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Report: MTB Race Nights Round One - Bingham

Photos - Flickr | Kirsty Herbertson

A view from the pack at Nottingham's evening mountain bike race series: the MTB Race Nights.

Well, looking around, as we waited for the last rider there was 47 starters on the line, with a range of skill and ability from ex-professional to seasoned beer drinker, young bucks with everything to prove and old hands with more skills than you could shake a spoke at. The sun was bright and high as the riders morale and the wit, rapier sharp.

I felt good, the practice laps had confirmed what a good flowing race worthy course V. C. Notts had created, and that my bike corners like a greyhound.

"......you will start on the whistle"

And at that, the theme tune to the Great Escape starts in my head, before you could blink, we had hurtled to the first bend and it was game on.

After the entropy of the first and second corners, the riders adopted their natural order and for a few moments the racers looked like a freight train as we all dropped through the old orchard and headed for the race arena.

With a course more cunning than Blackadder, we went through the race arena twice each lap, and benefited from the hot tea sipping, cake munching, rug embedded vocal support from the many spectators, but there was more vocal support to come, as the gentle climb from the arena to the athletics track, had attracted the households adjacent and they were sat out drinking and getting more appreciative of the riders suffering each lap.

A few more turns of the pedals and the sumptuous sound of my bikes rear shock and we entered a little stretch of singletrack, with the first section dark at the start of the race and by the end I relied "on the force" and just bombed my way through.

Still going quite well, until on lap five, got a message from resources. I was running out of fuel, and at the present speed would not finish the race. Mmmmm.... Knock it back a few clicks and see how it goes. This worked for a bit and with the race leaders lapping me I knew the race was drawing to an end. Spotted Gareth Whittall out of the race with an injury. Look after yourself, Gareth.

Yes, last lap, but I'm now under pressure, clubmate Pete Wakelin is catching me fast, I've got stars in my eyes, and I'm not so happy now. On the way to the athletics track, there is a tiny child about the size of a Barbie doll running alongside me squealing "come on, come on..." and although she ran ahead, this playfulness got me smiling, rooting out a bit more energy, and we were away, bounced through the single track (Use the force Mike, use the force) and it was downhill to the arena.

From finishing, to shakily eating a monster chilli double wrap, maybe 3 minutes, surely a record. Then cake, then tea, mmm.... Tea.

Thanks to all my clubmates for helping out at another successful V C Nottingham race, and all the fellow riders for turning out.

What a night.

See you all again on Friday 9th July at Glapwell Country Park.

RESULT

U12's Race
12:14min Name Club Category
1 Scott Hookway Sherwood CC U12
2 James Swadling Nottingham Clarion U10
3 Cameron Reid Melton Olympic U10
4 Tim Elsmore Matlock CC U10
5 Kerrigah Robb Witham Wheelers U10
6 Georgia Crapper Bolsover & District CC U12
7 Ffyona Booker Matlock CC U10
8 Thomas Shaw Heanor Clarion U12
9 Tom Dussek 4LifeTri U10
10 Josh Giddings Raliegh RT U10
11 Piper Radford Sherwood Pines/Cooperative U8
12 Lucas Crapper Bolsover & District CC U10
13 Codie Strickland PM U8
14 Eve Lyon PM U12

Youth
1 James Shaw Heanor Clarion U14
2 Jake Poole VC Lincoln U14
3 Peter Cocker Witham Wheelers U16
4 Gregg Booker Matlock CC U14
5 Thomas Whiting Bolsover & District CC U14
6 Elliott Dudley Sherwood Pines/Cooperative U12
7 Alex Thorn PM U14
8 Josh Snodin Melton Olympic U14
9 Karl Baillie Witham Wheelers U14
10 Paige Coope Sherwood Pines/Cooperative U14

Senior/Junior/Women/Vets
1 Dan Booth Cult Racing S
2 Jamie Harris Cult Racing S
3 Jim Bryan Zepnat RT S
4 Ben Eedy Team Empella S
5 Rick Lister Team Endura S
6 Toby Rose Loughborough Students U23
7 Damian Baker Cyclesport Lincoln S
8 Leigh Andrews Zepnat RT U23
9 Duncan Walmsley Zepnat RT V
10 Pete Harris Pearce Cycles V
11 Phil Topliss DVATC S
12 Robert Howden Beauvale CC S
13 Gabby Day Horizon Fitness RT W
14 Steve Poole Zepnat RT V
15 Sam Parker 4LifeTri U23
16 Greg McCullum Nottingham Clarion U23
17 Merv Dudley Sherwood Pines/Cooperative V
18 Phillip Davies Loughborough Students U23
19 Paul Dalton Matlock CC V
20 Steve Seamark Beeston CC S
21 Iain McKinlay PM S
22 Tom Little Lutterworth Cycle Centre S
23 Simon Hookway Sherwood CC S
24 Gareth Shepherd DVATC S
25 Mike Woodward VC Nottingham V
26 Brett Gardner Cyclesport Lincoln V
27 Pete Wakelin VC Nottingham S
28 Ian Webster Heanor Clarion V
29 Bruce Dalton Matlock CC J
30 Steve Crapper Bolsover & District CC S
31 Sarah Naylor Ashfield RC W
32 John Dove PM V
33 Julian Withington PM S
34 Paul Booker Matlock CC V
35 Amy Parkinson TFN W