Urban X dont forget the troops charity race

The 2012 season is all wrapped up for us at Wolfpack HQ and for the last few weeks I have been busy making preparations for the team in 2013, which includes a new line up, kit and sponsorship deals. But there was just time for a charity race, and it was all for a good cause, organised by Trev from Urban X it was to be a race held on remembrance Sunday with all proceeds going to the British legion.

As the day of the race was upon us I have to say, for the first time I really wasn't feeling it, it had been a hectic week with three deliveries at opposite ends of the country, and many very late nights in the workshop. Jen had managed to squeeze a morning practise session in earlier in the week, but I hadn't ridden this track in nearly a year and turning up late meant there was only time for one practise run, which resulted in a crash half way down. The weather was certainly doing a good job of lifting my spirits however and it was good to see many of the friends we had made over the last year in the local mates race scene, although there was lots of new faces too.

As I stood amongst afore mentioned comrades watching the first of the women racers come down there were murmurs of "Jen having this one in the bag", but we both knew it wasn't going to be as easy as that, a rider we had met earlier in the year at the King of the hill race Becci Skelton was here here with her partner Andy Cody, and this was to be the last time her and Jen raced without being on the same team. I saw potential in these two straight away and quickly signed them up for 2013s team. Jen had so far beaten Becci twice but it was a hard fight each time. On her first run Becci made a slight misjudgement on the rocky double at the top of the track and it turns out she had another incident further down the track, costing her dearly. Jen came blitzing down the rocky section with ease and I felt sure she was in for a winning run, however when Jen returned it was with a most unhappy expression, it came to light that she had caught up the rider in front and came to a stand still before getting past her.
Jens friend Janine Wolstenholme looked quick on her run and was in the lead after run 1.

And then my turn came around, everything seemed to be going fine until a brake issue I had noticed on my practise run came back to haunt me and I over shot a corner crashing into the trees, I got back to my feet and after finding my bike I was back on the track I knew it was over for me on run 1, however somehow I managed to stay in 2nd place, behind one of my nemesis Ben Tilford.

Second run time and this time Jen was up first to avoid a repetition of the incident on run 1. I felt sorry for Jen as it is an awkward position to be in when your first run has gone horribly wrong and you have to get as good a time as possible whilst not taking any risks that might see you crashing, but that's the way it goes in racing, Jen clocked up a decent time but it seemed to me she had held back a bit at the top compared to her first run. After Becci had got down, this time with no trouble, she had pipped our Jen by a second to take the win with Jen in second place.  One thing is for sure watching these two racing together as team mates next year is going to be awesome, and their natural competitiveness is going to spur them both on to get quicker and quicker, me and the lads on the team are going to struggle to get the same results these two are sure to get.

Sitting at the top of the start line I felt that pressure again, I knew I could  take the win here I felt certain of it, I stormed through the rock chute and over the double almost coming a cropper as I over shot the jump and landed front heavy, only just keeping it together. The next section of the track is a horrible technical section with about as much flow as pushing a wheel barrow down a train track, followed by a long pedal that I felt sure would be a strong point for me, then came the corner I blew it on last time, this time I got round, I felt it was mine now as I flew off the rock drop, a little sketchy on the landing but all was good still, then as it gets tight between the trees just before the end of the course my enthusiasm had got the better off me and I slipped off my line and into a rut, but still I thought I could take the win, when a branch flipped from under my wheel and through my spokes sending me straight over the bars, ripping the crotch of my shorts as they caught on my bars. This time I didn't even try to get back to speed and just rolled the remaining 15 metres to the finish. What happened next wasn't like me as I stormed off in a tantrum past friend and winner of the race Ben Tilford. What had happened to me? I was so angry that I got so close and stuffed it at the end. It would appear that my strategy to lay it all on the line was to cost me that day, despite this somehow my first time was good enough for me to finish third and the bling prizes that are standard at an Urban X event softened the blow. As Jen sorted out the charity raffle with top prize being two uplift tickets from Descend Hamsterley I convinced myself that it was my bikes fault and that treating myself to a nice new bike would make it all better.

The day proved to be a huge success raising over £500, and I send out my deepest thanks to Trev and all the Urban X crew for making it happen, Trev puts in a massive amount of effort into his events, often at his own cost, simply for the love of the sport and the downhill scene could do with more ambassadors like him, give yourself a big pat on the back Trev. Thanks also to the sponsors of the day Avit Dirt Dim Duke Girl MTN Biker Bike Tree Edinburgh Cycles Cadbury/Kraft MJMD productions Fatality bmx and many more.

                                      LINK TO THE WOLFPACK RACING VIDEO EDIT