Well, the last porc race has been and gone a few weeks back, sorry for the delay, I've been lazy, haha! This track was built by the 'Mad Brothers' Andy and Ginge, both two very fit lads who don't mind pedaling it seems, bloody hell guys you made my lungs cry in pain!
The track was a corker for the fitter riders with balls of steel, those with less balls still contended slotting in some good times even if they avoided risking taking part on the gap.
Out of the gate you pedalled towards the sandpit over a drop with a sneaky dip on the back side and into the fork, right over a tabletop, if like me you prefer life over death or left over the stepdown. A great meaty drop measuring at least a 12 foot drop and in excess of 25 feet long.
Roll out the landing and into a tight right hander causing many to bin it into the bush on the other side of the berm. Drop down a bank and use the other side of a wall to rebound you through a left hander, fit thorugh some rocks and take a tight right with a slippy wooden exit over a log. A greuling 20 metre long pedal with a bit of an upwards gradient led into the steeper mid section of track.
Down a small bank after a pedal put you onto a straight bumpy course down a rutted slope into a small drop onto a flat fireroad. Pedal out the compression and round a right hander off a nifty drop built out of a tree stump. Pump or pedal two small rolling bumps into the roadgap. Into Bill's rim smacking graveyard stutters which thankfully have rounded themselves down with time and up the valley into a very rutted 'mini-star wars'. Last corner was a complete nightmare, your tires having collected all the possible mud from 'star wars' have no grip as you try to hang on for dear life before sliding into a bush. Last run a good 30 people had gathered to witness the carnage and hurl abuse, thats riders for riders racing!
Shoutouts have to go to Andy and Ginge for taking the time to build the track, Alvar, Martin and Hodge. All the marshalls, Muddyfox, Steve@eastkentbmx and Fuel racing. 
-Mophead
Download Category Results
Download Overall Results
Get Adobe Acrobat Reader *Free Download
Photo's coming very soon...
a•buse
tr.v. a•bused, a•bus•ing, a•bus•es
1. To use wrongly or improperly; misuse: abuse alcohol; abuse a privilege.
2. To hurt or injure by maltreatment; ill-use.
3. To force sexual activity on; rape or molest.
4. To assail with contemptuous, coarse, or insulting words; revile.
5. Obsolete. To deceive or trick.
n. ( -by s )
1. Improper use or handling; misuse: abuse of authority; drug abuse.
2. Physical maltreatment: spousal abuse.
3. Sexual abuse.
4. An unjust or wrongful practice: a government that commits abuses against its citizens.
5. Insulting or coarse language: verbal abuse.
Who would have thought in a world of political correctness, e-mail and terrorism, abuse would have an integral part in a rider run local race series? Nobody got off free this time, everyone must have had a “CILLIT BANG” or “YARRRRRR” pointed at them, I think Alvar’s gonna need an ear trumpet when he is older!
This completely new track built by muddy fox rider Ben Cox was a pedally fast extravaganza. After pedaling the traditional route round the tree there was a new race double, a long low step-up, no kick, beauty! Hop-a-log to a fast left hander and pummel into a 6ft lump, hip or roller? Slam into a rutted berm, jump over a tree stump and pitch right onto the first off camber. A tricky hairpin left straight into a steep chute, a quick level out and drop down again. As soon as you land on terrafirma it’s gone again as your catapulted into a kicker over a log. Pump the landing into a left berm, switch to a right hander and back left. Keep turning as you drop down onto an off camber. Off another drop and a tight berm into the last section. A straight fast slope with two lines, tight to the bush over the logs or wide and bumpy. A slidey switch back and pin it hard as you spring to the line.
Main congratulations to the day need to go to that kid on the Kona hardtail that nailed himself straight after pulling a great looking no footer over the first double and stacked it straight after, that looked painful! Another congrats to Andy Wakefield for breaking the 47 second barrier.
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Cheers to all the marshalls, photographers, Martin, Hodge and Alvar, Muddyfox, Fuel Racing.co.uk and everyone who showed up to make an awesome race.
-Mophead
Download Category Results
Download Overall Results
Get Adobe Acrobat Reader *Free Download
If you like your 'porc' crackling crisp, then this was the race to be at. One of the hardest winter frosts so far this year, set the ground like your Mum's best crackling. Just the odd squidgy bit rearing it's head after a few hours riding.
Guest track builder, Paul Burford (Muddyfox team 2005) had built a blinder of a course, from the off it was straight into the action, jumping into pump through a hole, with a drop on the left, big enough to swallow anyone's granny. Hop a few roots, pre-jump a rock garden, watch the bramble covered Oak tree laying down on the left. This took out a hard tail rider bending both top and down tube on his Kona. He certainly knew what he wanted for Christmas, if he didn't before the race.
