Aston Hill’s infamous Black Run is regarded as one of the South’s most technical descents. Hosting local and regional races since 1997, it celebrated it’s 17th year of racing in style. After weeks of dry weather left the trails dry and dusty the weekend before the rain in the week running up to the race and a day of cloud cover on Friday ensured that the dry conditions were a distant memory. For those practicing on Saturday there was plenty to perfect with a couple of variations to the trail throwing a curve ball for Aston Hill and Black Run race regulars alike. The track was busy all day with riders all working on those all important lines.

With the UCI Downhill World Cup racers travelling thousands of miles to race in Cairns, Australia expecting sunshine and finding one of the wettest races in years closer to home the wet and challenging track conditions on Aston Hill were very similar.

Sunday morning dawned overcast with a light drizzle ensuring those with fingers crossed that the track would dry out overnight were disappointed. It didn’t dampen the spirits of the riders already that had already entered on-line with many still opting to enter on the day too. Practice put 180 riders down the course and by the end of the session with the rain holding off a much dryer sticker line had a appeared and the riders were looking forward to race runs and throwing everything down to put in a quick time.

The conditions continued to improve throughout the day and then just after the second runs started a heavy shower hit the hill. Considering the forecast the racers had been pretty lucky that this was the first shower of the day and it didn’t last long but had it done enough to change the conditions? For some yes, but the remaining racers through themselves into their second runs with nothing to loose. In some cases it paid off but in others it left riders sliding down the hill after loosing traction on the chalk.

Juvenile

The young rippers never cease to amaze with their all out commitment. Making light work of conditions that had older riders scratching their heads it was Robert Thomas of the Gravity Project that came out on top stopping the clock on 1.54.57, with Charles Griffith in 2nd just 0.92secs off the pace and Josh Mead of Team Porc/Whisper Bikes rounding out the top three with a time of 1.59.29 just sneaking into the sub 2min club.

	Juvenille Men
1	Robert Thomas	Gravity Project	1:54:57
2	Charles Griffiths		1:55:49	0.92s
3	Josh Mead	Team Porc/Whisper Bikes	1:59:29	4.72s

Youth

The Youth men’s race came down to a battle between Alfie Kilner (Bashee Bikes/Team Aston Hill) and Tom Davies (Crank Cycles). The pair have been locked in a duel all season and after the first runs there was very little time between them. However Tom laid down an impressive second run to stop the clock on 1:37:62. Alfie held onto second and Jack Miller rounded out the top three on the day.

	Youth Men
1	Tom Davies	Crank Cycles	1:37:62
2	Alfie Kilner	Banshee Bikes/Team Aston Hill	1:42:97	5.32s
3	Jack Miller		1:44.26	6.64s

Junior Men

Few would have bet against Team Aston Hill rider Al Warrell taking the win on home soil. Al who was back on the bike after injuring his wrist on the team photo shoot the week before. The injury didn’t seem to be slowing him down though and his first run of 1:30:43 set the pace until the Expert/Elites hit the trail. Jack Klimowicz came home in second clocking 1:42:87 and Scott Robinson rounded out the top three on 1:44:29.

	Junior Men
1	Alister Warrell	Banshee Bikes/Team Aston Hill	1:30:43
2	Jack Klimowicz		1:42:87	12.44s
3	Jack Miller		1:44:29	13.86s

Senior Men

One of the most hotly contested categories and with many of the fastest riders seeing their hopes of a fast time sliding out with them as the slippery chalk pushed them off line. It  Team Aston Hill’s Ross Hammond that used his local knowledge to put together a stormer of a run to take the win and stop the clock on 1:36:28. Second and third were hot on his heals though with Grant Martin just 0.72s behind on 1:37:00 and James Stapleton on a 1:37:17 another 0.89s back and Daniel Sibbick in forth another 0.94s back making it very tight at the top.

	Senior Men
1	Ross Hammond	Team Aston Hill	1:36:28
2	Grant Martin	Ipswich Bicycle Club	1:37:00	0.72s
3	Jack Miller		1:37:17	0.89s

Master Men

It’s always interesting to see who made the move from Senior to Master and the effect the young blood with have on the categories old guard. It was Dan Haines that set the pace on a 1:35:32. James Weames came home in second on 1:36:41 and another Aston Hill regular Chris Spooner rounded out the top three on 1:37:52

	Master Men
1	Dan Haines		1:35:32
2	James Weames		1:36:41	1.09s
3	Chris Spooner		1:37:52	2.20s

Veteran Men

The Vets have the advantage of experience and it was all needed to guide their bikes down to the bottom of the Black Run. Pete Little was the man to beat recovering from a rotator cuff injury the racer in him had got the better of him and he’d decided to race. It wasn’t a decision he regretted with a time of 1:44:84 he took the win from Firecrest MTB’s Ian Warby who’s time of 1:48:00 was 3.16s slower. Stuart Chittenden rounded out the top three just a few hundredths off Warby’s time with a time of 1:48:78.

	Veteran Men
1	Pete Little		1:44:84
2	Ian Warby		1:48:00	3.16s
3	Stuart Chittenden		1:48:75	3.94s

Hardtail

It’s hard to decide if they were the bravest or the dumbest group of riders on the day. Getting to the bottom of the hill on a full suspension bike was a challenge so making it down on a hardtail deserved a medal. After looking quick in practice it was no surprise to see Cliff Perkins (Beeline Bikes) take the win on a 1:53:10 with Ben Roberts pushing him all the way but eventually loosing out by just 0.37s in second and Scott Cordy in 3rd on 2:05:03 a further 11.93s back.

	Hardtail Men
1	Clifford Perkins	Beeline Bikes	1:53:10
2	Ben Roberts		1:53:47	0.37s
3	Scott Cordy		2:05:03	11.93s

Elite/Expert Men

What the Elite Men’s category lacked in numbers it certainly made up for in talent with Aston Hill locals and World Cup DH racers Jack Geoghegan (Madison/Saracen) and Philip Atwill (RRP Ghost) both racing on their doorstep as opposed to the other side of the planet. That didn’t stop them laying down their world class skills though pushed all the way by the Team Aston Hill pairing of Glenroy Martin and Darren Evans. After the first run it was Glenroy that set the pace but Phil had given away valuable seconds into the finish after styling up the final jump for the waiting crowd.

With a frustrating first run that saw him off the pace of the leaders Jack Geoghegan was in a determined mood come run two. With the spectators lining the track ready for the fastest riders to do their thing Jack flew down the hill to stop the clock on 1:27:97 just edging out a much faster finishing Phil Atwill by just 0.12s with Glenroy leading home the Team Aston Hill Challenge in third on 1:28:50 with team mate Darren Evans in 4th and Ben Deakin (Primera Cycles) in fifth.

	Expert/Elite Men
1	Jack Geoghegan	Madison Saracen Development	1:27:97
2	Philip Atwill	RRP Ghost	1:28:09	0.12s
3	Glenroy Martin	Team Aston Hill	1:28:50	0.53s

For the full results go too www.rootsandrain.com

So another great days racing goes down in the annuals of Aston Hill history racing returns to the slopes of Aston Hill in September when the riders will take on Root Canal.

Thanks to Pete Way and the Aston Hill Mountain Bike Club Race Committee with support from the Aston Hill Club Committee for all their hard work in putting the race on. Gravity Project for the timing the First Aid team and all the marshals. The caterers that kept everyone fed and watered and the fantastic sponsors that supported the event with a selection of amazing prizes across the categories. Grass roots racing just wouldn’t happen with out their support!