SA Downhill MTB Champs-Contermanskloof 6 March 2011

The event that everybody prepares for every year was held in Contermanskloof just outside the beautiful city of Cape Town. It was the second big event of the year for me and was really excited to see if I could improve to a higher position on the podium. The whole "holiday" started off on Wednesday evening, with a long drive ahead, I reclined my seat and got comfy. We arrived in Cape Town on Thursday and i was eager to check out the track. I really enjoyed what I saw of the track and I knew the results were going to be closer than ever because of every ones training.

Friday had now come and it was time for official practice to begin. With there only being a few shuttles it was really difficult to get one amongst all the other riders, but i still managed to get 2 runs in which wasn't bad seeing as though others only got 1, or none at all. I made the most of my practice runs by doing some sections one by one. I got everything done on the track and and my only problem on this course was corners, and the whole track was made of corners but I kept my mind positive and maintained a good attitude towards my worst nightmare. Saturday would be the last day of practice and just needed it to get all my lines working in sinc.

Saturday was another extremely hot day in the baron part of Cape Town, with no trees anywhere near the track it was sunburn haven. We started the day off pretty early and were hoping to get one of the first shuttles, unfortunately we didn't and waited a while for the shuttles to all get going. I managed to get a few runs in, practiced the corners enough to think I had them pinned, and did the fast, open bottom section with all the jumps a few times. With all the practice needed we packed up and headed to the beach were things got a little out of control. An early night then followed before the big day.

Sunday was race day, and nervous didn't half describe what I was feeling, I did my one necessary practice run and the course had seen its better days for sure. Most of the corners were getting really tough to stick but it was the same for everyone. The weather was perfect and after one run down the track I chilled with the rest of the KZN guys and waited for our seeding runs.    

My seeding run went really well considering I didn't pedal much, I had a few mishaps but nothing too serious, I went pretty hard on the bottom section but could still have it a little faster. I managed to get a reasonably good seeding run time of 2min34sec which put me in 2nd in junior men's category only a few splits off my main rivals time. I now knew what I was capable of and only one thing remained, and that was whether the track could withhold another 100 or so riders coming down, our race runs would be the judge.

The one and only run that would count towards the results was kicked off from slowest seeded riders to the fastest seeded riders. After having a really good seeding run I was seeded as one of the last 20 riders to come down the track, I left the start gate and begun peddling into the sequence of corners that I hoped were going to hold up. They didn't and my series of corners with my feet out began, my foot was out even up until the road gap where I had no choice but to get my feet in my pedals. I hit the road gap and the fastest section of the course was around the next few corners, I pulled all my mistakes together and tried to make up for lost time in the sections that were left. Through the berms and over the jumps and finally into the last stretch of the track, it had a straight and a table top jump and then the sprint to the finish. I gave the final section 100% but it seemed to not have had been enough, I was lying 3rd behind my team mate Sam Bull by a matter of a second or even less, with the next junior rider coming down straight after me I was just hoping I could at least stay on the podium. I was unsuccessful and slipped down to a fourth. I was a little annoyed with the run I had but that's racing that's what makes it exciting. I now had a whole week to waste in Cape Town because of my brothers S.A champs the following weekend. All in all, I learned to just keep going and never give up in a race run, its just that little bit more that rewards you at the end. Well done to Sam, Adi and Tiaan for making the podium.

A big thanks to Chris Nixon for putting the event together.

Photos : Stephanie Davies(Radiate Photography) and Trevor Davids

Greg Minnaar/Mongoose DH Series #2-Cascades 20 February 2011

The day started off with an unusual introduction. Due to the excessive raining the night before the shuttles couldn't get to the top of the hill. This definitely meant that we were only going to be able to practice and race from just above the N3 table tops. We, as the riders, had to accept this even after a lot of practice on the top sections of the track. The bottom of the track however, was looking really good from a spectators perspective and the riders perspective, the Morewood gazebo was set up and things were looking pro.

Myself, team mate Sam, team mate Josh and Adrenaline cycles owner Grant suited up and headed to the N3 table tops for our first run of the day. It didn't look to muddy from what we could see, but as we pushed up the rest of the track to where we'd be starting, things seemed to have gotten really slippery. I did my first run, and in the first corner I almost crashed, the back wheel was going all over but the Morewood handled it perfectly. The rest of my practice runs were really good, except for some little mistakes but before we knew it, it was time to race.

First Race Run : The first race run was probably the most tiring run of my life, for some reasons i had only moved about 400 meters and was already out of breath. I had to sit down, all I tried to do was go as fast as i could, but i wasn't granted energy to do so. I skipped out some of the jumps because I didn't have the momentum to jump them and so I lost a bit of time there. I managed to get down to the bottom of the track, out of breath and feeling very, very tired. I got a reasonably good time but was not on a podium seat just yet.

Second Race Run : With extremely tired legs and after having an energy gue I set off down the track, determined to get my goal of a podium. my brother Brendon, friend Adriaan and another friend of mine on the track supporting I couldn't slack at all, I gave it my 100% and by the time I got to the bottom it seamed to have payed off. I ended up with a 3rd on the day and just missed the top 10 overall.

A big thanks to the organizers for putting on yet another awesome race. 

Photos : Stephanie Davies and Gavin Ryan