WITH online entries for rounds one and two of this year's SDA series going within an hour-and-a-half it meant that only five members of Team CHR managed to get an entry for Dunkeld near Perth.
Dunkeld is infamous in the downhill racing community for its really steep and technical top section, which is probably one of the hardest pieces of track to race in the country.
This year, the SDA had a new middle section's which was even harder,
very steep and bumpy with stumps. A covering of slimy mud caused by the previous night's rain meant that during Saturday's practice, about 85 per cent of racers crashed on this new section.
This was however a real rider's track, natural from top to bottom with no man-made jumps or drops, just a true challenge of both strength and ability over the rocks, roots, stumps and sometimes near vertical drops.
The Team CHR riders had a mixed bag of results with each of the racers crashing on at least one of their two timed race runs.
Fastest was Ben Hall with a clean 'steady' 2.36, taking him to sixth place in the expert category. Tommy Wilkinson was next with a 2.44 and 11th place in the expert's category.
Toby Davison started the season in great form with his best-ever result in the Youth category – 2.57, giving him 10th place.
Not far behind Toby's time and, with a crash on his run, was Martin Rutherford (2.59 and 31st out of about 90 in the seniors). Team CHR's senior member this weekend was Ian Jones, finishing with a 4.12 in the Veterans.
Well done to all those who raced and thanks to all the friends and family who came to watch, support and help out on Sunday.
Next up for the team is SDA round two on the world cup track at Fort William on May 18.
The full article contains 325 words and appears in Northumberland Gazette newspaper.
