MTB: British Fourcross R3 Report

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Report: British Fourcross Series Round 3

31 May 2011
Promoted By: Naked Racing
Race HQ: Bryn Bettws, Afan

Words and Photography: Richard Seipp

Result

Pat Campbell-Jenner rode to victory at round three of the British Fourcross Series, as the brand new Afan fourcross track was christened under a deluge of rain.

Riders having a cheeky first play on Friday were impressed with the balance and flow of its twists, turns, its corkscrew, jumps and drop offs. In the sunshine, early spectators were treated to a display of some of the best riders as they tackled the rock garden at full pelt, going on to take as much air as they could over the daunting Pro Line doubles which feature towards the end of the course.

But as Saturday dawned, and low cloud and driving rain greeted the riders.

Practice, delayed by an hour in the unfounded hope that the rain would abate, was underway by 11am, due in part to the course stewards doing a huge amount of work to drain the course to keep the event running.

Finally the rain eased and, on a sticky track, the Juveniles were first to race, with the youngest rider 12 year old Dylan Grell-Delso making it look easy though the going was slow in the mud.

Confidence was certainly on show amongst the pro elite, with every moto and heat being closely fought. The riders exploded out of the gates to the first corner where, as Scott Beaumont explained after the race the "race is normally lost and won".

The width of the lower section of the course and the rain soaked dips created passing opportunities all the way to the line. The jump section after the first corner claimed more than its fair share of casualties as riders pumping to get up the second tabletop found their front wheels stopped by the mud. Not that they gave up because they knew that the later sections were just as likely to cause a fall. The Rock Garden saw more than one rider overcook the tempo allowing the pack to pass as they tried to jump back on. The final set of doubles and following corners allowed the riders to mix the order again as they either took the close line or took it wide through the berm to slingshot onto the final straight and its energy sapping rumble strips.

The final saw a close race with the order changing at each corner as they fought to undercut each other, locking elbows.

Despite the falls, Pat Campbell Jenner concluded "it was a good battle; the course was really good and the racing great." Second placed Billy Cheetham finished the race with cramps in his legs and hands, commenting "I have never had to race so much. I'm not strong on the start. I normally lose it on the corner."

Scott Beaumont (Rocky Mountain UK ) summed up the riders' view by saying " it is really cheesy, but Fourcross is the winner. It has been a really great day of racing."


British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.