I'd been looking forward to this race for ages, I'd wanted to do it last year but it clashed with the Diva weekend. So when I saw that it was being run again this year I planned my weekend around going.
Friday saw the arrival of Hannah who was staying over as Aberystwyth is only an hours drive from our home. Her arrival triggered the reality of racing and we sat eating tea talking bikes and races. The weather forecast was abysmal, enough to make fellow Diva Emma question coming, however we nagged her Friday night and she conceded that if she didn't come she'd regret it.
Saturday morning was an early start, with the gear loaded in the van we headed out to the west coast of Wales, surprisingly arriving to a blue sky over Aber. Signing on Hannah and I collected our numbers and headed up the track, at the bottom it was fine, a few steps on a relatively simple gravel path. However this changed further up and the only thought going through my mind was 'how many steps' I tried to keep calm and walked all the way up to the top, hoping the steps would look better when approached downhill. Walking the track downhill didn't really change the steps, and I also noticed the wooden bridges were slippy with damp. I got to the bottom wishing I'd practised riding steps, the whole course was slightly alien to me, being totally man made for walking, flat corners and changes in surface.
Now the reason I'd entered this race was 2 part, a) it's a race and relatively local b) the uplift is on a funicular railway.
The train is clearly not designed with the Downhiller in mind, and could only be described as Jaunty, ( in other words old fashioned and slow). I found myself wondering how many practice runs we'd get in before racing with the uplift speeds and some people opted to push up the hill. At the top I rolled down the first section before the bridges, pushing back up to warm up on the relatively easy bit before hitting the bulk of the steps. My first run down with the intention of hitting the steps found me halted as a rider had come down on the first bridge hitting the stone wall. I pushed back up again hoping to get a clear run, this time I made it to the bridge, the slippy surface was off putting and I panicked at the narrow steps with a stone wall to the right and hand rail to the left, with a bend, it was all too much for my nerve so I jumped off and ran down them, hopping back on continue. The 2nd bridge was much grippier and the steps dead straight so gritting my teeth I rolled off them, surprised at the anti climax that was riding steps. I headed down feeling much happier and confidently rolled the final run of steps to the finish. I did 3 more runs down, but due to the slippy bridge ( I got held up on every run as some-one had gone down on the bridge) and the curve in the steps I just couldn't bring myself to ride them. My race tactic was to hop off and run them, however Lindsay wasn't impressed by this plan so it was up again on the train to follow her down. This run the organisers had nailed some carpet to the bridge to give much needed grip and with Lindsay in front, a whole heap of expletives I went for it. Lindsay, not realising I'd tagged right onto her rear wheel stopped to check I was OK as I bumped into her, to a cheer from the medics who had watched me struggle. I thanked Lindsay, happy that now I could clear the whole track we headed down to wait for our race runs.
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| Getting used to the steps at the finish |
By the time my first race run came around the weather had properly changed to a steady drizzle, in normal reluctant DH fashion I set off last of the ladies. I happily hit all my lines, heading down the track, up the top I stuffed up a tight flat turn, as I came into the dreaded steps. The Jedi bumped happily over the uneven steps prior to the bridge and I just kept my heels down and weight over the back letting the suspension do it's job, however I was over zealous in my eagerness not to brake on the slippy bridge and pretty much brought the bike to a halt on the last step. As I pootled over the steps I pushed my heels down, gritted my teeth and sent the bike over the first steps, once on there was no going back as the Jedi happily hopped down the steps, again the Medics and Marshall cheered encouragement to me. I was off over the second bridge before I knew it, relieved I was over the worst part and enjoying the ride down to the finish. The track had been loosened by all the riders and my lack of experience on flat turns and gravel ensured that my time was slow but I had a great time, the atmosphere at the bottom was electric despite the rain and I was beaming as I crossed the finish line. I was so happy I didn't even catch my time.
Being up the top of the hill felt like a different world compared to the finish area, up the top it was quiet with gulls calling, the odd spectator and the beeps counting down the riders as one by one they headed down. As our turn came round I again opted to run last, not wanting to hold the other ladies up, I also got to ride down behind World Cup Rider Manon Carpenter. After a short red flag, following a rather horrible looking over the bars off by Hazel it was my turn to go. Manon shot off after her beeps and I was in the 20s count down. I left the start in the drizzel taking the lower drop off the well as before but keeping the bike more balanced as I headed down, letting off the brakes on the loose gravel a bit too much as again I stuffed up the tight turn. Trying to make up for lost time I let the bike go down the first steps before the bridge, loving how the Jedi seemed to relish these drops. At the bridge I was forced to brake as the carpet had wrinkled up exposing the very slippy wood under. I heard the commentator say Manon had finished, amazed at the speed she'd got down in. Again I lost seconds but putting my mistakes behind me I attached the 2nd bridge which I really enjoyed riding, putting my heels down and weight back I pushed the bike out as it came over the top step, to which the bike responded by floating down the steps, I barely felt the wheels touch the concrete. Heading down the gravel path I took in the amazing view below me, the Music getting louder as I came down the hill, again I stuffed up the tight flat turns, hitting the last row of steps I let go of the brakes totally trusting the bike to do it's job, turning to the finish line I stamped on the pedals loving the run and glad to be back after my off at my last DH race.
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| I loved riding the 2nd Bridge Steps |
The race was a great event, despite the weather people had come out to watch us ride down the Constitution Hill Path in force. I got to meet 2 world cup riders, Matt Simmonds (who kindly helped me with getting my bike on and off the train) and raced against Manon Carpenter who was amazing to see in action. Lindsay took a well deserved 3rd place, Hazel despite her off in her second race run maintained her 2nd place with Manon taking top honours.
I got to ride the the railway up the hill, and act like a wild teenager (making up for a non misspent youth) riding down footpaths and jumping steps. I will be back next year, but have some practising on gravel, flat turns and steps as homework from this race.
So, my next adventure was to be a return to Taff Buggy, sadly this race was cancelled. So now it's fitness training as in a few weeks we head to MTB heaven, Morzine for the Passporte event.
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