[Event] WP Downhill Round 1 - Helderberg Trails

[News bot]

Event Name: WP Downhill Round 1 - Helderberg Trails
When: 14 February 2016
Where: Helderberg Trails, Western Cape
Category: Downhill & Freeride

The first WP DH of 2016 will take place at Helderberg Trails. Please read the below info carefully!

 

Times:

Registration from 7:00 to 12:00; no late entries will be allowed.

Practice from 8:00 to 14:00

Racing from 14:30

 

Registration and fees:

Race fees and registration can all be located here: http://goo.gl/forms/XBcEMkrz4I

 

CSA - R400

Day license - R435

On the day entry:

CSA - R450

Day license - R485

 

Venue info:

Helderberg can get very hot and there's very little shade: plan accordingly! Make sure you've packed sunscreen and enough to drink. There is a shop at the bottom of the venue, please support.

 

Attention enduro riders:

This year sees the return of the Enduro class. The Enduro class is open to anyone riding a bike with a single crown fork.

 

Volunteers:

The WP DH series is volunteer run. If you're willing to help us with track marking, shuttling, organisation on the day or sponsorship, please get in touch!

Go to Event Page

[Headshot]

So who on this forum is racing this Sunday? I have been considering it but probably won't   - busy weekend with Night Harvest the evening before (spectating and drinking beer).

[Duane_Bosch]

So who on this forum is racing this Sunday? I have been considering it but probably won't   - busy weekend with Night Harvest the evening before (spectating and drinking beer).

If I'm not driving the shuttle Me. All the big mouths on here are too scared to have themselves measured against the clock....... You know who you are. Que the excuses.

 

1. It's valentines day bru

2. My knee is eina

3. My shoulder isn't totally healed from 4 years ago when that guy bumped me in the club.

4. I need a better/more expensive bike.

 

Seriously tho. If ever there was a time to start racing/come out of retirement and do the DH races now is it. The 2 guys that run the series get NOTHING but excrement from the riders and are on the verge of saying $% this and not bothering. No DH series no Enduro series.......

Edited February 10, 2016 by Duane_Bosch

[Sidewinder.]

If I'm not driving the shuttle Me. All the big mouths on here are too scared to have themselves measured against the clock....... You know who you are. Que the excuses.

 

1. It's valentines day bru

2. My knee is eina

3. My shoulder isn't totally healed from 4 years ago when that guy bumped me in the club.

4. I need a better/more expensive bike.

5. I can't find free accommodation in Cape Town

[Super_mil]

Will be down for the next one as it is a regional/national event 

[jimmy hardtail]

6 . I have no money

Really, cant even afford to pay attention at the moment

[Headshot]

Duane I hear you and *** excuses are always *** excuses. The organizers deserve a medal or two for persistence. The thing with any racing is its time and money. I'm doing roadie training and local MTB rides - dirt cheap with no petrol and time travelling. For those of us with kids and kid responsibilities a whole day away from home is a long time. . The CTCT is a joint effort with my wife and later in the year I'll race as many enduros as I can and maybe one DH round. 

 

I dream of a DH round at Tokai before I am too old to ride a bike.  i could ride there from home and be back for a late lunch...

[Duane_Bosch]

Duane I hear you and *** excuses are always *** excuses. The organizers deserve a medal or two for persistence. The thing with any racing is its time and money. I'm doing roadie training and local MTB rides - dirt cheap with no petrol and time travelling. For those of us with kids and kid responsibilities a whole day away from home is a long time. . The CTCT is a joint effort with my wife and later in the year I'll race as many enduros as I can and maybe one DH round. 

 

I dream of a DH round at Tokai before I am too old to ride a bike.  i could ride there from home and be back for a late lunch...

Ha. I know we all have commitments. And you put in effort in other places. Toekhaai.

 

Dude if it's any consolation I had to duck out early due to a family commitment.

 

From my side I'd like to thank the following.

