 Neil DONOGHUE MBUK Santa Cruz 03:04.6
14 Ben CATHRO Qbikes 03:04.9
15 James HUGHES Syncros Electric 03:08.7
16 Jonny CHEETHAM Halfords Bikehut 03:09.0
17 Dan CRITCHLOW Team GT 03:10.4
18 Tom BRAITHWAITE Giant 03:12.2
19 Robert SMITH Syncros Electric 03:12.2
20 Scott BEAUMONT Rocky Mountain UK 03:12.3
21 Will LONGDEN MBUK Santa Cruz 03:12.5
22 Liam MASON Fusion Bikes UK 03:15.9
23 Rob BREAKWELL Dirt Mag 03:20.1