Anybody race at the national xc at the Matterley basin over the weekend?

The course conditions at the 9am races sunday morning were challenging to say the least. However this worked in my favour as alot of guys didn’t race and I managed 9th in the grand vets. Bl@@dy over the moon with that, especially as I had very low expectations.

On a more positive note and trying not to sound like a ungrateful bu@@er that I just did. Glad for Morgan and the team to be able to find another venue in a short space of time for us to race at.

@nixie I watched a YouTube video this morning of the kids race and that looked proper sticky. Fantastic enthusiasm from all those kids and parents 😁.

26th from 44th for me which i was happy ish with. After the third lap I was done and just hanging in there for the next 2 laps to follow.

That A line was just bloody awkward imo, I rolled it everytime 😂

That was a sticky tacky race by the time we started at 3ish. The usual story for me getting passed on the ups and then passing the same guys on the downs. A full mud bonty Xmud on the front really helped. Loads of suffering was had on my behalf.

Not the most flowey of courses, will be interesting to see what they do with it for the national.

@theotherjonv yes I mean’t Fareham, phone thinks differently with its good old predictive text 🙄

The Xcomtb.com site says Farnham, Holywell, estate! Bit of a typo there.

Thanks @ernie, I’ve raced at the southerns for the last few years and usually place around mid field or slightly better and usually place alot better in the Gorrick events.

It was when I saw names like Nick Craig I thought bu@@er what have I signed up for😁. I’ll give it my all and see want happens and hopefully last the distance!

I’ll be suffering next Sunday at Farnham for R2 of the Southerns 🤪

Anyone entered a xc national this year or other years?

I thought it would be a good idea to enter the Farnham round in the grand vets as its close-ish to me . Now I’m not so sure and am getting a bit nervous about racing in the same race as some expros!

So what should I expect apart from a whole new level of suffering?

I reckon Gorrick will be a blast tomorrow with it being a wetter race, although as already said above it drains well. I’m sitting this one out as can’t afford a tumble with a work commitment I can’t miss next week. Enjoy folk’s

5.30am once! Use to be half an hour before I left for work and out the door at 6am when I use to work and drive up to the big smoke. Now alot older its not much different 6.15am ish but this because it takes me ages to get my body moving properly. I certainly couldn’t fall out of bed and go to work in half an hour now!

Can’t help with the OP.

But…I have a customer who hoards. I had to condemn her gas boiler 3 years ago and she has been with out hot water and heating since then. A new boiler can’t be fitted as I can’t get properly into any room. I occasionally go in to repair some plumbing or other and its got so bad that I can’t get my tool box through the house.

Its impossible to describe how bad it is. Just stuff new and old pilled floor to ceiling every room, bathroom, kitchen and up the stairs with a tiny corridor through that I have to slide side ways to get around!

I’ve offered to help her many times and so have her friends but she declines any help.

The only clear area is the roof space.
Sad to see.

Well done @ayjaydoubleyou, I find this course always deceptively brutal at times. Its on the pedals all the time with little recovery. Mid field for me today in the grand vets, no legs today. Good to see aload of the very younger generation racing today. Xc racing is not dead.

Pippingford 9th July xc marathon, East Sussex. Various different categories and distances. Bit of drive for you though.

A good mornings racing in the 2 hour cat for me. Was hoping to finish within the top 15 but alas 19th for me. Not to shabby for an older geezer knocking on the door of 56. There was some rather enthusiastic over taking right at the front of the pack on that long first down hill straight probably where I lost alot of places as decided to hold back a bit, didn’t want to get involved in a spill. Course was great although I would of preferred a little bit more single track.
All in all a darn good hard race!🙂

Just looked at the series points and I’m 7th! Had no idea😁. Not sure I’ll be able to hang on to that.

Yep I’ll be there. Hopefully the weather will be a bit kinder to us compared to round 2!

You really shouldn’t be working an unvented cylinder without a G3 qualification as @cannyj has said.

As there’s no gridding apart from the first 5 in each category it is a bit of bun fight at the start in the Gorrick’s events.

I mean Minley manor!🙄

Porridge Pots next. Anybody?

Good result @bigdaddy opps about your keys! When I got back to my van I was shaking uncontrollable after that cold rain😄

Well done guys, it did get a bit challenging when it started raining. I could of done with a mud tyre on the front at times. I didn’t bother with a 4th lap as it was going to be cutting it very fine within the two hours also my brake levers where getting closer and closer to my bars😄

Just seen this on Gorricks FB page

‘Course update: The team have adapted the course after the recent rain, so although it is still wet in places with a bit of mud, it will be very rideable tomorrow with grippy tyres on your bike. See you there…’

I hope there won’t be too much gravel on the adapted course as that’s not my strong point!😁

What @bigdaddy said. Hopefully the mud won’t be Claggy and be more of its usual sandy variety.

Nice one @anagallis_arvensis 👍

Yea go for it @crosshair. Entry’s close Wednesday night 😀

As @bigdaddy said.👍

I’ll be doing the 2 hour race. It drains really well over there so usually the going is good even after a load of rain with just a few muddy sections. There’s next to no clay so no constant mud plugging, I’ve raced with a racing ray and Ralph for the last 3 times.

Yes same here. For both 😀….

Yes I heard Kevin wasn’t well but there were photos taken by other folk that were loaded on the site that I looked at on Roots and rain on the Monday after but now they don’t seem to be available 🤷‍♂️. Hay ho.

Anyone know why you can’t access the photos to this race via Roots and Rain?

Anyone know why the photos are unavailable on Roots and Rain for the this race?

Great vlog @crosshair!
11th in the 2 hr 40+ for me which I was really happy with especially as I had quite a low expectation for myself with this one. The conditions and course were perfect for me. Good to see a good turn out of riders, 75 in the vets 40+ I believe. Well done all👍

I’ve assumed Pidcock didn’t race to save himself. He doesn’t seem to have much trouble fighting his way to the front in the main event. No Nino either.

Just tried having a sneaky look on the webcams and they dont seem to be working. Funny that🙄

Sadly not just plumbers I’ve been behind sparkies who have left a mess like the original photo. And yes I’m a plumber.

Thanks @johnjn2000 for the link. I hadn’t spotted that🙄.

@johnjn2000 from my phone the restrictions are on all DH and XC racing sat and sun with no mention and listing of todays short track racing

Just had another look at Redbull tv and its showing that what they are covering is restricted and not available in the UK 🤷‍♂️

Myself, comming from the gas boiler industry my first thought was gas boiler. Might be worth getting a safety check on that too if you have one.
Oh yea and 42 old?!🙄

As @bigdaddy said, dry as a bone. Good course and loved the descents. Usual old story for me though, I just don’t have the staying power for the long flats and climbs. 18th for me in the lung busterwhich I’m happy with. Well done bigdaddy with your position.