Central CX League - RAF Halton, Sat 25th October 2014

RAF Halton  nestled on the edge of the Chilterns provided the venue for the latest round of the Central CX League.  An imaginative layout provided a varied circuit high on thrills.  A generous amount of twisty single track, some ear-popping drop offs, gnarly roots, a steep  ramp edifice that was just ridable, followed by a pin-your-ears-back descent all with a liberal sprinkling of forest floor detritus ready to catch out the careless.  A veritable menagerie of CX skill tests on a  course looking magnificently autumnally verdant.

A good start was again essential as the race quickly entered the enchanted forest limiting overtaking opportunities.  Both John McDowall and Bryan Holland, racing in the Vets 40-49, where well placed entering the narrow single track pinch point.  Bryan gradually worked away from John, but both the North Road riders where going well and where not passed after the initial hurly burly of the starting lap.  Both ended up in (almost) whole race  battles with one other evenly matched rider all the way to the finishing line with both North Roaders just pipped at the finish by their nemesi  - thrilling stuff!

Matt Crees and Paul McGrath raced the hour long Senior event.   An average start by Paul, but he gradually  got motoring and had the lead group in his sights before the first of two tree clipping incidents (ironically the same tree) slowed his progress.  Showing good speed on the flats Paul was always competitive but felt he was lacking on the technical skills that came to the fore on this sort of course.    Matt raced hard, caught ‘his’ group racing ahead of him and passed them.  He stayed ahead of them despite a minor off on one of the corners.

Two good placings for the North Road Vets.  Bryan achieved his second ten top finish of the season with John securing his best placing in a CX race (9th and 11th respectively)  In the Seniors Paul came home in 16th with Matt crossing the finishing line in 37th.