Inter Centre Team Trial 2011
Pix: Our man with the stopwatch - Matthew Welch and junior team manager Simon Welch
Well done to all who made the effort to take part, and thanks to the Centre for partly funding the team.
Report Simon Welch
Saturday saw our the 5 youth riders of Jake Hoare, Alex Muirhead, James Colbourne, Callum Colbourne and James Saunders compete for the Western Centre.
The team look the part on their matching Raw-Sports T-shirts (thanks Raw Sports they looked the business!!!!!), but were nervous (to say the least), with most making their first foray into national competition. Nerves were quickly settled with some confident rides through sections one by James S, Jake and Alex.
The trial was two laps of a full five mile 20 section course and getting round and maintaining concentration was a challenge for the youngsters and kept me fit as well!
Sections 1 - 4 moved up the hill side taking in banks turns and the odd rock face. All five lads put in some taste cleans and single mark rides to arrive at the difficult section 5 with low scores. This sadly was where Alex's day ended when his gas gas decided it would get stuck in 5th gear.
The dads threw literally every tool in the bum bag at it taking taking the cases off on the side of the mountain, but in 5th it stayed. Alex was extremely disappointed although was a great support, following the team around and cheering his mates on.
Sections 5 - 10 greeted the lads with rocky outcrops and gave the chance for James C and Jake to let fly with the 125's, although on the second lap it was Callum who let fly when he launch his little 70 over his head. No problem to Callum, he just picked himself up and carried on.
The welcome sight of Tom Welch observing at section 7 with the man that gets every where, Brian Valder, by his side yielded cleans across the team. More banks and turns for 11 - 14 where little James S was showing real style to keep the feet firmly on the pegs.
14 - 20 took the team back down the mountain to the finish with more of the same. Section 19 had Jake and James revving the 125's again up a massive step and rock face, which by the second lap both were well up. The day finished with a flowing last section and both Callum and James S finished with tidy cleans.
Back at the campsite the boys handed in their punch cards (first time they had ever used them!)and celebrate a great days sport. I had to have a big rest and was amazed when not more than 2hrs later they were asking where and when it was next year whilst zipping round on their push bikes..............................A few well earned pints for the Dads (and a mum) in the beer tent and already the conversation of next years team had started in the parents ranks.
The young lads were a pleasure to work with and were excellent ambassadors for the centre, finishing 14th overall as a team...............Well done boys!!!!!
Sunday saw the Adults take centre stage, again in their matching kit, and again with plenty of nerves on show. James Welch settled his pretty quick by sending himself and the gas gas cart wheeling down the bank, finishing on the road below.
James straightened his bike and body and was back on it for section 2. The first section also claimed a five from both Bendals on the second visit and really was a bit of a stinker to start.
As the team moved up the hill (roughly the same route as the youth) the odd mark was cast away until things got a little tuffer at section 5. This was when the 1 minute per section started to tell, with time pressure causing the feet to come off the pegs.
9 - 13 saw the sections stiffen and odd five creep in, although Ben Bowket was immaculate up the double step of 9 and James also exited with only a couple. Things got tougher at 14 and 15 with only myself seeing the ends cards of 14 on the first lap.
Second lap round Benzo blitzed it to nail a spot on clean. The lap finished with a few more third gear rock attacks and back to change the cards at the campsite. The second lap was eventfull to say the least, with section three being cancelled due to an Irish lad taking a serious fall (left hospital fine the next day), although this was just the start.
At section 16 the Clerk of the course took a tumble down through the rocks, badly cutting his head and face, being the first first aider on sight I took the decision to stay and help, with the rest of the team later carrying on when things were settling down. Matthew Welch, who had already been a star following the team round 2 x 5 mile laps, had put a first aid kit in the bag and between us we stopped the bleeding and kept him calm.
Tom Sagar (one of the fastest enduro riders in the uk) raced off to get help and within 20mins he was off the mountain and in an ambulance.
Reports are he is now resting at home with stitches and bruising. Concentration was affected and the team all lost slack fives finishing the lap, but hey that was the least of the problems. Cards handed in a overall position of 17th was well earned..................beating Wessex!!!!!!
This was by far the best intercentres we have been to, with excellent facilities and sections that you really could ride. It was a shame the COC was not there to hear the praise but these things happen. Both teams did the centre proud, enjoying the sport they love!
Both teams would like to thank the support from the western centre, Raw-sports Pete (team manager), Matthew (minder) and Tom and alA for observing, plus the parents that followed round!!!!
Preview: Simon Welch
The Western Centre are sending both a youth and adult team to the ICTT next weekend (Sep 11) in Mid-Wales. The youth team compete on Saturday and adults on Sunday.
Youth
Adults
This is the first time for a while we have sent a youth team and I have to say I have been really pleased with the enthusiasm and commitment shown by the young lads in preparing for the event (also the dads). Both the youth team and adult team have been out practicing together and are already working well as a team. We have a great support team coming up with us and it looks like being a real good weekend.
We know we are up against it with the three top ten world riders riding in the adults and all the tops youths riding for there respected teams, but as I told the lads today, they should be proud to go and ride for the western centre and just do their best!!
I am also proud to say that Raw Sports have sponsored both teams with T-Shirts to wear, which are being printed up with team name on them and means we will look the part for the day.
I have to say that on a both proud and sad note that I have gone from being the young new boy of the team in 2002 to the old man of the bunch this year (who has had to take a weekend off from the nationals to recover from a knee injury) and am chuffed to see two of the youth team from 2003 and 4 have now filtered through to the adult team......................However there is plenty of life in the old dog (who will be a dad in October) and don't expect me not to give 110%!!!!!!!!!