Bit late,  real world stuff has got in my way,  but if you are free and in the Tavistock area over the weekend then nip over to Gawton for the South West DH champs on the www.woodlandriders-racing.co.uk  20-21 August,  you may still be able to snaffle a late entry and it’s got uplift as well.

I had a rummage and pulled out my favourite photos from my trip last year.

James Brown the giant slayer,  i took this about a year ago on the Saturday,  it was quiet, damp and dark down in the woods,  James was sizing up the big jump on Super Tavi,  i like this photo,  it gives scale to the jump,  which over the weekend not that many did.   James was so quiet when he hit it up,  just the buzz of tyres then silence as he sailed over the gap,  his landing was so smooth,  so quiet, stealthy,  the buzz of tyres and he was gone into the darkness.  Understated style.

Without remote flash i had trouble getting action shots (and a smashed in face didn’t help) but the boys got some moves.

Jon Credi on the other hand was just an animal,  you could hear him coming down the track,  you heard him hit the ramp… i couldn’t take photos as i was watching him jump one-handed whips,  boy did you feel him land the little 24″ Curtis MX and his manic laughing,  he styled it up in race day  practice,  i reckon he was showing off to the 2 nurses posted at the jump,  but the crowd there loved it,  hardtail madness.

I on the other hand have unfinished business with Gawton.

In 2 days i managed 2.5 runs.  1 of those was a very bad mistake and an attempt at a race run half blind,  which after crashing in the same spot again….although i managed to twat a fence post with the front brake cylinder and not smash myself up again i did finish a single timed run.  Gawton with no front brake is not fun.

Anyway that was last year,  i will be there on Sunday,  trying to get at least 2 practice runs in (BC rules) so just remember trendsetters,  if you fancy pissing off your mates by getting on dirt…turn up in a dirt t-shirt for the cheesy no prizes photo !  bragging rights down the pub,  your mates might be faster than you but you got on dirt 🙂

I am there to beat my last time, i haven’t got a chance against the locals so racing for fun,  and i hear the out law riders will be there in force and sounds like they will mostly be busy racing this time.

A race report will follow next week when the world cup stuff dies down a bit.

Ace.