cycling
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.
If you want pictures for commercial use, please drop me an email.
North West Regional Road Race Champs 2011
Biblical weather driving up the M6 to Lazonby, just past Penrith for the North west regional Road Race champs.
Once there, thankfully the rain abated, but the wind remained epic.
Tricky photography conditions, with the light changing from bright sunshine to grey gloom, in a second, and then back again.
The course was great, and can best be described as lumpy, with barely a flat spot. An attractive course for the photographer, and no doubt fun to ride.
My race report can be found on British Cycling’s website.
Prints of the photos can be purchased here.
Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross Race Photos 2010.
This year instead of racing riding in the Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross race, I had the task of taking pictures for British Cycling.
A tricky race to cover from a number of angles as a) it’s 38 miles long, and b) it goes over 3 rather large hills. Thankfully the weather was spot on, I couldn’t have asked for better.
With it being such a famous race there are a lots of photographers all taking pictures at all the easy access places, so I headed for the hills. Wearing fell shoes, and a paired down rucksack on my back filled with cameras and lenses. I covered ground quickly. Though my legs are feeling it today.
The knowledge gained from having done the race a couple of times paid off, and it wasn’t until I got to Ribblehead Viaduct, that I spent time in the company of other photographers.
Prints, and jpegs are for sale in the 2010 Three Peaks picture gallery.
Here’s a few of my faves from the day.
