| Mens Downhill - With the greatest respect to the girlies, the mens downhill race was just class! The speed the guy's we're riding into the finish area at was crackers!! As a result the crowd we're really stoked up, and the atmosphere was ace! The Northay crew all had bets on. Had Steve Peat not been crocked, then all money would have been on him. Unfortuantely Peaty wasn't at his best, so my money was on Cedric Gracia, mike had his dough on the Beaver (Bas De-bever) and the rest of the crew wern't really arsed as long as someone crashed! Cris Kovarak very nearly obliged! Alas on the day, the British guys were well off form, so no home win! But still some great racing, and big air into the finish arena! Always good! The eventual winner, if you we're interested was Cedric Gracia! 20p to the Beams, aiii! |
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| Greg Minaar ( Haro bikes) |
| The finish arena |
| Sunday evening - Carnage! After the racing was finished it was back to the campsite for food. On this occasion it was Neilly B, Bar-be-que chef! Cooking up the crew a bevvy of home made Cumberland bangers! Nice. After food, there was just time for a few bevvies (well 1 or 4) whilst Rob put his face on & decreased his pulling pants! (shudder)Then Off to Fort Bill! This time everyone was there. As it took about 45 minutes to walk from the campsite to the Fort, the conversation was dynamic, and wide ranging. After covering such diverse topics as Evo or Impeza, Round arses or Pears, waxing or un-shaven, the topic of conversation eddied towards the current state of 'non-party' being experienced by British DH. We've all been into this scene for a while now, and have seen it gradually decline from getting totally hammered the nights before and after your race, to wearing lycra, drinking orange juice, faffing on with heart rate monitors and carbo-pumping! Basically the sports gone pussy arse! Maybe thats the way it needs to be as a professional sport, but from our point of view, that sucks! So it was decided to make up for this, by going large! On arrival, it was planned that we would start at the top of Fort Bill, then drink our way down every pub! Great! Unfortuantly the first pub was A- Cheap, B - Homely and C we got a table! So this would be our table and home for the night ( �10 a round of 5!!) |
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| Rob very pissed! everyone else trying to keep up |
| My memory of the evenings socialising decreases the later it gets, so i will try and elaborate. From what i can remeber the pub was very busy, but rounds we're cheap so who cares! The DJ was quite possibly the worst DJ in history! Playing a heady mix of the ' Cheeky Girls' and 'Dj Sammy. Too his credit he was getting a kinda cool 80's retro theme going by the end! Contrary to some reports (mainly steming from Rob) no one pulled! But apparently i (or should that be amazingly???) came closest with some DH girlie. Unfortuantely i can't remeber her name, or infact anything about her! Bugger! I do however remeber spilling Guiness over one of the American riders! She weren't happy! After several, it was deemed time to make a move back to the campsite. At this point i would like to make some apologies! Mainly, actually all, on Robs behalf! My apologies to the Fort Bill parks department for the breakage of two street lamps, and the unauthorised irrigation of many of their trees! The owner of the car wheel trim, that Rob decided to use as a frisby, and finally the owner of Lochaber golf course, whos course flags are now very confused! Yes the walk home was interesting! The next morning everyone was doing their best to pretend they didn't have a hangover, alas it didn't work, but who cares. It was a great way to finish off an ace weekend! Same again next year!! |
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| A Chapman spy shot |
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| Mike getting caught in the act, then having a spot of bother with a nasty pant zipper interface! |
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