Welsh Championships
Pontypool
8th & 9th September
With all roads leading to the English Rivera, or Wales as some of the local prefer to call it, half a dozen of Telford’s finest assembled on Saturday morning in the car park at Pont-y-pwl and hiked their required equipment up an already well beaten track.
Were we in for sunshine, showers, wind or fog? None of us could be sure, certainly the weather took a couple of hours to decide and after offering us a taste of what we'll see in the Alps this winter with a chilly wind it eventually settled for blue skies and a cracking afternoon in the sunshine.
All I had to do now was drag my not so aerodynamic frame up that bloody plastic hill another four times this weekend. My knee ached just from the thought of it. When you get to the top the view is truly breath taking – well it would be if I had any breath left at this point. Usually I find myself devouring air at the summit like a steam train blasting along the Severn Valley Railway, panting like a rottweiler who’d been left out in the mid day sun and sweating like a smuggler who’s been asked to open the back of his Transit. More Noel Edmonds than Edmund Hillary I’m afraid.
On the hill the racing was a fierce as ever. In the minis on Saturday Jordan Fellows followed up his success from the previous weekend by posting the two fastest times of the day in category to make it a National Championship double. Partner in crime, Nathan Breese, again enhanced his burgeoning reputation claiming a number of notable scalps to score another impressive 3rd place overall.
In the girls Charlotte Gould posted an excellent 4th in category and career high of 13th overall, Charlotte Shrimpton claimed 21st overall and 6th in category with Claire (Lara Croft) Brown recovering from a first round meeting with the Dendix with a cracking 2nd run to place 9th in category and sister Ellen claimed an excellent 4th in category with two solid runs. Mixed news for our other two girls however as Abby Clifford’s 2nd run dnf ended any hopes she had of a podium challenge and I’m delighted to report that Georgina Gould straddled, yes straddled! – must be her new racing line - on run 2.
In the boys Jake Williams suffered a truly unlucky dnf after taking a face full of pole mid way down run 1 as a slalom gate on the steep bounced back up, smashed him in the mouth and split his lip (which of course as a Shrew**ury fan was nothing less than deserved). Ashley Breese again led the Telford charge claiming another top 15 overall position and ending up shaved into a category 2nd and Joe Humfress produced another brace of solid runs to post a super 4th in category.
On the Sunday Emma Taylor added her name to this season’s podium roll of honour claiming 2nd place in the mini girls. Jordan finished his plastic mini career disappointed in 2nd place, looking to go out with a bang it never really happened and mistakes on either run left him well short of the winning post. Better news came in the slightly smaller frames of Nathan Breese and Daniel Taylor, the pocket rocket claiming another well deserved 5th place and Dan-the-Man claiming another impressive 8th position in only his 3rd national outing. With much of the field moving into the realms of children 1 next summer watch out for these boys.
Sunday’s girls race saw Abby Clifford leading the Telford charge with 6th overall and 2nd in category. Charlotte Gould added a spectacular 2nd run to a solid 1st time to finish 18th overall (7th in category) building upon Saturday’s fine performance to make up a splendid weekend. Claire Brown posted 21st overall (5th in category), Charlotte Shrimpton claiming 28th overall (10th in category) and two spots in front of Georgina Gould with Ellen Brown producing a brace of consistent times for 5th in category
In the boys, Ashley Breese flew solo with the injury enforced absence of Jake and again impressed claiming 1st place in category and a fine 24th overall.
Wednesday 19 September 2007
Thursday 6 September 2007
Testing Courses? Why Aye Man.
All England Championships
Sunderland
1st & 2nd September
With a successful race camp at Rossendale behind them hopes were high of Team Telford success as the All England Championships took place in the most North Eastern part of the country. Silksworth Sports Complex, Sunderland is yet another indictment on the sporting facilities in and around the Midlands area. Yet another quality facility boasting a tennis centre of excellence, a floodlit athletics track, two full sized astro-turf sports pitches, a skate park and angling lake. Community facilities that should leave the councils of Walsall, Sandwell and Wol*****pton hanging their heads in shame as they peruse their pathetically bare cupboards.
