Northstar Super-D Race Report By Matt Walters
I had really wanted to do the whole Northstar Super D series this season however
life got in the way of the first two but not so the final one of the season. I
was really hoping for a great course something with a good mixture of flat out
speed and super technical terrain - it certainly didn't disappoint!!!
The race was scheduled for a start at 5pm, so I turned up at 2.50 to register
figuring that would give me plenty of time to get a couple of practice runs in,
wrong. Apparently they had decided to start this one from the top of Mt. Pluto
rather than the top of the normal lifts they run for the bike season. So
everybody met up and got the obligatory knackered old school bus shuttle to the
top. The bus ride took about 45 minutes with plenty of chatting with the other
races. Talking with the others in the sport class there was a pretty good range
of abilities from first timers to a guy who took 10th in the Sea Otter DH and
another who normally races expert DH.
We unloaded and then all waited for the confirmation that the course had been
marked. During the race brief it became obvious that there were going to be
sections with multiple line choice. Seeing has I had no idea my game plan was
gonna have to have to be to follow someone. The first up were the Pro/Experts
and they were soon steaming down the course. We then lined our bikes up (upside
down 50ft in front of us) for the Le Manns style start. After my Sea Otter
experience I decided that I would not be running flat out to the bikes but
taking it a bit more casual and concentrating on getting a good bike "flip".
Air horn went and everybody was off sprinting to the line and grabbing bikes
while trying not to smack the others with your wheels. I jumped on and started
pedaling only to find myself somewhat unexpectedly in second. Finding myself
this close to the front the game plan went out the window and I dumped it on the
big ring and sprinted into the lead down the rocky double track section. I
kept hammering until the single track, checking behind me before I dived onto
"little trees". At this point it was me and the expert dude with a good lead on
the rest of the field. This top section of single track was smooth by
Northstar standards and I was able to stay ahead until grabbing too much front
brake, coupled with a good overtaking move by him. I stayed fairly close and
was able to repass him on the next fire road section just before we hit the
single track known as "flameout". It was on this section that I remembered how
rocky Northstar is as my chain kept getting bounced off the rings, resulting in
me getting passed after some good elbow to elbow riding. At one section I could
hear him laughing as I tried to sprint out of a corner only to find myself in
little ring. Prior to this race I had only ever ridden at Northstar on a
downhill bike. I have to say I was amazed at just how good my Fox 32 Vanilla
fork performed as they are 32's I had, in all honesty, expected them to be at
the limit but there was nothing that phased them.
On the next section of fire road I got it in big ring and passed him again,
checking behind us there was nobody else in sight. We dropped onto the next
section of single track neck and neck and came to a junction some what lacking
in clear directions!!! In the time it took us to get an answer on were the
course was 3 other guys had caught up and one knew the course because he headed
straight down it! Somehow both myself and the expert dude managed to pass all
3. I really think the nice white Rock Gardn elbow pads helped here as they are
quite noticeable when held high during passing (as well as being really comfy,
even during flat out sprints). I managed to keep the lead all the way through
this section of single track across the open ground by the midway station and on
to "upper mine shaft". Know as all the Wed night crew will tell you I suck at
berms, however I was in the front to I just stuck the high line and put the
elbows out and managed to keep the lead. As we approached the final single track
section both myself and the expert dude had opened a slight gap. Again it was
some good old fashion elbow to elbow racing between us but he was just a little
faster. The alternate route mentioned at the racer briefing was down there
somewhere, one route was single track and the other fire road, but neither of us
spotted the fire road trail entrance and after getting caught earlier didn't
want to give up the gap. As we neared the exit of this single track 2 things
happened, I hit a jump and completely buggered it up almost went down thus
allowing a gap to open and out of the corner of me eye I noticed someone
hammering the fire road. It turned out to be the guy who caught up earlier at
the section with the bad course marking and knew the course. Suffice to say this
was the race winning move! I ended up crossing the line 3rd out of about 12 or
so in the sport start wave. After everybody crossed the line we decamped to
the bar for beer and medals, a fine end to a great race. I will certainly be
making every effort to do all these races next year and if I am real lucky the
DH as well. For those who are interested there is a link to the race profile
below.
Matt
Click here for the full gory details!
posted by McWalters @ 9/24/2009
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