Joolze Dymond Images
MTB Cross Country National Championships 2008 - Ringwood
20th July 2008, Ringwood
Report and Images by Joolze Dymond. Video by Mike Fletcher
Killeen wrestles National crown from Beckingsale in the Senior mens race, while Jenny Copnall makes it a 5th title in the womens race. Here's an initial report from Joolze Dymond. Full report and more pics soon.
A great day, full of drama and as many twists and turns as the course itself. The biggest battle of the day was obviously going to be between reigning champ Oli Beckingsale and Liam Killeen, with Ian Wilkinson keen to put the cat amongst the pigeons!
As it turned out the powerhouse Wilkinson, not totally recovered from his blinding ride at the Colne crit in the week, struggled to find the legs to keep in contention with the two front runners, Oli and Liam, at one point seeing himself slip out of the medals as Adrian Lansley came past him. Meanwhile, as predicted, the fight for gold and silver was between our two Olympic representatives. each rider pacing each other pedal stroke for pedal stroke, until a mechanical gave Liam no second asking and he romped off to take his first senior title, while Oli, recovered from his split tyre to pick up a well earned second. Wilkinson took bronze."
Meanwhile in the women's race, Jenny Copnall took her 5th national title while the Espoirs races were taken by David Fletcher and Amy Hunt.
Full Report - National XC Champions Crow Hill
What a way to spend your 21st birthday (okay a girl is allowed to lie about her age occasionally) than to watch the UK's best mountain bike riders battle it out to decide the best of the best, under beautiful blue skies.
Yes it's National XC Championionships time and in 2008 the job of organising and delivering a testing course was down to the cracking team behind the Southern XC series - and deliver they did. A fast, unrelenting 9km course that snaked its way around the arena, giving spectators lots of tantalising views of the ensuing action and this time even the weather played ball, summer was definitely with us!
A lot of riders likened the Crow Hill course to Thetford; a fast flowing course with a couple of power kicks, a course more suited to the power rider rather than the climbers.
The big news of the day was that Liam Killeen would be in contention for the senior title, giving reigning Championion Oli Beckingsale a tough challenge to make it six wins. But keen to upset the apple cart was the powerhouse that is Ian Wilkinson. It was to be a day full of drama and with as many twists and turns as the course itself.
Above: This grid ain't big enough for the both of us
As the senior riders lined up there were plenty of smiling faces and quick banter, shielding the sheer determination that would kick-in when the race was in full flight. As the gun was fired it was a full-blown sprint, vying for position as the senior field surged forward ready to get stuck into miles of singletrack, all eyes set on one aim, gold and the chance to wear the Championion's jersey.
Gareth Montgomerie led the vast pack and spectators watched in awe as the brightly coloured string of riders threaded their way, dust billowing towards the woods and the race was well and truly on.
As the race unfolded it was clear that it would as predicted being played out between the two big guns, Killeen and Beckingsale, matching each other pedal stroke for pedal stroke, this was going to be interesting, whilst Wilkinson along with local rider Adrian Lansley tried hard to keep in contention, locked in their own private battle for the remaining medal.
Above: Oli (right) and Liam (left) locked in mortal combat, prior to Beckingsale's mechanical
However this is mountain biking and a certain amount of luck as well as fitness and skill is needed to complete a race and this was one was no exception. With the crowds holding their breath, almost believing the race would be decided by a sprint, Killeen came into view on the 4th lap alone, unfortunately Beckingsale had hit a tree stump and split his tyre and Killeen had opened a gap. While Beckingsale made it back to the pits for a wheel change, the damage had been done, with Killeen now enjoying a minute's advantage which he took to the finish line taking his first senior title in his career and thwarting Beckingsale's record 6th win. A disappointed but philosophical Beckingsale came home to take second, whilst Wilkinson, having slipped down to fourth, battled back with a blinding last lap to take the bronze.
In the senior women's race, all eyes were on Jenny Copnall to see whether she could continue her stranglehold on the Championionship and take her 5th win. With all on the line hopeful to stop her, including Sue Clarke, Paula Moseley and enduro specialist Liz Scallia, could we find another reigning Championion unseated?
Jenny started steady, confidently easing herself into her natural position at the front of the field, concentrating on the job in hand, while behind her the real battle was underway as the rest of the field fought to get near to the Gary Fisher/Subaru rider. Sue Clarke, was determined to put a season of sheer bad luck behind her and at last make her mark, however she was thwarted once more, as coming into the race she was full of cold and pumped up to the brim with (legal) drugs in the aim to try and stop the worse. She valiantly battled round but was nowhere near her potential, as she forced herself to chase Copnall. However it nearly all became too much and by lap 3 she'd been overhauled by Paula Moseley who was on her way for her best result yet.
