Time to Join the Rat Race!
Ben Gladwyn - Wed May 25, 2005 20:47:03 |
By Charlie Wigfall (www.teamcharlie.co.uk)
After successfully trialling their new racing format last year Reading All Terrain Mountain Bike Club (RATz) recently laid on the opening round of the Ratz Rampage. For those after some midweek racing in a slightly different format to conventional XC racing it has to be worth a go.
The pack was split into four categories, Racing (regular racers), Club (good club riders), Women, and Fun separated by 1 min on the start line. With a good turnout the carpark was full on arrival. The Evans, Pedalon and Marin boys were there in force so you could tell the racing would be close. The course was laid around a shortened version of the usual RATz course. All of the open field crossings had been removed (except for the start line lead in) and racing was confined to Hammonds Woods. This allowed for a 10 min lap time for the leaders giving them the opportunity to get 6 laps in, in the 50min + 1 lap race time. With usual short sharp climbs and twisty singletrack it was a great course that allowed you to push to the max, knowing it would all be over in a breath.
Ratz laid on a very laid back, but slick operation, with entry at only ?5 or ?2 for club members (It?s only ?20 to join for the year, and you get full access to the course outside of race days) it was a very cheap night of racing. 10/10 for value for money. Ratz employed their excellent ?Racemate? timing system which allowed the results to be posted within 5 min of finishing.
With another three rounds and the final to come over the summer, this is defiantly a series worth trying. Round 2 will be on Thursday 2nd June @ Hammonds Farm, Checkendon.
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Rampage Round 1 - report
Ben Gladwyn - Fri May 6, 2005 14:06:42 |
Checkendon 5th May 2005
The first round of the Ratz Rampage was held on a dry and Sunny evening on the singletrack trails through the Bluebells in Hammonds Wood. A large part of the wood was felled late last year and we have lost some nice tracks but we have added so extra sections to compensate and last nights race has helped a smooth them out a little. The course was set to be tough with one long climb and a short sharp climb at the finish, with a fast downhill, a technical downhill and lots of flowing singletrack in between this round would sort everyone out.
The entry was a lower than expected but when we set our date the Election was not planned so perhaps people stayed away to go voting. However it meant the event was easily manageable and everything ran like clockwork. The fast boys went off first led out by Jamie Newall of Evans, closely followed by Jason Emery (Pedalon.co.uk) and Luke Smith (Marin UK). Newall pulled away from the pack and steadily built up a comfortable lead lapping at just over 9 minutes although Emery started catching him on the last 2 laps with some faster times it was too late to catch him. Newall finished 14 seconds up on Emery and both riders were the only one to complete 6 laps under the hour. Smith stayed in 3rd place all the way to the finish and was only 58 seconds back but was chased by Paul Lasenby (Marin UK) and Mark Cracknell (AWCycles.co.uk) who were having their own battle for 4th place. Cracknell passed Lasenby on the downhill starting lap 5 but Lasenby attacked on the long climb and distanced himself to take 4th.
Kim Burrows (Pedalon.co.uk) led the Club race from start to finish and was only ever troubled by a fast finish by his team mate David Lawrence who closed the gap to 24 seconds in the last lap. Andrew Edwards of local road club Reading CC took 3rd after an early battle with Paul Boffin, and Pedal On duo Ricky White and Damien Corrigan.
In the Fun race Paul Cross managed 4 laps in the hour and was over 3 minutes up on second place Tony Davies, Chris Keeble-Smith took 3rd and put in some good lap times for a Juvenile, 4th place was taken by another youngster Mathew Davies who did really well to complete 3 laps of the tough course.
With only 2 women racing they opted to start with the Fun men and stuck together for the first lap, chatting away as they completed the lap. It was Viv Hazleton (WDMBC Beyond) who made the move though on the 2nd lap and opened up a 4 minute gap over her rival Jenifer Cady (Evans Cycles). Hazleton continued the charge and built a substantial lead over Cady and managed to complete 5 laps to the 4 laps of Cady and all the Fun men.
Thanks to all those who raced.
See you at Round 2 on June 2nd for a flat out blast round Park Wood (no hills!)
Steve Jones
Full results | Series points
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Ratz RAMPAGE 2005
Ben Gladwyn - Thu Apr 21, 2005 16:03:36 |
The RATz Rampage is all set for the summer after it's successful trial last year. This 10 min lap, 1 hour race shall take place on the 1st Thursday of each month between May and August (5th May, 2nd June, 7th July, 4 Aug), with the final coinciding with the RATz Club Championships on the 20th of August.
More details and entry form |
Holiday Deal For Members
Ben Gladwyn - Tue Mar 22, 2005 14:01:15 |
Ride & Slide are offering Ratz members a minimum of 10% discount on summer holidays to their chalet in Morzine, and extra discount may be available for larger group bookings.
One of their suggestions is to lay on free beer for the duration, which doesn't sound too bad to me.
For more information contact Lisa and Jonathan at info@rideslide.co.uk. |