 

Jan. The land owner. There are 3 yes 3 DH lines and MULTIPLE "enduro" lines on that farm now. There are also some huge jumps for the brave. Dare I say the words? Bike Park! 

Duran. One of the coolest cats around and full time trail builder at Helderberg.

Pieter and Riaan. These okes and their team get almost no recognition for the work they put in. Thanks guys. The race was RAD and the seeding runs started pretty much on time. Pieter's son Francois (Loose Rider) put in the 4th fastest time for the day. He's 16. A future star for sure.

 

The weekend of the 28th is the national and if you can you should come out and watch. The speed at which the top guys attack the powder is incredible.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Duane_Bosch

[Capricorn]

 

Francois (Loose Rider) put in the 4th fastest time for the day. He's 16. A future star for sure.

 

I'm glad his seeding run time was mentioned; it was eye-popping stuff. But what happened in the finals?

[Duane_Bosch]

I'm glad his seeding run time was mentioned; it was eye-popping stuff. But what happened in the finals?

He crashed in the top Rock Garden. NOT somewhere you want to go down. He still managed a podium in his age group.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Duane_Bosch

[Capricorn]

He crashed in the top Rock Garden. NOT somewhere you want to go down. He still managed a podium in his age group.

 

Such a pity! I mean, when last can you recall a saffa junior rider clocking in within spitting distance of two world cup riders? Very much one to watch

Edited February 16, 2016 by Capricorn

[Headshot]

Such a pity! I mean, when last can you recall a saffa junior rider clocking in within spitting distance of two world cup riders? Very much one to watch

That is very cool indeed.

 

Duane - what is the new track like - the rots tuin looks scary and the corners look loose as hell...

[dirtypot]

I had fun sitting and watching the DH guys charging through the forest on Sunday.

 

It was also my first time riding at the Helderberg Farm, and it was awesome!!  It's almost all single track, and it looks like there are lots of alternative lines which are blocked off - maybe to alternate the trails every now and then to keep it interesting? Who knows, but as it stands there are loads of cool trails and lines to choose from.  Can't wait to go back.

[Headshot]

I had fun sitting and watching the DH guys charging through the forest on Sunday.

 

It was also my first time riding at the Helderberg Farm, and it was awesome!!  It's almost all single track, and it looks like there are lots of alternative lines which are blocked off - maybe to alternate the trails every now and then to keep it interesting? Who knows, but as it stands there are loads of cool trails and lines to choose from.  Can't wait to go back.

Yup, I know Steilte quite well, there are several different options at various points along the so called main line. It looks as if some of the existing trails were used in places but a whole lot of the track was fresh. The very rocky garden being a case in point...

[Duane_Bosch]

Yup, I know Steilte quite well, there are several different options at various points along the so called main line. It looks as if some of the existing trails were used in places but a whole lot of the track was fresh. The very rocky garden being a case in point...

The top rock garden has been used for races before. It was taped that the old "sneaky" line was off limits. Lot's of people chose to go B line up there coz according to them the B line is faster. Myself included. Cough Cough.

 

Then over the lookout point and into those steep S turns. Then just above the old road gaps it split off into a completely new line right till the table at the snake pit just above that middle road gap. LLLOOOOOOSSE through there. Lots of lines and potential disaster everywhere. The Joberg guys are in for a shock at the national.

 

Then a new table and 3 doubles instead of the snakepit road gap. The table is dangerous in the wind and the doubles. Well you need to be squashing the table to have any chance of clearing the doubles. Quite pedally here. Lots to think about. Then a TOTALLY new line right down to where the normal shuttle pickup is. I think there's ANOTHER NEW line being done for the National in there too.

 

Thereafter into the Chatel berms and down to those flip flop corners next to the fence.

 

All in an easy track to ride but a VERY difficult track to go fast on. Lot's of line choices everywhere. A great downhill racetrack in my opinion. Yes it was powdery but that added to the challenge.

Edited February 16, 2016 by Duane_Bosch

[Headshot]

Mmm, sounds like it will change a lot over winter...