Above: Jenny Copnall takes the win in the womens race, and her fifth national title
Copnall eased herself over the line for an emotional finish to take her 5th national title, while 3 minutes later Moseley took an excellent silver. A determined Clarke managed to hang onto the bronze and collapsed into the arms of husband Barrie, once more disappointed. Nicola Duggan rode a strong race and narrowly squeezed past Maddie Horton to take 4th.
Above: Amy Hunt with the bit between her teeth on the way to victory in the Espoir Womens
In the women's Espoir race it was great to see Amy Hunt back in action after a season devoid of racing due to an unpleasant illness. The young Colnago-Ergon rider soon got into the swing of her race, dominating it from the front. Although admitting it wasn't easy she was delighted to at last be back racing, as it has been touch and go all year and now she has a much coveted National jersey to inspire her to hopefully greater victories. Marie Stuart rode an educated and confident race to take silver ahead of Abi Greenaway.
The men's Espoir race was another one dogged with sheer bad luck coupled with intelligent riding. The rider dogged by bad luck had to be the pre-race favourite and defending Championion Ian Bibby. With an impressive season to his name, it seemed a sure-fire conclusion that Bibby would be the one to beat. But with a strong challenge from team mates Dave Fletcher, Ross Creber and with Ian Field looking in top form, it was going to be tough.
As the riders streamed through after the first lap, Bibby was nowhere to be seen and it was Field, followed by Fletcher who seemed in complete control of the race. It turned out that Bibby, just returned from a training camp was suffering from a virus and just couldn't get the power down and abandoned the race, leaving it wide open.
Field didn't need any second asking and rode confidently with Fletcher on his wheel, while behind Billy Joe Whenman fought valiantly to keep in 3rd spot despite a determined Ross Creber.
Above: World Championship medallist David Fletcher on his way to the Espoir mens win
By the end of the 4 laps it was a delighted Dave Fletcher who emerged from the trees sprinting for the finish line to give him the National Espoir title in his first year, there wasn't a dry eye in the Fletcher household as he crossed the line triumphant.
Just 48 seconds later, Field came home to take a well-deserved silver, while Whenman held off Creber to take the bronze.
Socks were the order of the day in the Masters race and controversial rider Sam Gardner taking a break from his usual Xterra racing to defend his title was the man wearing them!
Once again the compression socks provided much entertainment as well as some awesome racing. However an awful start saw Gardner left virtually on the line as Matt Barrett and Luke Moseley took the race by the horns and were soon in control upfront. After a lap of hard chasing, Gardner finally got in contention by the second lap and launched his attack opening up a slim gap, which he kept until the end of the 4th lap earning him and his socks a second National jersey.
Matt Barrett wasn't far behind as he came home to claim silver, with Luke Moseley taking another medal home to the Moseley home with a fine bronze.
Earlier in the day a further 11 National Championions had been crowned, all worthy winners around a flattish but incredibly challenging course. The first races of the day had been the youth and juveniles, with some real close shaves and a surprise or two.
In the juvenile men, they had just 1 lap to do their best, and leading from the front as per usual was young Orange Monkey Alex Baker, but hot on his heels, just as in all the recent NPS races, were close rivals Hugo Robinson and Ryan Fenwick.
Soon it was Robinson who had the lead, with Baker tucked on his wheel it was going to be close. Robinson proved the strongest and took the win with Baker just 13secs adrift picking up silver. Fenwick was having his own battles and just held off a strong charge by Edward McParland and Martin Turton to finally take the bronze.
Bethany Crumpton continued her winning streak taking the national Juvenile women's title in her stride, with Amy Roberts and Alice Barnes taking the remaining medals.
Hot favourites for the youth race had to be Kenta Gallagher and Luke Gray, especially after their mighty battle at the last NPS. Unfortunately Gray was yet another rider sidelined by illness, he lined up to start and got stuck in but soon found himself unable to respond and had no choice but to retire, leaving Gallagher out in front and seemingly with a clear run. However much to his surprise, Max Sykes was glued to his wheel, with Steven James and Ben Roff chasing hard. It was a surprise to Sykes too! Having not had the best of years this talented young rider suddenly found himself where he likes to be - in the thick of the action - and we were treated to a thrilling sprint finish as the two riders emerged from the last corner. With just metres to the finish Gallagher held his line and took the win, with a stunned but incredibly delighted Sykes taking silver just a second adrift. Steven James took a cracking 3rd just a further 25 secs down.
The youth women's race was looking to be a showdown between Ruby Miller and Hannah Barnes. After their last outing round this course a few weeks early, where a bad crash left Miller hugging a tree and Barnes out in front, taking the win, today was payback time. Miller, over the intervening weeks, had been working on her ability to ride smoothly and weaning herself of any tree hugging activities and it all paid off with her completing the 2 lap race with no incident and claiming the national title as her reward. Barnes took silver, which in itself was a great result as this talented young lady as hardly been riding her mountain bike, instead riding a lot of track and road, while Sam Bryant cruised in by a gnat's whisker to take bronze just ahead of Katy Winton.
