Reflecting on 2008

Joolze Dymond, British Cycling's MTB photographer and reporter, chooses her favourite photos from 2008 and details what they mean to her.

Links: Joolze's 2006 and 2007 selections

Reflecting on 2008

We have had our ups and downs in 2008, something which I guess the mountain bike community is very used to! The year seemed to pass in a wet blur of almost unforgettable events: I’m sure I could count the number of times the sun shone on one (web fingered) hand!

While pondering on how it never rained when we were kids and the summer used to last at least 11 months of the year, I did actually start to think that there were a few highlights of 2008 and it wasn't all doom, gloom and credit crunching...

So here are my ponderings of some of the highlights of 2008...

Photo 1 – Cyclo-Cross Worlds

The year started off with such great hopes. Paul Oldham ended a great season in both mountain bike and ‘cross, bagging the overall National Trophy CX win which gave him the opportunity to represent GB at the ‘cross worlds along with Jebby (Rob Jebb).

Helen Wyman was looking good for a crack at a medal. She lucked out once more.

This pic shows the calm before the storm, a chance to see the course before it was crammed with over 20,000 spectators. Oh, and the sun was shining.

Photo 2 – Early Dawes

A great mix of sunshine and snow! This little event nearly didn’t happen as an early morning snow storm dumped a good coating around the course and surrounding area. However by mid-morning most off the snow had gone leaving a beautiful sunny day complete with a layer of mud and bluebells poking their way through.

Photo 3 – Cross Country National Points Series

The reigns for running this prestigious XC series were taken on by the crew behind the very popular D2D and Thetford Enduro series for 2008. Their intentions were good; supplying venues spread around the UK that provided challenging terrain to test our best riders.

However, with such a spread of events and with petrol prices spiralling ever upwards, the uptake of riders weren’t as prolific as in past years. Undeterred, the organisers battled on with their vision only to have to pull the plug after the fourth round. Not an easy decision to make, but one that they felt had to be made. It was shame for the series to end this way, but they came and they gave it their best shot: it was unfortunate that circumstances conspired against them. At least the sun shone at every round and the racing was some of the best I’ve seen for a while.

Photo 4 – Southern Cross Country

These guys have succeeding in providing a classy set of XC races, despite whatever the conditions throw at them! If anyone had cause to complain about the weather it was these guys, but complain was the last thing they did.

This shot was taken at Crow Hill, a test run for the Nationals that they ran later in the year. And yes, that is blue skies…

Photo 5 – Southern Cross Country Round 5

This is shot is from the fifth round of the series run in July, when you least expect it to rain!

It was a crazy weekend. Just the day before we had been in Brighton covering the G2 Enduro, basking in blue skies and enjoying the warm summer sun in t-shirts. The next day we headed over to this event just up the road and were dressed for winter: full thermals, full waterproofs!

Great event as ever though, especially the last bomb hole, which got so wet riders struggled to get out of it. Bikes were thrown up the banking while riders clung to trees and scrabbled up the muddy slope. It was truly epic and well done to all that came and, of course, stuck it out and finished!

Photo 6 – Gary Fisher at the G2 in Brighton

The sky was so blue that I just had to lie down flat on my back to get this shot. That’s why Mr Fisher is laughing in this pic!

Photo 7 – Ian Wilkinson as You May Never See Him Again

One of many characters in this sport letting his hair down! His wicked sense of humour is second only to his killer instinct of winning! A fabulous all rounder who can mix it with the best both on and off road.

He’s not dressed up as a young lady to make up the numbers in the ladies XC races – this was a fun race put on at Mayhem. I’m sure he’ll never forgive me for choosing this, but it brings such a smile to my face when I remember the antics he and Paul Oldham got up to that day!

He’ll be a sad loss to the mountain bike community as 2009 sees him exchange his knobblies for a set of racer wheels as he takes up a pro-road contract. But he’s a great rider and deserves the opportunity to train full time and develop his full potential, so best of luck!

Photo 8 – Cats and Dogs

It seemed that many of the big enduros got dealt a harsh weather hand in 2008. Mayhem and SITS were similarly mud-bound and then Dusk ‘til Dawn, where it had never rained before, experienced all 7 years worth of rain in one hit.

Perhaps spending 12 hours out in the pouring rain has made me believe the whole year has been a wash out!

This photo was taken at around 1am at Mayhem and, strangely, was a highlight of the whole event for me with some cracking emotive images captured. This is just one of many.

Photo 9 – Making a Splash

Twentyfour/12 had it all in 2008: great weather; a fabulous inventive course; and a lovely relaxed atmosphere.