Friday night training saw Benn Hall set a brutal course to prepare on and you could see the confidence of racers, parents and trainers drain by the minute as one by one the racers flew out in all directions like Boeings leaving Heathrow. Jordan in particular had a nightmare, taking most of the evening to convert anything into something that resembled a run. Those who put a bit of thought into it however coped well and subsequently proved that it could be skied.
Those who went to bed of Friday thinking that Benn had set them a difficult challenge must have felt like they’d fallen out of bed on Saturday with a pair of brutal championship courses that truly would test everyone’s mettle. This was our national championships and the course setters were clearly out to remind the racers of this. One mistake on either course was going to be fatal - skis in bag time, game over, back in the car, end of story.
And so it proved for the Telford boys. Joe Humfress perished six gates into run 1 and Ashley Breese followed suit on run 2. Forced to go a bit gung-ho after an indifferent morning run Ash’s all or nothing strategy was the correct one even though he ended on the wrong side of the equation.
In the Girls, all four Telford racers survived the day and therefore profited with substantial leaps between their respective start number and finishing position. Charlotte Gould jumped 10 places to finish 12th in Jun1, and in Chi 2 Charlotte Shrimpton came home in 9th with George Gould following her home in 11th, the latter two jumping 15 & 22 places respectively. However, the honour of Telford racer of the day however goes to Abby Clifford, who claimed a fantastic win in the Jun2 category and overall 3rd place in the female race.
The following morning saw the older racers make way for their ankle biting counterparts courtesy of the All England Minis shoot out. Two runs down the same, if slightly less tricky course. Sadly the location appeared to have put a number of racers and parents off so a small(ish) but quality field took to the slope. In the Girls, Megan Jenkins, as expected, found herself in a class of her own. From a Telford point of view Emma Taylor made her second national racing start, successfully negotiated both courses and posted a super 5th place.
In the boys the predicted head to head battle between Rocket Robert Poth and Jordan Fellows never really happened. With Jordan drawn first to go in the boys race a hush descended on the hill, well it did until his idiot old man screamed “CCCCOOOOMMMMEEE OOONNN” as he blasted out of the gate, almost taking the starter and back up timer off their seats in fright. 15.99 seconds later he had laid down the challenge. Others tried but it wasn’t until Rocket Robert climbed into his skis that Jordan’s time looked in danger. Sadly, Robert came out at the tricky gate after the hairpin and though he hiked back up his challenge was over. Half an hour later the race was completed, Jordan’s safe second run was sufficient for the win he so desperately craved and Rocket Rob had claimed the fasted time of the race with a cracking 2nd run.
In another mixed day for Telford, Daniel Taylor again impressed posting two good runs to claim a super 9th place, an excellent performance for a lad with so little experience and fine reward for a summer of hard work and development. However this was contradicted somewhat by an unlucky DNF for Nathan Breese, who looked set for a competitive time until finding the back hairpin gate wrapping itself around him and taking him down to matting level. His time will come however.
As for the team event, well I’m sorry, but I have to confess that after Jordan’s win it all felt a bit like after the Lord Mayor’s show. Team Telford put in a much better showing than last year with Ashley noteably claiming the scalp of one or two more experienced racers and Abby producing the best start I've ever seen in a duals race. Charlotte Shrimton proved a reliable 3rd leg and Charlie Gould's last leg overhauling of Sharks A was truly exhilarating. However, our more experienced opponents outgunned us this time and an early exit awaited. This almost managed to keep us dry but a monsoon between rounds 4 & 5 meant that even our exit after the league stages, in equal 4th, didn’t quite save us from this summer’s now customary drenching.
Sunderland
1st & 2nd September
With a successful race camp at Rossendale behind them hopes were high of Team Telford success as the All England Championships took place in the most North Eastern part of the country. Silksworth Sports Complex, Sunderland is yet another indictment on the sporting facilities in and around the Midlands area. Yet another quality facility boasting a tennis centre of excellence, a floodlit athletics track, two full sized astro-turf sports pitches, a skate park and angling lake. Community facilities that should leave the councils of Walsall, Sandwell and Wol*****pton hanging their heads in shame as they peruse their pathetically bare cupboards.
