Wessex CX League Round 10.. Eastleigh

Almost my local race, just a few miles down the road and where I very nearly restarted racing back in 2012,( see last years write up). Last time I had done reasonably well, on a sunny day early season.. .. but this year, a few weeks of rain meant that this outing was to be a very different affair.
Eastleigh isnt really my stomping grounds, and I generally avoid the place, but Sotonia once again laid up a superb circuit up at Fleming park.
Sign on was a tad different, with Vets not opening until 11:30, a mere hour before the race..As I hadnt pre entered I was alarmed  that the roster may fill up before I could get to the front of the queue. either that, or have no time for a warm up .
I needn't have worried, things worked them selves ok and I pinned on number 40, stood around chin wagging and sorted out my pit bike..
A damn fine circuit, a mix of parkland, with a few banks, and making good use of a copse and long steady rise.
The start differed from last year. directly up the centre of the hill. quite steep for a start, but a good use of the circuit, with riders likely to be well spread out before the first bottle neck, and with the lower speed, less likely to have a tangle.
a 180 turn and a toboggan run back to the bottom, a cut up muddy corner through some trees and over a 2 foot high bank..
a long boggy climb that just seemed to sap the back wheel gradually firming up as it headed under the trees . short drop down the bank, left hander back onto grassy field. a 180 and a short straight, leading to a rideable bank..
past the pits. a few meanders, up a bank, and another straight to a lonely pine tree ( well the ground was strewn with needles) a few tight corners. of cut up mud. a sluchy slick run down to the West most part of the course..  prepping out left before a quick dig up a steep bank... My warm up came to an abrupt end when my chain snapped on this bank.. and I had to scoot back to the car... ( a massive thanks to Sean Williams and Gordon for helping me out..) back on it .. from the bank,. a off camber drop, tightening into another off camber blip up, then a straight run to the copse. dismount, run a few steps  over a log , unless you are brave enough to bunny hop it) remount into a left hander around a tree and a easy flicky bunny hop over a second lower log.
right hander around a tree and onto the top wet grassy field. straight, corner, straight >180.. and then a long straight back to the bottom of the hill, only punctuated by the sand pit ( easy this year) , a right hander greeted you at the end of the descent, before digging in up the start straight again.
The bikes are prepped, worried about tyre pressure after the last race blow out..I opt for 34-35 psi... just hoping thats not too much..
the call ups start...and I get gridded again, third or fourth row ( I cant remember).. kicking myself for missing those early season races. I realise I have left my gloves on the roof of the car. ( I bet they have disappeared when i get back... ( Eastleigh is a tad rough in places) I look around, checking out what gearing people are starting in.. Usually its the big ring and 2 or three down , but today I opt for the 36 . Sean Williams is in front of me, I couldn't ask for a better wheel to follow....

Teammate James C on the slick descent.

The whistle goes... and we are off. Sean punches through almost immediately, and i do my best to follow in his tyre marks..spinning out, its a risk chuntering down through the rear block, hoping the chain isn't slapping around and crunching menacingly... the first corner comes and i am around 10th place.. fairly open..
My descending confidence has taken a few hits with my recent misfortunes. and riders easily pass me on that first squirrely ice rink... hugging what remains of any grass on the left.. the bottom dip is smoothly navigated and I start over taking again.. I struggle on the steep bank under the trees, fighting hard to stay in front of the little group forming around me. I drop down the earth bank, holding a good line, but the next turn is a slick off camber and i lose the front wheel and go down..
a handful of riders slip past.. and as I remount I realise, that was it, that was teh moment of my race... now the fight is on.. I am really struggling on the corners, far too upright and far too slow.. unable to find a good carving line.. I feel weaker than normal on the steep , but ride able , banks.. and am working harder than normal..

Digging in on the steep bank
  Photo Graham Robins

Its settled, I have a gap... keep tapping no more mistakes.. I seem to be losing time on the descents and the tighter corners, I can hold time on the flats. But manage to gain on the riders in front on the longer hills.. This surprises me as i figured that I would get pasted by the guys with road fitness on the endurance type sections.
Ed is long gone, and I occasionally see him as the course cuts back on itself.. and Eventually I manage to catch and overtake Gareth of South Down Velo.
I am no where near as smooth on the running dismount as normal, and shoulder barge the tree on the apex of one of the turns.
A Team quest rider is slowly but surely work is way up... its the bell lap and i do all I can to hold him off.
My descending nemesis catches me, as does team Quest guy and he attacks me into the finishing straight..I dig in as hard as I can to respond, to no avail and I cross the line 10th... not a bad result. Knackered..



What went well:
I got a reasonably result, recovered from the first lap crash .
I found my gloves on the roof of the car.. right next to a bit of chewing gum that I left there ages ago.
The bike held together..Mini vs annoying but not blocked.


Not so good
poor descending
weak cornering,
Tyre pressure was wrong for the conditions.
I am struggling to dial the open tubulars in..