4x Racing
Afan Dirt Park 4x British NPS and Euro Series Pictures.
This weekend gone we went to the British and Euro 4x at Afan Bryn Bettws.
What a thoroughly splendid weekend organised by Chris Roberts of Naked Racing. Yes it may have rained for most of it, but the vibe and racing was excellent.
We arrived on Friday, and the weather was sunny. Some of the guys were practicing and the Pro Line doubles were getting some big air.
However Saturday dawned and the rain was doing its thing. It did abate by the afternoon, but the course remained sticky throughout. The racing was excellent, the new course, designed by Phil Saxena and built by Robbie Griffiths had many places for overtaking.Featuring a corkscrew and the largest 4x rock garden in the world, both of which claimed casualties over the weekend.
Unlike many 4x courses which rely on you getting to the first corner first, this course was one where nothing was a given until you crossed the finish line.
Sunday, and the weather was worse. The start gate wasn’t visible from the bottom of a course, yet inspite of this would see many of the Euro riders later in the day breaking the 1 minute course time. Persistant rain and wind took us through the morning, and unlike Saturday, it never really cleared up.
The final race of the day was the Pro Elite, which was fought down to the last. With seconds to go riding the last doubles before the finish, the Czech rider Lukas Mechura seemed to have the race won, but a puncture put paid to that, the honours instead going to fellow countryman Kamil Tatarkovic.
My first time at a 4x race, and a long time since I’ve spent any time in Wales. Both to be revisited very soon.
A brilliant weekend.
More words in my reports on the British Cycling website here and here.
My gallery of pictures to purchase, prints and jpegs over here.
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