National Trophy & Champs 2017/18

[Neil]

Grids are in for the Ipswich Trophy.

Bruce is up to the dizzy heights of the third row, Pat on the fifth. Good luck Gents.

[BruceMackie]

Another interesting day out in Ipswich with lovely crisp and cold but sunny conditions. Trinity Park was used for a round of the Eastern League the week before so we all had a chance to ride sections of the Trophy course a week ahead of everyone else. However with the Eastern event being on the 1st of Jan I was indisposed or at least was spending the day trying to get an entry into Battle On The Beach. Anyway, mine was a race of 2 halves, or a short bit followed by a long chase. As per Neil's post, 3rd row, got a position near the edge and made the most of it to get well up the race at the start, likely partly aided by at the last minute choosing to run intermediate tyres for greater speed on the many flat open and wind sections. This was of course and ingenious and cunning plan until the course went muddy and twisty and it all started to unravel culminating in an expertly executed crash right by the pit entrance. This was obviously entirely intentional as the pit crews and, more importantly, Neil looked bored by proceedings so I thought I'd provide some selfless entertainment for them. So I took the opportunity to change to a bike with mud tyres, fortunately I'd left just such a bike hung up on the railings merely a few steps from where I crashed, as though I had some kind of minor clairvoyant event. Anyway rejoined well down the field and slowly dragged my way back up the order finishing 24th. Rubbish but fun none the less. Any thanks to Chris and Neil for yet again doing Comm duty.

So Nationals next weekend, I intend to stay at home and have a lie in. Good luck to you if you're going... I think that's only Pat who has to be there anyway for Connie?

[StevenDrew]

Another interesting day out in Ipswich with lovely crisp and cold but sunny conditions. Trinity Park was used for a round of the Eastern League the week before so we all had a chance to ride sections of the Trophy course a week ahead of everyone else. However with the Eastern event being on the 1st of Jan I was indisposed or at least was spending the day trying to get an entry into Battle On The Beach. Anyway, mine was a race of 2 halves, or a short bit followed by a long chase. As per Neil's post, 3rd row, got a position near the edge and made the most of it to get well up the race at the start, likely partly aided by at the last minute choosing to run intermediate tyres for greater speed on the many flat open and wind sections. This was of course and ingenious and cunning plan until the course went muddy and twisty and it all started to unravel culminating in an expertly executed crash right by the pit entrance. This was obviously entirely intentional as the pit crews and, more importantly, Neil looked bored by proceedings so I thought I'd provide some selfless entertainment for them. So I took the opportunity to change to a bike with mud tyres, fortunately I'd left just such a bike hung up on the railings merely a few steps from where I crashed, as though I had some kind of minor clairvoyant event. Anyway rejoined well down the field and slowly dragged my way back up the order finishing 24th. Rubbish but fun none the less. Any thanks to Chris and Neil for yet again doing Comm duty.

So Nationals next weekend, I intend to stay at home and have a lie in. Good luck to you if you're going... I think that's only Pat who has to be there anyway for Connie?

Nice one, Bruce. Good work.

And yeah, well done Neil and Chris. Without whom, etc, etc.

Also well done to Tom Meeusen's old Telenet Ridley X-Nights that propelled the Welwyn Wheelers' Oli Stockwell to victory in the Youth Boys race AND series. THAT is a great effort.

[Neil]

As prep. for National Champs. I recommend watching this... https://youtu.be/ME-b6rba-K0

The Nederlands Kampioenschap Veldrijden of 1988. Lots of running and Mr VdP comes second as he so often did

[LeonardDelicaet]

Great write up Bruce.

I'll check out that video Neil, i love the old stuff. i wonder how they ever stopped on cantis sometime....

[LeonardDelicaet]

Great clip Neil - just amazing how unfussy it was just a few years ago. No tapes, the pits were totally open to the public. Very refreshing to see.

Lots of Alan frames. Lots of single rings up front with chain guides on the outside - everything old is new again

best of luck this weekend all!

[Chris Clague]

Spectacularly dangerous way to start a race, mind