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FreeRange Sports Optics NPS 4x Round 3
The Edge, Much Wenlock Shropshire
James - 7th June 2007
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The FreeRange Sports Optics NPS4x series rolled into Much Wenlock, Shropshire for the third round at the new venue at the Edge Mountain Board & outdoor centre. The new course has been designed for both mountain bikes and mountain boarders, and both can ride it anytime the centre is open.
NPS4x racing in idyllic Shropshire countryside (erm..)
Off the start gate it was a quick couple of pedal strokes into a triple, only a few fully rode this one, most either doubled the first and manualled, or manualled the lot for speed. Straight after this you were thrown into a tight step-up then into the infamous first corner, get this right and you were sorted for the race, plenty of overtaking manouveres here and plenty of crashes throughout the day.
Get your snap on!
Now you're travelling at full whack straight into two sets of doubles, then a step-up again landing in the berm, huge ski jump dropped you a long way down the hillside into another berm and onto the finishing straight which consisted of a big tabletop then into a step down, a few found this difficult and there were a couple of face plants here and a few stem encounters.
The turnout was good with around 110 riders at the event, despite the event being called off a couple of weeks before for the weather, this weekend was burning hot with dust everywhere.
Lacey leading the pack
12-17 Novice
1. Rich Robertshaw
2. George Smith
3. Alex Painter
18+ Novice
1. Mike Webb
2. Sean Hanson
3. Neil Hayward
Mike Webb took the win after a long battle between himself and Hanson, with Hanson winning the majority of the Motos.
Juvenile
1. Mike Yard
2. Ryan Russell
3. Adam Thomas - Beds Fat Trax
4. Suzanne Lacey - Flow Bikes
Hard racing in Juvenile, keep an eye out for Lacey in future, she was rapid the whole weekend and not afraid to air off the jumps, a hard second corner led to her crashing out, deserved a much higher place.
Sue Lacey fought hard but went down in the finals
Youth
1. Bernard Kerr - Marzocchi Extreme Medics Bicycle Fairy
2. Ryan Vinyard
3. Scott Roberts - Flow Bikes
Tight racing in this category, Bernard seemed to be on it all weekend (despite sporting a TLD open face) and Vinyard kept him on his feet, but next time Ryan, fit a peak to your lid!
Junior
1. Pat Campbell-Jenner - Team Identiti
2. Tom Dowie - Team Identiti
3. Martyn Wetherelt - Dirt Bike Supply
4. James Goodwin - Dialled Bikes
Identiti one-two on this one, probably most contended racing of the day, Dowie and Campbell-Jenner switching places all weekend but in the end Pat persevered and took the trophy.
Senior
1. James Chadwick
2. Tom Burch - Team Funn
3. James Wilson - Ram Bikes
4. Mick Ridgeway - Dialled Bikes
Wilson had a tight line on the second corner, Burch was on it all weekend but Chadwick on the orange Revell pushed through for the win. Dave Richardson got 5th, despite racing with a bad arm injury all of Sunday.
Tom Burch, so far ahead even time for a grin for the camera
Master
1. Ian Hopkins
2. Darren Howarth
3. Dominic Bent
4. Dave Garland - Stendec Racing
Ian Hopkins was way ahead of his motos and in practise and took a deserved win for the Masters.
Elite
1. Scott Beaumont - Rocky Mountain
2. Lewis Lacey - Charge Bikes
3. Dan Yeomans - Curtis Bikes/Howies
4. Martin Ogden - Ram Bikes
Beaumont stormed every moto for the win, with Lacey also looking extremely slick on a ti Charge rig, bling! Yeomans was miles ahead in his races and Oggy wasnt giving anything away but missed out on the podium.
Beaumont on it all weekend
Check out NPS4x for all the news & results, and we have as usual a huge gallery of pics from the race available here. See you next weekend at BALA!
Yeomans on a charge (not literally)
Tabletop on the final straight
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