FREE Grassroots DH race: wharncliffe, sheffield

Gingie

Heya,

A guy contacted me about a Grassroots DH race he does up at Wharncliffe woods in Sheffield. This year he's making a women's category so if you're heading off to Diva Descent this May, or hitting up the trailab DH weekend. Or just want to enter a free DH race for the chance to win something shiny check out the deets below...
there's also a bit of a track taster on the GMB facey-b page!

URBAN X MINI DH3

WHEN: Saturday, June 18th 2011
WHERE: Diamond Back Trail, Wharncliffe Woods, Sheffield South Yorkshire
TIME: Practice runs and registration from 8.30am to 9.30am, seeding and racing from 10.00am


http://www.urbanextremistuk.co.uk/

there only needs to be 3 women enter to make a female category... i'm sure we can get 3 people together hey?

:-)

DanielleT

I'd be up for that if i'm around that weekend. The Diamond back trial is one of my faves if its the track i'm thinking of!

Gingie

heya Danielle,

whats the Wharncliffe route like? Is it suitable to DH newbies?

DanielleT

Hi Ginge,

Sorry for taking ages to reply!

If its the track i'm thinking of (which it might not be now after talking to the OH, he thinks my fave track is called black diamond rather than diamond back) then its fine for DH newbies, there are multiple lines down the track (unless they're just taping one route??) and i've managed it on my spicy so a DH rig isn't required.

Would have to find out more from the organisers about which track specifically it is as there are tons of different tracks at Wharncliffe. Wharncliffe is fantastic though, have you ever been??

Dani x

Gingie

Hey Danielle,

Never been to wharncliffe, quite fancy checking out the mini DH though and putting the Diva descent skills into practise... lol :-)

Do you think you'll be going along?

DanielleT

You should definately get to Wharncliffe if you can, preferably with someone who has been before that can show where all the trials are. Its wicked!

Think we'll mostly likely head over if we've got nothing else booked in that weekend as i'm sure my OH would love to enter the mens category too.

Gingie

Heya guys,

Just heard back from Trev, the guy doing the organising- this is what he has to say about the track:

"The track is 100% roll able...no nasty drop offs, gap jumps or anything like that. Just fast flowing, rocky and rooty in sections...just plain old fun. I purposely picked this track because anyone can have a roll down at there own speed, even on a hard tail. I really hope that at least 3 girls give it a go...don't forget it's FREE FREE FREE "

Also check out some of the past race coverage at the blogspot;
http://urbanxminidownhillevents.blogspot.com/

Who's interested? We certainly are!

Adnams82

I have never been to Wharncliffe is this a way marked route which could be tried prior to entering?

Cheers Sacha

Gingie

Heya Sacha

I'm not sure if it's waymarked or not.

But the organiser said if we have a group of girls wanting to enter he'll get someone to meet us the morning of the race and ride us to the track and show it us before the race starts. (And there'll be time to practice then too)

He's just set up on FB so it might be worth joining the group and asking the guy if the route is waymarked- as i haven't rode at Wharncliffe yet... :-)



http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002344320909


Alternatively i think if you googled the track name there may be details about it's location?

sorry i'm not much help!

kathg

Sounds great, I'll be going along to it.. Take a look at the headcam footage of the route, it looks absolutely fine! I'm sure we'll all manage to ride it ok!

Gingie

Woop!

Gingie's hopefully heading along too, so catch you there!

:-)

supersonic

Here is a map of the locations of all the DH routes in Wharncliffe, plus the new red route that is in progress:



Itis the Diamond Back ;-)

DanielleT

Cool! It is the track I was thinking about, its great fun! Are they taping one line through it or leaving it open? If its open there are tons of lines to take

Thats a great map supersonic, i've been to wharncliffe a few times but never knew any of the names of the tracks

supersonic

Not sure of the details of the event or route markings, but has certainly been done in the past at NEMBA events. Some of the DH routes have some very technical bits, but FastTrack and Diamond Back are smoother and faster flowing if I remember rightly.

DanielleT

Was down at Wharncliffe yesterday. Absolutely bone dry! It was fantastic. Started off with the fast track (I have done it before but for some reason I can't do again the very first bit down the rock chute, its the gap between the rocks at the top I can't get my head around!). We then moved on the track in yellow (can't make the name out on the map) and sessioned some of the corners and steep sections. There was a particualry steep section that I couldn't do! We moved on to peatys track which was great fun and finally did two runs on back diamond. My OH filmed me down back diamond so once its edited i'll post a link to it.

Gingie

@supersonic: thanks for the awesome route map!

@Danielle: Can't wait to see your footage and see what the tracks like! Feel free to upload it to the GMB FB page too- would be cool to have a vid of your shredding.

supersonic

That chute at the top got me last time I went: thought taking a 80mm forked XC race hardtail down FastTrack was a good idea (was part of the old black route back then). Panicked, braked, hit a rock, over the bars, and another dent in my shin lol.

The yellow track is a fireroad. There are lots of paths down from under the main rockface. Try the waterfall (well, steep stream!) if you dare:



Slimy and slidy!

DanielleT

Sorry its taken me ages to get round to doing this but here is a vid of the diamond back trail.

Apologies for the naff riding on my behalf, my OH shows how its done when he over takes me! ha ha!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4gcka0MKaM

supersonic

The video doesn't show how steep it actually is ;-). Nor how loose the surface actually is.

Well he did have a big DH bike with triple clamp forks lol.

DanielleT

Is anybody heading down for this race then??

supersonic

I'll come and watch lol

Johnny Napalm

I've lived around here all my life, and am in Wharncliffe/Greno every weekend, but I hadn't got a clue what any of the trails were called until SS posted that map.

Mind you, it doesn't matter whether I know the names or not, it'll still not prevent me from cr@pping myself on most of them. :roll:

supersonic

TBH I don't really follow the map - I just ride! That is the beauty of Wharncliffe, is a warren of paths and courses. It may lack the flow of your fancy trail centres, but every ride there is unique and if you like exploring then it is perfect for you. Just watch out for unexpected boulders and drops, and those slimy roots!

I always try and take in the path across the top of the crags though as it offers some incredible riding. It's short, but by the time you get to the pylon the rocks are coming thick and fast and takes a lot of skill not to dab a foot.

Johnny Napalm

Yep, you're right about the crags, but I haven't done that one in a while. Good to have a trundle around and then the climb up heart-attack hill, on along the crags and finally doing the climb out onto Woodhead and then back down through Greno.

DanielleT

Guessing this race never took place? No more info was posted on the FB page regarding it so I never turned up...