Farmer John's Downhill (Night Race)

With spiralling transport costs affecting downhill, it was a case of back to the future at Farmer John's Race Weekend. No transport and two days of racing for £20, that's got to be a winner in today's economic climate!
Farmer John, A.K.A. John Thorpe and his band of helpers have created something pretty special over the last three years. There's a nice dirt jump area set aside with some good transfer lines, a multitude of downhill courses, jumps, northshore and wall rides. In keeping with this very picturesque part of the Cheshire/Derbyshire border, you'd be hard pushed to even spot this North West MTB Mecca, even from the air. It all blends into tree lines and even some of the jumps have been purposely turfed to keep it all looking natural.
Saturday was Barbecue, Beer and short course downhill day. Not quite in that order, but you gotta give the hosts credit for bringing the fun back into downhill. Saturday's course was lined with generators powering up the lighting that ran the full length of the course giving it a very Christmassy feel.

Racing kicked off around 8.30pm with a two timed run format. Anyone getting under 30 seconds deserves the plaudits, so well done to Mat Stuttard, Simon Stewart, Chris Barker, Aaron Lever, Leo Fullick Rich Keates and Michael Upton. Harriet Latchem took the female category honours showing the majority of the boys the way home posting a 31.84 on her second run.
Sunday's racing was on a much longer course with most riders posting times around 1 minute 45 to 1:50. Same two run format but no Christmas lights. The course started tight then really opened up before entering the trees and differing conditions. Grass to mud, to clay, to stone, to wood and back to clay in the space of 30 metres really tests the concentration before more familiar twisting sections through the trees. The bottom half of the course caught many riders out as no sunlight on the lower part kept the course greasy. Two riders broke 1 minute 32 seconds, (both riders doing it for the over 30's) so well done to Senior winner Jamie Armitage and Master winner Richard Keates.

Many of riders that had never raced before, but after such a successful weekend rest assured there will be more to come. Watch this one grow.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• farmer
• john
• downhill
• race
• weekend
• marple
• bridge
• mountain
• bike
• crach
• ghosts
• over
• japan
• vile
• edda

[hermbobsquarehead]

myspace fuckghostsoverjapan

[hermbobsquarehead]

Vile edda by Ghosts Over Japan

[hemigod2]

the singer of this song sounds like an angel from heaven ;)

[MrJakJak66]

strepsils.

[WuTangChillaBee]

@taius20 hahaaa yea man! i went down on my bmx but didnt like the size of those trails! just stayed on the other ones up the hill

[taius20]

@WuTangChillaBee yo mate, was down for the race was well fun. think i need to stop smoking though, was well out of breath and only managed a 1;42

[WuTangChillaBee]

@taius20 you are supposed to pay, i think its a tenner for the year, but if you head down and are willing to help dig/build then your more than welcome just get chatting to people you see there :)

[taius20]

hi mate i have just located this place and am planning on heading down this weekend. been tranna find out where it is for ages but its all hush hush. are newcommers welcome and do ya have to pay, dont mind paying at all like, place looks amazing

[StcksAndStones]

whats the song at the start?

[trimmytrab]

Best bit was the on the 2009 weekend was the chap doing the jump into the DJs booth on the !

The MC then thrust a microphone into the rider's face for that on the spot interview!