Next came a drop into a very off-camber section with more ruts than a 'bulldogs face', catching out even the most seasoned of riders. If you'd got this far and carried good speed, a gap jump with a little kicker afterward's took you to a scary looking take off, twenty or so feet later at warp factor one, heading towards a gap between some immovable trees! Do not cock this up! Fortunately no one did. Those that didn't fancy their chances, had a rough ride to the left of the jump, on the chicken route.
Between the trees a wickedly good berm spat you out left, along more off-camber towards a bus stop, pedalling hard after the bus stop caught out more riders, the ground was frozen, spinning the back wheels out and dumping riders under the rhododendrons. Then came a fast open bend to the left before a tight open right at the finish post, this post saw a lot of action, with the time keepers having to move about to avoid becoming 'road kill'. Hopefully keeping them a little warmer as they looked a tad frosty.
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"Nice track Burf, you certainly know how to cut the turf".
A BIG shout out to Alvar Coppard and all the lad's for putting on a smoothly run event, spot on!
All in all, a good day's racing at P.O.R.C.
-Harry Molloy
"Since I was in youth every PORC race in November has been a wet one, last time in 2003 a race was held on the coldest day of the month! This should have been in my mind on Saturday the 5th as I was treated to fireworks in a comfortable temperature. On the way up it looked optimistic with breaks appearing in the clouds but neither photo partner Tom Rabbett and I could ignore the soaked windscreen.
The track was a great mix of off-camber and slippery turns. Out of the classic start tower you instantly swung left around a flat corner which slid you into a right berm, many went straight over the top and rolled into the ferns. Get flashed by Rab on your way too a switchback with a set of big moto style whoops in the middle, if you were fluid over this you were having a good run. A selection of off camber lines led you into a drop with a left hip into a right hand berm leading you into the rocks. Use the rocks in the left hander as a berm and hit the road gap. Just after landing smash through more whoops into a ski jump and fly up a small valley edge and drop into a root section, scream for grip around the last off camber right hander and use the minute bits of grip you can find to pedal through the finish beam.
Many of the categories had different winners this race with many racers injured, elsewhere or over sleeping there were quite a few mix-ups.
In hardtail the usual Neil Kemp (team adoniz) vs. Greg Bowles (transition) battle was absent along with Kemp, this left Steven Taylor (Shay Finn) and Miciek Kucbora (Specialized 4X) to file in behind to make the top three.
Youth was taken by Will Davis followed by Sam Shucksmith and Jordan Buck, Will and Sam had a battle in their runs with Sam finishing Just .35 behind Will, close but just not enough given the conditions today.
Junior was won by the ever dominant Billy Wright-Moseley (SMART coaching) finishing at the top spot 1.5 seconds ahead of second placed Sam Iveson with Keaton Coppard (No Good) another 1.5 seconds Behind.
Masters saw the man who got the timing systems running like a charm Ian Wilkinson take first just half a second in front of Stopadoodledoo’s Tony Wilson. Ian Terry was just half a second off Tony Wilson’s time making sure there was a battle amongst the top spots here.
Veterans saw Phillip Da Silva (Velo9.com) Storm to victory in front of Steve Bailey (No Good) by 2.5 seconds! A well sealed victory by the Frenchman.
Women saw Renee Diwell take her usual top spot with a good time of 1:06 with a new face in the Women’s cat Gill Davis (Imperial College) putting up a grand battle to finish with a 1:07.
Seniors had all the fastest boys of the day coming out to play with the top 4 senior riders taking the respective positions in the overall results of the day. Andy Wakefield took fastest time of the day with an amazing run of 50.72! Closely behind was Jack Tattersall (Balfa UK) with a 51.24 a great effort, also Tobias Pantling (Bolder Clothing) ripped up the track to finish with a 53.18.
It was a great race on a brilliant track that unfortunately was plagued by the bad conditions with a constant rain present throughout the day that only stopped in the racing intervals. This made the track harder through the day so many went slower in their second runs, the track did suit the conditions with many racers drifting into corners with grins all over.
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A big thanks must go to Alvar, Martin and the whole Dubriders crew that helped organise the event, all the marshals for baring the damp cold to keep us out of harms way and everyone who turned up for making it the races with the best atmosphere out there!"
-Mophead
Here is the menu of the final results...
View Category Results
View Overall Results
Download Results in Excel format
BY RIDERS FOR RIDERS SUMMER SERIES FINAL
i've not been able to post up the results from our summer series final due to being in scotland, so here they are, in overall and cat order.
Many thanks to Mophead for the following snaps from the race, If you're after more pics, go to Mop's Album
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For those of you that are interested, here are the top 3 overall results from the race:
1st Joe Achillies - Foska.com: 42:09
2nd Ross Searle: 43:06
3rd Paul Burford - Muddyfox: 44:13
We had overall series results too, and no suprise the winner was Joe Achillies. With highly consistent podiums he clinched the title from Paul Burford and took home a nice large wedge of cash. The winner of the overal hardtail catagory was also closely contested and proved for excellent entertainment. It was alwways a battle between Neil Kemp and Greg Bowles, and they were both posting times most Senior full sus riders would be proud of. In the end the title came home to Greg, who picked up a new Tank cycles frame, and a sponsorship deal with TransitionBikes UK - so good luck in the future for that. Here he is looking totally stoked...
