The Highland Hardline mini-downhill series is new for 2018 and will comprise of five races across the Highlands and Moray for children between the ages of eight and 18. With some high profile sponsors such as title sponsor Endura, Fuel10k, Muc-Off, Active Root and Orbea Bicycles and a number of local businesses; along with fantastic social media work from the organisers this is definitely a series to watch and it will hopefully continue for many years to come.
Round 1, a Scottish Cycling mini-DH Final qualifier was at Learnie Redrock near Cromarty on the Black Isle, a Forestry Commission Trail Centre but the Hardline race track was far from Trail Centre standard… Starting on the flat the course quickly headed steeply downhill into peaty mud before hitting a large jump with a much longer and muddy ‘B’ line for those who preferred. After 24 hours rain the day before the mud was relentless as the track headed into a few trees and the slippery roots and small drops tested both nerve and skills of these young riders. The track headed back into the open round some tricky bends before going into a lovely technical pine wooded section with surface roots in abundance. Line choice was everything in order to maintain speed round a couple of berms before the track headed out, over a small drop and into “carnage corner”! A corner with a cheeky double jump on it, jumping was by far the quickest option but it required a level of bravery and speed to clear exhibited by only a very few. Pumping was the safer option but hit it too hard and front wheel wash out was guaranteed. The track continued to twist steeply down hill through heather and ruts hidden by the mud before coming out onto the Learnie Red Rock Orange, jump track trail for a fast “motorway” finish with a couple of intimidating step downs thrown in for good measure. The Series is following the accepted Scottish practice of allowing two race runs with the rider’s fastest time the one used for the results. With the conditions so muddy and over 100 riders the track was never going to improve. Second race run times were consistently slower, assuming the rider had a clean first run.
With over 116 entries from all over Scotland and as far a field as Lincolnshire the schedule was tight and after track walks and practice runs the U10 girls kicked off the first of two race runs with some confident riding from six riders and Abby Foubister took the win with an impressive time of 2 minutes 53 seconds. Jessica Wipat, Leslie Bike Shop / Bikers Boutique second and Ruth McDougall, Moray MTB Club third. The U10 boys category was hotly contested with an incredible field of 21 young riders, some as young as seven. Many rode all the fast lines and technical features with great ease and confidence – the future is very bright indeed with these young guys coming through the ranks! Young Archie Johnston, OrangeFox Bikes took an early lead on a borrowed bike with a time of 2:10 and he held this taking a very well deserved win. Kyler Macleod and Jack Bamber took second and third with only two seconds separating each position.
U12 girls was unfortunately a smaller field of three riders, but still fantastic to see girls of this age competing at such a good level and Highland Hardline doing all they can to encourage more. Megan Lacy and Anna Mackenzie, both Meedies Bike Club are no strangers to competition and took first and second respectively with Elsa Parnaby in third. U12 boys, another big field of 23 riders were hotly contested with less than 8s separating the top five! Archie Ferguson took the lead after the first race run and held it but second and third bucked the trend and were decided on the second run with fast times from Daniel Parfitt, West Highland Wheelers in second and Benjamin Wipat, Leslie Bike Shop / Bikers Boutique in third. Track experience more than compensating for the muddier, slower conditions. Next up, U14 girls with Aimi Kenyon, f-riders inc attacking the track with phenomenal skill and confidence and laying down an incredibly rapid first run time of 2:01 and a second run time only two seconds slower. This proved fast enough to be the fastest lady of the day by a considerable margin! Bethany McCully, Black Isle MTB Club in her first ever down hill race rode exceptionally confidently in the tricky conditions to take second place and Erin Wood, Forres CC came third. The largest field of the day with 26 riders was the U14 boys. With Douglas Goodwill, OrangeFox Bikes first down looking confident and smooth. Hitting the double at “Carnage Corner” perfectly and an aero tuck on the motorway section Froome would be proud of his time of 1:45 was always going to be a good one but competition in this category is high and these boys never fail to disappoint. Next down Andrew Georgeson and Lewis Duncan, both Black Isle MTB Club followed as did 23 others but Georgeson, riding with a wrist injury was closest, though still 5s off Goodwill’s time. Run 2 saw Goodwill crash in the wooded section but although his closest rivals had clean runs the slower track kept the first run positions with Goodwill, Georgeson and Duncan taking one, two and three respectively and Goodwill. The U16 girls was a much smaller category with three riders. Jodie Park set a good first run time of 2:45 but this was just beaten by Daisy Wilson, 2:43 and closely followed by Rachel Mitchell, Forres CC. Again, track time helped Park and Mitchell achieve faster second run times but the podium order was unchanged. Another big category, U16 boys with 21 entries. Cameron Penman, Meedies Bike Club / Singletrack Bikes headed the group with a quick time of 1:47 closely followed by Evan Macdonald (1:53) and Fraser Clark (1:56), West Highland Wheelers. Many good riders felt the pressure of these fast times but couldn’t stay upright in the conditions, which were if anything becoming muddier. First run crashes saw added pressure for a fast second run with many riders hitting the mud again. The top three first run riders, Penman, Macdonald and Clark held their podium positions in what was another closely battled category of talented young riders.
U18 girls unfortunately only had one ride Jessica Kelly, Black Isle MTB Club who looked confident in the conditions laying down a very respectable time of 2:39.
Fantastic to see a relatively large group of U18 lads competing. Good first run rides from Finlay Watt 1:47, Torin Moffat 1:48 and Callum Beaton 1:54 with the others not far behind meant everything was to play for in Run 2. But Carnage Corner took its toll for these older competitors pushing just a fraction harder than conditions would allow resulting in some spectacular crashes. Race 1 results held with Watt, Moffat and Beaton taking to the podium.
Great credit goes to the organisers for not only organising this event but the whole series. It is fantastic to be encouraging and supporting grass roots downhill in the north of Scotland. Also a big thank you to all the sponsors, Endura, Fuel 10k, Muc-Off, Orbea, Active Root, Sender Ramps, Bothy Creative, Ansco Signs, OrangeFox Bikes.
As the event was a qualifier for the Mini DH Finals at the Fort William MTB World Cup, the top two riders in each category have qualified for the finals.
Riders qualified from Round 1: Learnie
The next qualifier event takes place this Saturday, 24th March, at Golspie, you can enter here.
