NPS4X Rnd & National Championships
Edge Mountain Board Centre
Bridgnorth
17th & 18th May 2008

Written by: Aidan Bishop

Stefan Gleed

The past weekend saw the second round of the NPS4X series on the Saturday, then the 4X National Championships on the Sunday. Prior engagements and family allowances meant I would only be able to attend the Champs on the Sunday, but Stefan went to represent the team both days.

Saturday I received numerous call from Stef giving me progress reports on how the day was unfolding, a blessing for me as he told me how wet and slippery it was meaning I could prepare myself with lots of spare tyres!!

The last phone call I received from Stef was a good one as he gave me the news that he had won! He was behind in the final but used his head and bike handling skills to set the leaders up and pass them then didn’t stop pedalling until he crossed the line! Nice one Stef, congrats, this result (we think) puts him joint leader of the series with Steve Jones due to moto points collected. Not bad for only his second 4X race!

Aidan Bishop

 

Sunday morning and I set off with old skool racer Pete ‘cheesy’ Lawrie, who was along to spectate but ended up racing the novice category. Clear Sunday morning roads meant it was only a 2 hour drive to reach the Edge mountain board venue just outside Bridgenorth in Shropshire.
The course was new to me, but was used last year in the series, it uses quite a steep hillside and part of a valley. The start was a sprint into a grassy triple then a small step-up into a fast bermed left. The second straight had table top rolling double then step-up into bermed right. Then a double with a long landing into a fast wide right berm and onto a speed bump, long table top, then a new section of track was taped, it meant bearing left onto unused ground slightly off camber over a medium table top with a super steep landing small hip, then a flat grassy right and sprint to the finish line. The course was good fun to ride and interesting to race as the corners were very wide and allowed opportunities to overtake which was a refreshing change.

Motos – I had Stef in our first moto along with Paddy Baker, so it would be a good race. I got a good start and was able to stay in front and out of trouble and took the win with Stef close behind. Next moto was the same result, third moto was a tough draw lining up with Darren Howarth for the first time this year and Dom Bent, both fast riders and good starters. The gate dropped and it was tight, we all went over the triple elbow to elbow then my foot came out of the pedal and I had a comedy (for everyone watching!) ride on the top tube trying to save it until I reached the step-up and got ejected – race over for me! Fourth moto and was another tough draw with Darren again and Steve Jones, they beat me to the first corner, I tried coming past on the first straight but couldn’t get round them, then waited and went wide on one corner whilst they were protecting the inside line allowing me to have more speed and pass Darren on a jump then I was able to go round Steve on the last corner and pedal across the line first. This was a good physchological boost for me only to be told I got relegated to 3rd because I had clipped a flag at the top of the course!.. gutted, but that’s racing!
So a mixed bag in qualifying for me two 1st’s and two 3rd’s, Stef had much the same luck but we were both through to the semi’s, which is the main thing.

Semi’s time, I was in with Darren, Simon Rickett and Mark Antsley (excuse the spelling it may be wrong!). Stefan had Steve Jones, Dom Bent and Paddy Baker and neither of us had a decent lane choice! I managed to get a good start and stay out front and out of trouble, so it finished with me first and Darren second and through to the final. Stef didn’t fair so well getting squeezed out on the start straight and not managing to find a way past, finishing fourth.

Stefan Gleed

Final time – consisted of Steve Jones, Darren Howarth, Dom Bent and myself with last lane pick…great! Forget the nerves and concentrate on the lights, gate drops..go! I managed to get a good start and led into the first corner, I chose wrong and went wide to carry more speed but Steve came inside and pushed me wide onto the very edge of the berm leaving me last on the next straight. Going into the next corner I went inside Dom and made it stick. Next corner Darren and Steve went inside again so I went out and came into the next straight with more speed (maybe too much!), I hit the table top fast and past both of them going into the lead with one corner left. I don’t know what went wrong but I couldn’t ride out the landing, only having one foot in then the other came out and I was riding the saddle with my stomach managing to stop just before the last table top and watch all three of the them go past, game over….GUTTED!! Darren took the win.

The Novice final lined up with our mate Pete in it!! Not bad for a first go, especially considering that some people classing themselves as Novice usually race senior in the series! Pete gated well then his feet unclipped putting him last but some good riding saw him overtake and finish second and win himself a gold plastic trophy with the plaque fallen off!!

Elite final was a cracking race. Will Longden was on form all day just leaving people behind, very impressive. Scott Beaumont was his usual smooth self and deceptively fast, with Lewis Lacey in the mix. Will was again in front, Lewis got close near the bottom, but then Scott went outside on the same corner and carried lots of speed onto the next straight allowing him to pass Lacey and close in on Will. They came out of the grass corner tied and Scott then won the sprint for the line..Very impressive victory and a well deserved title that has evaded him for so many years, Congratulations Scott, commiseration’s Will.

A good days racing in all, just with a disappointing finish for Stef and myself. The third round of the series, I believe has been moved to Chicksands in mid June, so we’ll have to reverse the results there!