Apparently there was some racing going on, but with grins plastered over everyone’s faces as they tackled the miles of swooping singletrack, you’d thought they were just out for a jolly!

Don’t get me wrong; there were plenty of opportunities to get wet, as the course crisscrossed a few streams along the way. It didn’t perhaps help that the one river crossing was made deeper by the local quarry opening the sluice gates, but it made for some fun times!

This photo was taken at one of the shallower crossings at around 1.30am. This image is also significant to me, as it was voted ‘Race Photo of The Year’ by the regulars of XCRacer.com! Thanks to everyone who voted…

Photo 10 – Cross Country National Championships

The Nationals has to get a mention, mainly as it coincided with my birthday (21 yet again!). Luckily I didn’t have to spend my birthday in a damp ditch as the sun shone brightly as the best of our riders tackled it out, many wishing me Happy Birthday on the way round was a nice gesture. Ta!

Liam Killeen at last added a National Senior jersey to his wardrobe, underlining a great comeback after an uncertain and illness ridden ’07. Jenny Copnall scooped her fifth National title and shows no sign of slowing up just yet. Oh, and thanks to my husband Dave who took this cracking pic. He’s slowly getting the hang of things…

Photo 11 – The Olympics

Of course the Olympics have to get a mention. All of those gold medals will be excellent for the sport. Lets hope that some of that goodwill about in cycling filters on down through to the grass roots and encourages more people to get involved, especially in mountain biking.

What’s this photo got to do with the Olympics? Well, while Liam Killeen and Oli Beckingsale were getting ready to race in Beijing, the fourth round of the NPS XC was getting under way.

The organisers thought a TV might go down well so we could all watch the action. The NPS very nearly didn’t get under way!!

Our hopes were high that Killeen and Beckingsale could do a ride of their lives and add to the huge tally of medals. And then to our horror it looked to be over, as one of our big medal hopes Killeen crashed out on virtually the first corner, and a huge groan could be heard. He'd more or less encountered a replay of Athens.

We all slunk away thinking it was over as cameras hovered on an unmoving Killeen, wishing Oli a great ride and urging him to ride the race of his life. Oli did just that, he rode a cracking race, but it was the determined Killeen that was so amazing.

Most people would have thrown in the towel after a crash like his, but Killeen put in a fight-to-the-death ride that put aside all those disparaging remarks of the previous year as he recovered from a mystery virus. The guy was back and showed he meant business by fighting his way back to a jaw dropping seventh spot. It left us all wondering ‘what if?’. All being well London will be his day… fingers crossed.

Photo 12 – Rutland  ‘Cross

What a great event: it had the touch of class that Colin Clews always brings with him.

The weather wasn't great, but added to what makes ‘cross a great spectacle to watch. Situated on the edge of Rutland Water it had everything: steps, mud, bridge, mud, tarmac, mud, gravel and mud.

It was epic racing too, with Paul Oldham fending off Ian Field and Jody Crawforth to take an impressive win, leaving the last deciding round at Derby a real zinger with everything to play for. It was a shame Matt Derby came a cropper on one section in his race. It meant the highlight for him was a trip in a helicopter!

Photo 13 - Santa Takes up XC Racing

The fun thing about covering races in December is that you never know who’s going to pitch up. At the second round of the popular Whyte Winter Series, we were pleased to see Santa (aka Vince Kamp) getting stuck in. Riding a jolly four hour race, he probably finishing with a redder nose than Rudolph due to the freezing temperatures, but came an impressive third. He was probably getting fit ready for all those mince pies…

Photo 14 – It’s Not All Racing

Sometimes I get the opportunity to take pics far from the madding crowd and with no number board in the vicinity.

This was one such time. I had a cracking idea for a night shoot involving some very able volunteers from Ledbury and the Malvern Ridge.

OK so maybe on second thoughts doing a shoot in the middle of winter on top of a windy ridge was not the best idea. But no one suffered from hyperthermia, well at least that I know, of and the shots were ace. So thanks guys for coming over to help out but next time I think I’ll wait till the summer!

So actually in hindsight 2008 wasn’t all that bad. According to the photos I’ve chosen it was even quote sunny!

Thanks to everyone who came along and rode the many events – I hope you enjoyed them as much as I did. Thanks too, to the riders who voted in the end of year Awards over at XCRacer. Despite stiff competition I was voted ‘Supporter of the Year’ in recognition of all the hard work I put in every year, capturing all the best moments and coupling those with the written word to try and inspire others to come and have a go.

If I've influenced just one person along the way by doing this, then I’m happy, job done.

Roll on 2009: lets hope the sun shines a bit more than I thought it did in 2008!