Ulster Cyclo-x Championships - Castle Park Bangor

Just Caroline and myself ventured out today. On the bikes that is, Trevor turned up armed only with a camera.

The weather could have been better, a lot better! Although it has to be said the youth races bore the blunt of it. By the time the senior race started the rain had ended, just the matter of what the wheels were flicking up.

I am sure XMTB were worried up until about a 1/2 hour before the race as there didn't seem to be a great turn out. I mentioned this to "Uncle Andy" Potts and he told me this was normal this year. He said that near the start time I would see the roadie fraternity weigh in, and he was right. You see us xc types normally are there from first light.

 The start got slightly crowded into the first corner but the first faller was just over the first bmx jump. He must have been a jockey the way he rolled into a ball, was like beachers brook!

As the race progressed conditions got slippery due to a combination of bare tree roots and clay. Robin Seymour didn't seem to be finding the going difficult. By the 4th lap he came flying past me, something he was to repeat on the 7th or 8th lap. The up side of this was less laps to complete. There was some confusion at the end of the race. As I completed a lap I was told I has now on the last lap. I looked up ahead and seen Paul Anderson and decided to try and catch him. I managed to catch and pass him just before the end only to learn that I had another lap to do. Paul rode past and I hadn't the energy to catch him. Later in the lap I managed to catch up with him but he beat me in the sprint for the line.

Caroline had yet another win in the ladies.Caroline had a good race with Maurice Mayne Banbridge before he managed to pull away on the last lap after Caroline had 3 falls.

The main highlight of the day was the shower after the race, or so I am told as I was not invited. All I have been told from Caroline is "thanks for the shower boys, sorry for using all the hot water"