Tredz Downtown Race

Penarth - 21st October 2007

Saturday 20th October and it’s back into the van for the final race on Bens summer race calendar as we head down to Penarth near Cardiff for another urban downtown event. After the 5 hour drive a quick look at the course revealed very little, so it was a walk on the beach, a quick Italian meal and back to the hotel to watch the rugby world cup final and an early night.

Sunday and an early start to the day in order to get a good look at the track which on arrival was still in the process of being built. After a bit of a wait where no-one seemed to know what was going on or at what time practice finally got underway.

Out of the start and away down the first street, through a little chicane then right down the first path before turning sharply left into the park. A burst on the pedals took you quickly along before the first structure appears in front of you, a brick built gazebo with a maze of tight corners and corridors to negotiate. Out of the building and a right turn puts you onto a flight of wood and gravel steps taking you down to the next level of the park.

A wide bend here then a small hop down over a wall and into tightest two corners ever to be seen on a downhill track, the race could quite easily be won or lost in this small section, out of here and pedal fast down over a few sets of steps then into the first of the two small horseboxes, in the back and out the side door. Out of the last box and you are onto the road leading down the hill towards the pier with a quick chicane made using Tracy Moseleys car the only thing standing between you and the finish line is a huge car jump, not for the faint hearted (or there is the chicken run option to the left) with a steep kicker and a pick up truck parked end to end before hitting the down ramp and pedalling over the line.

In the practice session an elite rider had a bad accident on the car jump which subsequentially caused this particular obstacle to be removed.

Ben had a good run in seeding, posting the fastest time of the day in the youth category 1 min 25.43 secs, but after getting caught up in the tight section Ben finished his race run in a time of 1:26.45 and 3rd place.