Race Report July 2007
Iron Horse DH Mount Snow – Race #2
Back up to Mount Snow for a little training on the high speed open ski runs before the National Championships. The course was a variation of the sport course used for the Nationals. I have never been on this course and it was very fun. I was feeling great in practice getting used to my new Turner DHR. Race day came and we were not only racing the clock but the weather as well. As I left the start gate it started to drizzle. A third of the way down it started to pour and I thought this may be an advantage since the rest of my class would have to go off in the rain. However, I stacked it in the roxy rocks section and nearly knocked myself out. I managed to get back up, find my bike, and salvage a top ten with 8th place.
Plattekill DH Series - Race#3
Up to Plattekill for race #3 to keep the race senses sharp for the National Championships next weekend. I was testing some setups with the front of my bike and just was not feeling much flow on the course. The course never seemed to click with me so I registered for slalom on saturday. I have never had so much fun racing head to head. I will be doing more slalom races in the future. On sunday I crashed in my race run and finished 9th. I also donated my old DH bike to Plattekill's Junior Development program so we should start seeing some new kids on the mountain. Us old guys can't keep racing for ever, we need some new blood to keep the east coast hopping.
Mount Snow National Championships
Drive up wednesday and its pissing rain. Thursday practice in the rain. The course is a combination of Mt. Snows roughest wide open sections and now there turning into a mud bog. Practice goes better than I expected. Friday practice without any rain but the course gets worse. Rutted mud bog with giant holes forming everywhere by the minute. The course keeps changing and you have to keep trying new lines. I manage to hit a tree at full speed and bruise my quad. I thought I may have broke my leg and was on the ground for 5 minutes, it hurt so bad. I go back up to check out lines which was probably not a good idea since my leg hurt so bad. That night I ice, hot tub, ibuprofen and repeat to keep the swelling down. Saturday practice. Thank God for hot tubs, I feel a little better and I am able to pedal, walking is still not that good. Its sunny and the course seems to be improving and practice goes well. Saturday race run. My rear brake has been finicky all weekend and I crash right before ledges, I get back on and make it down to loose my bar with one hand and dump it in a mud bog before turkey falls. I scramble in the mud forever and at this point my run is basically over, too much time has passed. I get back on and finish my run with no rear brake ending up 13th.
3 Races = 3 crashes. Not a very good month but I have a week off to recover and get my head straight. After that we have the Mad March Racing Pro Camp at Plattekill, then Mount Snow race #3 and Plattekill race #4. I would also like to thank Fox for taking the time to setup my bike on thursday even though they were totally swamped and short handed. The bike feels dialed now.
That’s it for July. August report to follow the end of the month including a report on the Mad March Racing Pro Camp at Plattekill.