AL
Full Member 2013/2014
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« on: November 27, 2010, 08,48:01 AM » |
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Wildwood Rock – ride report
By Angus Boud
Whilst not technically an AMTRA ride, the Wildwood Rock Extreme Enduro was certainly a HTFU ride.
I have to congratulate Steve Braszell who organized the event. A young guy who had to balls to promote the event and $20,000 of prize money on the hope that the entrants, crowd and sponsors would come. After a lot of hard work a great course was provided, a few hundred spectators arrived, and sponsors provided cash. After the success of this year’s event I am sure there will be more big names there next year and the course will grow and become more extreme too.
There were 150 entries available for the $20,000 of prize money. 59 people entered made of Australia’s best and a few weekend riders like myself. 90 un-filled spots provided evidence that the media hype of this being an ‘extreme’ event had obviously worked (at a normal state event 100 to 200 riders turn up and this event was attracting riders from all states). I had only entered because I was bored and had drunk too much beer one night…one should stay away from the internet when drunk!
A number of entrants did not make the start line, including an expert enduro rider from South Australia I had walked the course with. After a 15 hour drive to get there he decided the course was too dangerous and opted to watch. 45 made the start, 25% dnf’ed with broken bones, exhaustion, or broken bikes.
My goal was to make a lap, my stretch goal was to finish. I exceeded my expectations and finished 28th after completing 5 laps in 3hrs 40mins. Some finishers only clocked up 2 or 3 laps so I was stoked to get 5 laps. If it was not for losing my front brake for the last two laps I would have been a few places higher up. I got beaten by some very good riders and even beat a few – but most importantly I had made Wildwood.
As training in the lead up to the event I promised myself to cut down on beer, get some exercise, and ride a lot. I have to thank my Bendigo riding buddies who sacrificed time and bike parts to take me riding on their secret ‘hard’ tracks. One guy, Tyson, tore a hole in a brand new tire and broke a clutch in two sequential evenings coming out riding with me after work so I had a training buddy.
On race day the heavy metal…death…death…band playing at 8:30am in the pit area was a bit hard to take but at least it took away the nerves.
In the prologue the ‘red race mist’ got the better of me and my attempt to go fast meant I crashed at pretty much every obstacle. Somehow others crashed more than me and I was 30th, setting me on the 3rd row for the start in the main event.
The first lap of the main event was a real struggle for me. The course was littered with rocks and my arms were pumped to the max. I got stuck on several hills climbs and sweated my way up them. Myself and ‘Keg’ a fellow Gas Gas rider swapped places as we took turns getting stuck. The first lap took nearly an hour, at the end I pitted to top up fuel, have a sports gel, a drink, softened my front forks and headed back out.
My second and third laps were really fun. The arm pump was gone, the course was cutting in nicely, and friends in the crowd at various points would shouting the best lines to me, I was having a great time. Stefan Merriman passed me on a hill climb, it made me smile as I was taking the chicken line and so was Merriman! My 3rd lap was 36 minutes, only 10 minutes slower than Merriman’s best lap (and I pitted in my 3rd lap). Ok, so Merriman’s lap was approx 30% faster than mine, but for me, that’s like being second in the world championship!
A favourite part of the course for me was the rock gully decent with an approx 8ft steep rock drop onto more rock boulders. It was one of those things that looked scarey but was easier than it looked. There were awesome hills climbs that went on for ever, large logs, swamps, man made water pits, tires, a 4 meter barrel to ride over – it had it all.
Things went wrong in the last few hundred metres of my 3rd lap. I managed to rupture my front brake line and lose all front brake. I entered the 4th lap with 45 minutes racing left till the 3 hour cut off and no front brake.
A couple of the descents were near suicide with the rear brake providing no slowing effect on the steep, loose, surface. The descents were several hundred meters long and covered with rocks and corners. I had to pick spots to crash, slide, wipe off speed, pick myself up then do it again until I got to the bottom. I have now the world’s largest bruise from sliding down hills on my arse.
Sure I was out of time as I finished the 4th lap, I was dismayed to cross the finish line to see a last lap board. I had got past the line with a minute or two left before the 3 hour mark so had to head out again. I was physically and mentally destroyed after 3 hours riding and knowing I had to do yet another lap with no front brake and would get to experience just as many crashes again.
I was soo pleased to finally cross the finish line and see the chequered flag, I had finished Wildwood Rock (3 hours 42 minutes and 5 laps for me). A guy from Tassie won the race, only to be penalized 3 minutes and knocked down to second place..costing him $5000 in prize money. But he seemed pretty happy as $5000 for second place still means he’s a millionaire in Tassie dollars.
My bike set-up of a trials rear tire, and a 52 tooth rear sprocket (13 tooth front) worked well on the day. It suited the tight, technical, steep hill climbs. The Gas Gas was perfect for the day, I ruptured a brake line, mangled a radiator, and got a bunch of scratches, but the bike performed great.
Till next year, and Wildwood time again I will live on the memories…it was a tough but great day.
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