Next up and it was the junior /master and vet women's titles that were to be decided. In a reverse of last year's podium Annie Last this time took the gold, with Annabel Simpson taking silver and Carla Haines taking bronze.
Nina Davies, in her first year mountain biking just gets stronger and stronger and despite the lack of hills, Davies took a comfortable win in the Master women's race. Ruth Mordaunt bettered her 2007 result, moving forward 2 places and picking up silver while Caroline Goward took her second bronze.
Despite a bit of confusion at the end of the vet's women race it was soon apparent that there was just one clear winner the lovely Debbie Burton. Why the confusion? Debs has been riding as a Grand Vet in the NPS but with no other riders in this category she was allowed to compete in the younger vet category, where she showed her class.
Climb On Bikes took the next two podium spots with Gaynor Lea and Kate Wheeler taking silver and bronze respectively.
The 3rd race of the day was the junior, vet, grand vet and super vet men's races and these got under way pretty promptly as the podiums for the previous races were in progress.
With just 2 laps to decide the outcome, the super vets were first home and despite the efforts of Sandy Wallace, John Lloyd and Derek Witt, it was once more Victor Barnett who took the win and with it the National title, making it 2 in a row. Meanwhile with less than a minute between them the next 3 riders came home. Sandy Wallace was once more the bridesmaid as he picked up his second silver, while John Lloyd, picked off Witt to take the bronze by just 12 seconds.
Roy Hunt made a rare but much welcomed appearance in the Grand Vets race and as defending Championion with a virtually unbroken record of victories, it was going to be an interesting race. Water skiing expert turned mountain biker Ian Wright, very nearly didn't make the start line due to an accident on the water earlier in the week. I suspect Hunt wouldn't have been too upset not to see him in the race, but as the race unfolded these two men were firmly in contention. By lap 3 and with the two riders neck and neck, Wright attacked and Hunt conceded defeat letting him go for gold. With a 44 sec gap Wright claimed the jersey with Hunt happy to be racing and more importantly supporting daughter Amy was happy to take the silver. With 3 consistent laps Kevin Townsend took the bronze.
It was all change in the vets race - with no defending Championion the race was wide open and it was local rider Mark Chadbourne who stepped up to the mark, bettering his 9th spot from last year, by taking Gold. Out to thwart his win was Darren Shepherd, who kept Chadbourne on his toes, but a recent bad back saw him drop off the pace leaving him fighting instead for silver as Chadbourne went on to take the win. Roland Tilley took the last step on the podium just a minute later.
Despite at least one noticeable face missing on the start line, the junior race was shaping up to be a cracker. Hamish Creber finally put a slow season to bed with a welcomed win. As the race unfolded, together with Will Verney, Creber soon opened up a gap on the chasing pack on the first lap. Verney bailed on the second lap when cramp got the better of him, leaving Creber out on his own and hoping that everything would fall into place. Despite the lottery that mountain biking can be, his prayers were answered and riding confidently the rest of his 4 lap race was without incident and he came home with the knowledge that the National jersey was his. Over 2 minutes behind, Seb Batchelor came home in silver and Calum Chamberlain took 3rd.
Finally came the Sport, Open and Fun classes. Giles Drake out sprinted Dave Henderson for a thrilling finish to the Sports race, with Chris Pedder taking 3rd. In the Open race Olli Taylor led from the start to take the win from Paul Howard by just 38 secs with Jon Pierce taking 3rd. Tim Jude had an easier time and a bigger margin when he took the win in the Fun race ahead of Graham Parkin and Sam Cooper. Stephania Magri and Laura Bayliss took wins in the Open and Fun women's races respectively.
In Olympic year it was great to see our two top guys out in action at this event and it was also encouraging to see the emergence of our younger talent. Dave Fletcher just goes from strength to strength and his win in the Espoir race can only bolster his confidence. It was also encouraging to see Amy Hunt back in action and she'll soon be back to speed and hopefully racing worldwide, realising her international potential.
So all in all it was a great showcase of our mountain bike talent, not afraid to get stuck in and do their best in front of hundreds of supporters.
Many thanks to all who turned up to cheer and support the riders throughout the race and well done to the SXC lads who put together a cracking event, as a National should be.
Finally thanks to for everyone who wished me happy birthday as they sped round the course, much appreciated, I can't think of a better way to spend a birthday than to watch all our talented and dedicated riders in action. I hope everyone else agreed, birthday or not!!!
More Images
Above: Left to right: Ian Wilkinson, Liam Killeen, and Oli Beckinsale
Above: David Fletcher atop the Espoir Men's podium
Above Left: Elite Womens Podium. Above Right: Espoir Womens top three
