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Thanks a helpful post unlike the triggered response above. I am well aware NF has designed several courses and there is a design brief but IMO no elite mtb track should be a gravel paved flow trail as much of this one was. Why not leave it natural? There were one or two dirt sections towards the end. Would have been good if the entire track had been like that.

What do you guys think of the track? Pretty dull and BMX like, except for those rocks which likely trashed CLs wheel and took out LL. The designer is from SA. Think he could do better.

Except some of your comments are bashing him and the other male riders. And you and your fan, Diesel, seem to support some very poor management of the situation by CSA, from the quali requirements onwards. Brilliant, was about to try and say the same thing... I'll just reiterate how hypocritical these sticklers for following the rules, no matter how dumb, are.

You're happy to be a hypocrite too. Frankie and Ethan have no real prospect of a medal but you keep hammering on about one oke. Anyone would think that you and Wakefield have some kind of personal issue with the guy, indeed any "DH Bros". Its hilarious.

The hypocrisy of some on this thread boggles the mind. Our male elite racers are "not good enough" but our sole lady elite and junior referred to in this thread who will both struggle to come anywhere in the world's get the support of one vocal naysayer here. The Tread article and video effectively confirms what I have said from the start - the CSA is out of touch and basically unqualified to run a DH selection. No DH rep on their committee and clearly no understanding how DH actually works or the famous "hurdles" . Some of you on this thread who decry our local male riders who want to represent SA and have been screwed by the system, really should be ashamed of yourselves.

My insurance covers the replacement value of the bike - i.e what you'd have to pay to replace it with a similar quality new bike. I had an old but lekker Raleigh RC 6000 road bike stolen from my house shortly after the CTCT - my chip and number were still on the bike. It had Mavic wheels, 105 groupset and Ritchie post and stem. They used an independent cycle assessor and I supplied photographs, geo tagged no doubt, a SAPS case number and evidence of the theft in the form of a broken and cut lock. The replacement value was around R32k and I got that as a payout less the excess.

Hard to imagine this kind of wobble on a far heavier less twitchy MTB with suspension. Interested to hear how the post accident test ride and mechanical check goes.

For once, me and the ANC are in agreement.

Don't be silly, that's not what I said or understand. Your opinion ignores all the other riders from numerous other countries who are also not as good as Greg but who will be there because their federations don't have poorly thought out selection criteria that ignore the nature of downhill racing and the hurdles our riders face. Send them all!

I'm too stupid to understand that except that its supposed to be an insult Please explain.

Why is 'investing in his career" relevant to this discussion. We're talking about sending the best riders SA has right now to the Worlds. If these are the best we have they should all go. Comparing them to GM is not really fair because he makes many if not most other riders on the circuit look bad.

So much bias and misinformation masquerading as fact...

I think you misunderstood my post. If you followed Kerrs results you would know he has really only come close to actually winning a WC round in the last two years or so. He himself has said how long it takes to get to that point, even with the advantages he has enjoyed. Is he a late bloomer, well maybe. Greg's career illustrates that age is not necessarily an obstacle to performance in DH. There are plenty of racers in their 30s. Erlangsen is over the hill according to you though..

A few puddles on the jeep track but little if any standing water or thick mud on the trails - just a few streams to cross usually lower down.

You're just being illogical now to avoid climbing off your high horse.

I can say with relative certainty that in DH riders support each other and would be happy to have as many fellow rider riding with them. This is not road racing.

Okay, you got it right now.

And the first point above goes to show that CSA are out of touch with reality and the WC calendar too, it seems.

Yes, more strange facts on this thread. Well spotted. Its bad when people cant even regurg Google results properly.

I'm waiting to get wind of what is happening "behind the scenes". If you hear, let us know please.

Looking into my crystal ball I see a DH worlds without any SA riders in it in a year or two after Greg retires. Hell he may not even make it to the 2024 worlds, given the risks attached to training and the possibilities of injury before the time. Zero participation is a possibility in 2024 It is quite clear that the qualifying criteria are set too high considering the "hurdles" faced by our athletes, many of which have been explained on these pages. They may not be good enough according to the CSA criteria but they're the best and only riders SA has. Not sure who has the wool over their eyes here, but it ain't me.

And there is a massive difference between MX and DH - big $$ for everything from equipment to coaching. I'm still not understanding why any of you think it would be a bad idea to have as big a contingent of riders as possible at the Worlds.

30 is still young for DH these days. teams sign riders for various reasons. Greg was signed at 42. Kerr is 36. yes they're well established but there are many who only bloom later in their careers like Kerr for instance. How well do you actually follow DH? I suspect that numerous opinionated nay sayers on this thread barely do. Ill informed invective from bikehubbers - who would have thought.

John I think you're showing your lack of knowledge of the sport of downhill racing. At least two or three of the riders not permitted to go would never be two minutes behind the winner. Who gained you say .. well the sport gains because it provides an incentive for other riders to up their game and try to get there too. No help given by CSA and little if any interest in the sport from sponsors and the average marathon/gravel riding SA public so its an uphill battle, as can be seen from your and the other punters here who seem to look down on the downhill racers from their lycra clad pedestals. Greg has mentioned time an again the lack of recognition his achievements have received in SA and that trend is clearly not about to change, given the attitude to up and coming racers displayed here. The WC is like the CTCT - said nobody, ever? That's ludicrous. There are many examples of breakout performances that occur in DH racing because suddenly everything clicks, especially for the younger riders. SA is the poorer for not having all its best riders at the WC.

Your post clearly states that there was no petition, or are you splitting hairs now and saying you weren't referring to the hard copy petition that was sent in, if there was one?