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A Hard Day's Night race report

by Luke Webber, 17 Oct 05. Results [ 1» 2» ] Photos [ 1» 2» 3» ]

Gorrick MBC hosted the most exciting race of the year on Saturday when riders pitted their wits against a fast and technical two mile course once in the day and once after dark.

USE and Exposure were on hand with the prizes and it was John Virgo who walked away with the big one - a set of Exposure lights, simply for being on hand when his number was called out in the prize draw!

In the first race of the day Fun rider Lewis Marsh (Inter Bike) stormed away from everyone else claiming both the day and night races. After the race he commented that the night race was: "the best 30 minutes riding I’ve ever done." Praise indeed for the course designers, who put together a lap with only one big climb and plenty of fast winding singletrack, peppered with some drops and slidey roots.

Lewis Marsh also took second place in the hillclimb competition [© Guy Swarbrick]

The second races saw the Open field and Veterans go head to head for 45 minutes and with so many riders there was carnage at the start. Dave Nelson (Beyond Mountain Bikes) managed to avoid this and broke free in both day and night races to take convincing victories ahead of Steve Jones (AW Cycles) and Kim Marsh (Inter Bike).

In the Open 45 minute race Pete Warwick (PigDog) finished second in the day and fourth in the night to claim the overall victory, ahead of Martin Merrell and James Dymond (Berks on Bikes).

The last two races off were the Masters and Expert/Sport, who would ride for an hour in daylight and darkness. No one was a match for Chris Minter’s (PedalOn) pace in the Expert/Sport category, so it was effectively a fight for second and third place. In race one Tim Smith (Beyond Mountain Bikes) came second, followed by Luke Webber, who ran over the line cyclocross style after getting a puncture in the latter stages of the final lap. Things would have been very different had Mike Moleschi (Hardcore Racing) and Lloyd Pallet (Oxford Uni) showed up on time.

The night race saw another change of fortunes and as the Expert race set off, Luke Webber was nowhere to be seen and set off late after becoming mixed up with the times! Chris Minter did his usual lead from the front and Tim Smith rolled in third, behind Moleschi (on time this time!) to secure second step on the podium overall. Third was a rather surprised Martin Whitelock, who secured the final podium place after two consistent performances.

The Masters race was dominated by another PedalOn rider, Nick Onslow. Dean Morgan (Mountain Trax) had to play second fiddle twice and Bren Divall (Brixton Cycles) was third, despite fearing blowing up and getting beaten by Paul Howard (Mountain Trax/Gorrick).

Prizes for the winning Master and Expert riders were superb special edition USE SUMO seatposts, engraved to mark the occasion, with all other podium riders getting lubes and bikewash. All presentations were also well attended, with every rider getting big cheers as they took their step to the top - what an atmosphere!

The next Gorrick MBC presentation is back to the regular Sunday slot, November 13 at Crowthorne. The website has entry forms for this event, as well as provisional dates for the 2006 Exodus Spring Series.