The last official race in the UKSSA’s 2014 Slalom Racing Calendar took place at the annual two day Hogtoberfest event at Hog Hill. Once again Kryptonics were proud to support another UKSSA slalom race. This year was the biggest ever Hogtoberfest with some 200 riders gathering to ride the smooth hills at the Redbridge Cycling Centre.
We had almost finished set up before the rains came and gave the track a soaking. However after the customary rain break Hog Hill fare – coffee and bacon sarnies – the sun obliged us with its presence and began to dry the track. Set up completed the Hybrid qualifying started. This years Hogtoberfest saw some of our European cousins fromSwedenjoining us to race. We welcomed racers Victor Martensson and Kaj Gustafsson as well ISSA president Jani Soderhall and family.
With qualifying done the bracketing was quickly sorted out. The 8 fastest racers would make up the A Group and the remaining racers the B Group. The late afternoon sun beamed down on the fast and furious racing taking place on the Hybrid hill. There were some very close heats with only fractions of a second separating the racers. The final was between Pavel/Cult/Octane rider Louis Selby and this year’s World Amateur number 3, PigCityskater Mmedo Duffort. After a very close first heat in which both riders hit one cone a DQ by Mmedo in the second meant Louis comfortably took the top podium spot with Swedes Jani and Victor taking 3rd and 4th respectively. Worthy of a special mention is Alfie Osborne who completed his first ever ramp start in the Hybrid went on to qualify in very respectable 13th place – with great style too, well done.
Sunday began under grey skies and that’s how it stayed all day in contrast to Saturday’s sunshine. Set up was rapid and so the B Group Hybrid slalom heats and finals were soon underway. Note to self when racing from the timing table make sure you take your reading glasses off first it helps to see the course! (“Senior moment” alert!).
The B Group final was almost a carbon copy of the A Group with DreadCity’s John Nicholas losing out to Jani’s eldest son Dimitri after he DQ’d his second run.
As soon as the Hybrid was over one of the ramps was turned around 180 degrees to face the GS hill and the timing system was rapidly connected to allow the Giant Slalom practice session to begin. A strong headwind made for some tricky racing conditions and could make a difference of seconds in rider’s times. GS newbie Joe Baldwin worried a few of the “old hands” setting an impressive time of 24.120. Going into the last few runs the wind had done a complete 180 and was now a useful tail wind. In the battle for the top spot this proved a critical factor. Mmedo’s clean run time of 23.20 earned him his first Hog Hill GS victory. Louis came close with his raw time of 23.22 plus one cone penalty so he had to settle for 2nd. Visiting Swede Victor Martensson took the remaining podium place his time of 23.74 having led for much of the way.
Big thanks as ever to everyone at Redbridge Cycling Centre for having us. Thank you to Timmy Peters and DAS Industries for all of your hard work in getting things organised, to Michael Stride and Octane Sport for supplying the ramps, timing and logistical support. My thanks to Mark Phelps for helping out with the timing and doing the pen work at the time table, to Paul Coupe and Gavin Palfrey for all of you help, To Edwin for your invaluable assistance and “voice” in the cone counting dept. and to Louis and Mmedo for the courses. Thank you to all of the events sponsors including Kryptonics, Octane, Lush and Skate Warehouse. Finally big thanks to you all that came and raced and supported the event.
Kryptonics Tees went to Alfie Osborne for his great performance in his first ever ramp start slalom race and to Richard Searle for his first ever A Group race – showing that his recent European race experience has paid dividends. Kryptonics Star Trac Wheels went to John Nicholas, Dimitiri Soderhall, Dill Hill and Paul Borrell.
Happy recipients of Kryptonics Wheels.
Results
Hybrid A Group Results
- Louis Selby
- Mmedo Duffort
- Jani Soderhall
- Victor Martensson
- Kaj Gustafsson
- Paul Taylor Crush
- Richard Searle
- Paul Coupe
Hybrid B Group
- Dimitri Soderhall
- John Nicholas
- Tiago Fanha
- Gavin Palfrey
- Rob Ashby
- Alfie Osborne
- Trevor Hickey
- Alexi Soderhall
- Alec Brown
- Dill Hill
Giant Slalom
(Final times with any cone penalties added)
- Mmedo Duffort 23.200
- Louis Selby 23.420
- Victor Martensson 23.740
- Joe Baldwin 24.120
- Jani Soderhall 24.440
- Kaj Gustafsson 25.320
- Chris Charalambous 25.610
- Paul Taylor Crush 26.000
- Paul Coupe 26.200
- John Nicholas 26.510
- Alex Ireton 26.920
- Richard Searle 27.020
- Dimitri Soderhall 27.210
- Alexei Soderhall 27.200
- Trevor Hickey 28.580
- Gavin Palfrey 29.010
- Dill Hill 29.300
- Alec Brown 29.410
- Alfie Osborne 29.530
- Paul Borrell 31.430