Aviemore is a pretty much perfect venue for a Singlespeed World Championships, it’s miles from anywhere, has big mountains and a very tough race course along with an excellent bike shop in Bothy Bikes. The winter skiing related activities give it a slightly fake Alpine feel and beer is quite expensive but the trails are amazing, we’ve only been twice but have ridden trails that would put most of the Alps to shame and there is a lot more out there.
The race preparations began Sunday, 9:30am sharp with a slightly chaotic 7 mile ride out to the course along undulating easy-going trails, some people got lost but I think everyone made it there in time for the start.
The race kicked off with the usual singlespeed shenannigans; a Le Mans start and bikes being shuffled around while backs were turned. One poor chap had his bike lobbed into the trees and two identical Singulars were swapped around but luckily mine was just where I’d left it. Cunningly I ran as fast as I could and ended up near the front, not very difficult as half the field were “keeping it real” by walking, it must have taken ages but I’m sure they got there in the end.
1st lap was ok, I pedalled as fast as my non-race-fit legs could carry me. With a bit of sitting in behind Elite racer/occasional singlespeeder Gareth Montgomery, and last year’s winner from Denmark, I got myself near enough the front to see the leaders for a short while. They weren’t hanging about though and were soon out of sight.
The course deserves a bit of a mention, it was awesome. A long, climbing fire-road drag turned abruptly right onto a steep rooty just-about rideable (for 2 laps only) leg-wrecker of an uphill follwed by juicy singletrack through the trees. Several short techy ups and downs reduced many to walking or eating dirt and then a vicious technical climb led to a very fast descent with roots, rocks and jumps which had me hanging on for dear life on the final lap.
By the third time round I was starting to cramp, fourth time I walked most of the climbs and fifth time round people I’d lapped started to un-lap themselves again, I don’t think I was going very fast at that point and just hanging on to the bars became really difficult. The finish line was a welcome sight, I think I was about 8th but am not holding my breath for any results. 2 people (male/female) won, by a considerable margin, and everyone else lost.
Prize giving was the normal mixture of random categories with countless new frames being handed out for achievements as diverse as best Highland Fling, best trail builder (won by Dan, happy owner of the Surly frame of his choosing) and tallest rider. Someone who hates 69er bikes won a 69er frame, a top-quality barbeque was devoured and many barrels of beer from the Cairngorm Brewery were drunk. Talking of drunk, the final event of the weekend was a Derby after kicking-out time at The Vault (1am) which resulted in much mindless violence towards bodies and expensive bikes but seemingly no injuries. Maybe the alcohol helped soften the falls. Final victim of the weekend was the UK rider who borrowed a US rider’s bike for the big skid contest, you know the score, brakes the other way round, weight forward to maximise skid, it was only ever going to end in untold pain.
Thanks to all the organisers for a really great race, it takes a lot of effort to organise a slack, laid-back event and it’s very much appreciated.
the master 