MTBO World Cup and World Masters

[EBenham]

Round 2 of the MTBO World Cup this weekend, with the long distance on Friday and middle on Saturday. Also, this event is the World Masters MTBO, with three long distance races in 3 days.

Both events held in Gdansk, Poland. Team GBr well represented.

Elite Men: Bobby Smyth and Mark Stodgell
Elite Women: Emily Benham and Heather Munro

M40: Andy Conn, John Houlihan, Richard Jones and Bryan Singleton
W40: Sarah Bayliss
M50: Tony Brand-Barker and John Rawden
W50: Charlie Somers-Cocks


All the team members will be aiming to get top placings now they can race in age categories Emily Benham will be starting in the 'red group' in the WE and aiming for some more top ten results, while we have high hopes for Charlie in the W50, and Sarah Bayliss W40 (who won three golds in Lithuania 2008). Stodge will be aiming for a top 30 position which will be well deserved after a hard winters training. John Houlihan and Andy Conn will be ready for the three long distance races after their season of Adventure Racing.

We are also secretly supporting Iain Rochford, formerly of Ireland, but now representing Austria.

Website at http://www.harpagan.pl/worldcup

[Gross]

We are also secretly supporting Iain Rochford, formerly of Ireland, but now representing Austria.

Website at http://www.harpagan.pl/worldcup

Surley you mean Jan Rockturd ?

[AndyC]

At the risk of this being relocated to banter "her name is Emily don't call her Shirley"

with acknowledgement to Naked Gun et al.

[Homer]

Good luck to Shirley and the team.

Impressive ride by Ben Plowman at last night's D+W event. Shame he's not there as he could probably do quite well...

[EBenham]

Sprint Results.

WE - Em Benham - 4th
ME- Mark Stodgell - 28th

W40 - Sarah Bayliss - 2nd
W50 - Charlie Somers Cocks - 1st

M40 - Captain Andrew Conn - 4th
M50 - Tony Brand-Barker - 7th
John Rawden - 9th

DSQ for Bobby Smyth, John Houlihan, Bryan Singleton.

Today was not part of the World Cup or World Masters but the team are showing their current form in the technical sprint area.

Race report and Women Elite map at http://www.emilybenham.co.uk (click My Adventures)
Race report and Men Elite map at http://www.stodgell.co.uk

[EBenham]

Here is a race report of today by Stodge (I think)

The first real day of racing began today. The World Cup women and men rode a long race, and the masters rode the ultra-long. The weather was hot and there was not a cloud in the sky, so hydration was important for us all. The courses were tough with some exceedingly steep climbs, and even the elites reached their limits on at least one! Winning times were generally longer than expected and the terrain took its toll on a number of bikes, with people returning to the finish on foot, carrying broken derailleurs, or missing a wheel.
There were mixed results for team GB. Sarah Bayliss and Charlie Somers-Cocks winning W40 and W50 respectively, giving them overall lead in their events. Emily Benham found the elite tough but finished a respectable joint 11th with Heather Monroe close behind in 21st.
Mark Stodgell was pleased with his ride and had his best finish at this level of competition, finishing 26th in the elite men. Bobby Smyth riding his first elite race completing the course in 51st. The M40's had a good race, with John Houlihan pipping Andy Conn for 6th place by just 13 seconds, and Dickie Jones behind in 13th. Bryan Singleton was unfortunately a victim of the forest, and walked home with a bent frame and a rear derailleur in his pocket. In the M50's Tony Brand-Barker proved to be consistent and finished 7th again, and John Rawden found the area challenging finishing in 24th place.
Tomorrow the elite ride a middle distance race and the masters a 'short' long race. Hopefully a good recovery tonight will have some good results again tomorrow.

[stodge]

Me and Em both posting from different parts of the hotel at the same time!!
Report by Sarah Bayliss

[stodge]

More great results from Gdansk !

Em 5th on Womens Elite Middle race

Andy Conn 4th on M40
Sarah Bayliss 1st on W40
Charlie 1st on W50

[EBenham]

damn you Stodge. You beat me to it on this one. I was fast asleep

1st Sarah W40
1st Charlie W50
4th Andy Conn M40
5th Emily Benham Women Elite
7th John Houlihan M40
9th Tony BrandBarker M50
15th Bryan Singleton M40
21st Dickie Jones M40
25th Heather Munro Women Elite