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There's a few more bits to tell you about, but this has taken ages so i'm clocking off for the day. Hope you're all fit and well, and most important of all RIDING HARD!
Peace.
BY RIDERS FOR RIDERS SUMMER SERIES RND3
It was a fun race once we gave up on the timing and went to stopwatches. Everyone had their 3 runs with nearly everyone posting progressively faster times in their runs. Lots of new faces 'avin it large is also nice to see, cheers for coming! Results
If you're after pics, go to phatphoto.com, good ol James is always snapping.
Well cheers to everyone for coming, if you're interested the next race is on 4th September and will be our Summer Series final where Jamie from Transition Bikes UK will be there to give away some top prizes, including a TrailorPark HT frame and a 1 year sponsorship deal. We might even be having a jump jam type contest on 3rd, so if you're up for a weekend of dirt beer and fun come along!!
Keep your eyes posted here and on southerndownhill.com for all the latest race info.
BY RIDERS FOR RIDERS SUMMER SERIES RND2
What an awesome day! What started off with wind and gloomy skies turned out as beautiful sunshine and peeps ripping the hill all day. Twas another race with over 120 riders so that's all good as far as we are concerned, the more people on bikes the better. The track was my favourite one to date, a bit longer than previous courses but made up for that with lots of speeeeed!! No big huge road gaps this time, it was a bit more tech and fun. We had a few elite riders turn up and they all seemed to enjoy it as much as us slow boys.
If you want some pics from the race then check out phatphoto.com courtesy of James. We also have some results for you!! This spreadsheet has overall and catagory placements, so you can see where you came compared to your mates as well as everyone else. Hows that for choice eh?!
Well i hope y'all enjoyed that one, the next race is on 7th August for rnd III. This will be the penultimate race in our summer series, we may even have some big prizes to give away prior to the big final in september. Hope to see you all there! Keep your eyes posted here and on southerndownhill.com for more race info, pics, etc etc...
until next time, may the forks be with you!
............................NEW TITLE SPONSOR!!!
I am pleased to announce that we have a brand new title sponsor for our little race series. For the final two races of the Summer series we will be supported by Transition Bikes UK who have only been on these shores for a month now, and are already getting stuck into helping out the UK DH race scene. We will now be calling the series: Transition Bikes UK By riders for Riders Summer Series - bit of a mouthful but it's all good. Many thanks go to Jamie at Transition, who has agreed to offer a Trail or Park frame, some soft goods, and also a frame sponsorship as prizes! Here is a pic of the frame...
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Specs can be found at the Transition Bikes UK website, so pop on over and have a look at what else is on offer! Transition offer high-quality bikes for decent prices, meaning that it is much easier and cheaper to get into mountain biking without having to sacrifice performance for money. Here's a quote from their site:
"Our frames offer rivalling, if not better quality than most bikes costing 3 times as much, they also offer a unique ride and feel that is hard to come by! The bikes are seemingly made for the UK's conditions, and are made to withstand anything you can throw at it and come back chomping at the bit for more!"
The next Race of the series will be on 26th June, it will be cool to see you all there havin it! One of you might even be lucky and get a full years worth of frame sponsorship from Transition Bikes UK. Jamie said that he is willing to give the highest placed Youth/Junior rider the chance to ride any of the transition frames for a whole year! What i steal, so get training peeps!
Check out some of Stu's photo's from the last race...
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BY RIDERS FOR RIDERS SUMMER SERIES RND1
Wow, what an awesome day! After all the pre-race hype, specualtion, and criticism we couldn't ask for much better. The sun was shining, the timing was buttery smooth, loads of riders turned up along with a fair few spectators. For the first time in a while there was quite a crowd watching the race and this made the day so much more fun. Well i won't bore you by rambling, so here are the results for you in excel or html format. If you want to check out the action, there are some brilliant pics up on phatphoto.com courtesy of James.
Props go out to all the marshalls and diggers who helped out where they could, it's what makes it all run so sweet. Thanks to Brendan Fairclough for handing out all the prizes at the end of the day, i even heard rumours about him expressing quite a desire to ride our little track, which makes us a bit proud. Wildside cycles in Tunbridge Wells and Muddyfox bikes came up trumps and provided us with loads of fantabolous prizes to give away to the pinners, so thanks to them also.
All in all twas a fine day in the sleepy village of Penshurst. Over the next few days there will be a few race reports and all that malarky pop up so keep posted. If you want to have a chat about the race then pop along to the forum on southerndownhill.com and say hey, or maybe hello.