Friday night training saw Benn Hall set a brutal course to prepare on and you could see the confidence of racers, parents and trainers drain by the minute as one by one the racers flew out in all directions like Boeings leaving Heathrow. Jordan in particular had a nightmare, taking most of the evening to convert anything into something that resembled a run. Those who put a bit of thought into it however coped well and subsequently proved that it could be skied.
Those who went to bed of Friday thinking that Benn had set them a difficult challenge must have felt like they’d fallen out of bed on Saturday with a pair of brutal championship courses that truly would test everyone’s mettle. This was our national championships and the course setters were clearly out to remind the racers of this. One mistake on either course was going to be fatal - skis in bag time, game over, back in the car, end of story.
And so it proved for the Telford boys. Joe Humfress perished six gates into run 1 and Ashley Breese followed suit on run 2. Forced to go a bit gung-ho after an indifferent morning run Ash’s all or nothing strategy was the correct one even though he ended on the wrong side of the equation.
In the Girls, all four Telford racers survived the day and therefore profited with substantial leaps between their respective start number and finishing position. Charlotte Gould jumped 10 places to finish 12th in Jun1, and in Chi 2 Charlotte Shrimpton came home in 9th with George Gould following her home in 11th, the latter two jumping 15 & 22 places respectively. However, the honour of Telford racer of the day however goes to Abby Clifford, who claimed a fantastic win in the Jun2 category and overall 3rd place in the female race.
The following morning saw the older racers make way for their ankle biting counterparts courtesy of the All England Minis shoot out. Two runs down the same, if slightly less tricky course. Sadly the location appeared to have put a number of racers and parents off so a small(ish) but quality field took to the slope. In the Girls, Megan Jenkins, as expected, found herself in a class of her own. From a Telford point of view Emma Taylor made her second national racing start, successfully negotiated both courses and posted a super 5th place.
In the boys the predicted head to head battle between Rocket Robert Poth and Jordan Fellows never really happened. With Jordan drawn first to go in the boys race a hush descended on the hill, well it did until his idiot old man screamed “CCCCOOOOMMMMEEE OOONNN” as he blasted out of the gate, almost taking the starter and back up timer off their seats in fright. 15.99 seconds later he had laid down the challenge. Others tried but it wasn’t until Rocket Robert climbed into his skis that Jordan’s time looked in danger. Sadly, Robert came out at the tricky gate after the hairpin and though he hiked back up his challenge was over. Half an hour later the race was completed, Jordan’s safe second run was sufficient for the win he so desperately craved and Rocket Rob had claimed the fasted time of the race with a cracking 2nd run.
In another mixed day for Telford, Daniel Taylor again impressed posting two good runs to claim a super 9th place, an excellent performance for a lad with so little experience and fine reward for a summer of hard work and development. However this was contradicted somewhat by an unlucky DNF for Nathan Breese, who looked set for a competitive time until finding the back hairpin gate wrapping itself around him and taking him down to matting level. His time will come however.
As for the team event, well I’m sorry, but I have to confess that after Jordan’s win it all felt a bit like after the Lord Mayor’s show. Team Telford put in a much better showing than last year with Ashley noteably claiming the scalp of one or two more experienced racers and Abby producing the best start I've ever seen in a duals race. Charlotte Shrimton proved a reliable 3rd leg and Charlie Gould's last leg overhauling of Sharks A was truly exhilarating. However, our more experienced opponents outgunned us this time and an early exit awaited. This almost managed to keep us dry but a monsoon between rounds 4 & 5 meant that even our exit after the league stages, in equal 4th, didn’t quite save us from this summer’s now customary drenching.
Abby, takes the win in Jun 2
Jordan follows suit in the minis
"I went a week without Stella and you get the trophy?"
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