Owen, I’ve only raced three times. I did Gorrick @ Crowthorn last November and downgraded myself from Open to Fun male when I saw how quick everyone was 😀
I managed 20 something out of 60.
I then did xcRampage last weekend and obviously had to enter Open as its kind of the lowest cat and finished 18th- that cat felt fast.
So that kind of made my mind up to race Fun again at Frith Hill, which I did and finished 2nd lol

I had promised myself to move up if I finished top ten so looks like I’ll be racing Open @ Crowthorn in November.

I didn’t find xcRampage very technical because it was so dry??

Yeah the rampage races were great – not technical I would agree, but to ride the singletrack fast and consistently needed some good focus, without many places to really get on the pedals and just power away (not that powering away was in my range of options)!

Open at the rampage was faster than open at frith hill, imho. My best at the rampage was 4th, got 1st at frith, but noticed other guys in sport who have previously raced open, and who I would freely admit have been faster than me in recent races! Hard to decide, maybe just see what cat you fancy on the day!

Can’t do the next gorrick, hope its a good one!

Well done you! The course wasn’t pretty when I rode it- must have been even worse by your third lap!

I try to always just think about the guy in front and concentrate on getting on his wheel. Once there stay there and breathe – following is always easier through singletrack – then pass and then go for the next guy. Of course you have to be able to see the one in front so go like mad at the start to stay with someone. Just getting one overtake is like a win in most races!

Frith hill was pretty nasty in the morning for Masters, but I suspect it would have been far worse by the time you hit Open… I was way off the pace, but having pre entered, nursing a bit of a cold, I thought if do it anway for wet race experience… Thus I DID plod round steadily!

The biggest tip I’d give, (and I have noooo palmares to count as an authority) would be to really warm up- 10-15 mins exertions with some all- out efforts, followed by a break before the start. (Not easy to do when it’s pissing it down)

Ok for the technical bit – from the OP

Don’t ease off on the easier bits of the course. My riding of the technical bits is not good enough to make up more time on it.

I see plenty of XC guys in my part of the woods who are just roadies on mountain bikes – including some making the flappy hand signals when approaching some different gravel on fire roads, this is not saying everyone is like that but improving technical skills is a good idea for everyone.

This course from the spring series is similar to the one at the weekend, although a little drier 😀 Watch how crazily fast he is through the technical stuff! Certainly opened my eyes.

[video]http://youtu.be/bkxwm6CL9K8[/video]

thomthumb – Member
The usual xc whippet type I’ve seen seems to have trouble riding make anything technical look like a field.

corrected

Really? 😉

[video]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LLFG9bwIbps[/video]

This course from the spring series is similar to the one at the weekend, although a little drier Watch how crazily fast he is through the technical stuff! Certainly opened my eyes.

Looks like a fun track to blast around and the rider was certainly fast. Impressive speed, but technically difficult? I’d say not, just a bit twisty.
But all out fitness seems to be what wins xc races and he seems to have plenty of that. 🙂

A lot of the normal open crowd were missing on Sunday, perhaps due to the weather. Unfortunately I 8Oam a vet who seem to be a hardier breed witness my 13th ex 35 would have placed 3rd in open

Looks like a fun track to blast around and the rider was certainly fast. Impressive speed, but technically difficult? I’d say not, just a bit twisty.

To be fair I’d agree, Gorrick courses aren’t technical. Fun, but not technically difficult.

Let’s put it this way. My riding is not good enough to know how to not keep going sideways in the bog and slither! Agree the course at Frith Hill was not super technical, but it was a bit like wacky races with the rain and clag/mud. Only bit I had trouble riding was a bombhole type thing with a big root at the exit. I think there may have been a little bit to gain if I’d ridden a practice lap. Not much in the rain though! I raced Sport, but was firmly at the back. Could have podiumed if I dropped a cat, but 4 laps is the way forward I reckon. You learn a lot more when you ride with the better guys even if your position in the race doesn’t look good.

People dissing XC riders’ technical ability are morons. The guys at the front in the XC races would definitely put a lot of the DH bikers I see on uplift days on big bikes in full DH gear to shame.

Dave, I don’t think I’m ready to vomit over the bars yet, but I reckon I’ll have you on the Mendips SS ride if I put the training in!

In your dreams sonny boy