Scott24 2008

[crummy]

Have a story to tell? Place them here!

So, Fenz how is that Canberra dirt?

[bozz]

I am still eating dirt

[Megs]

A pretty good turnout of SCUM at the Scott24. What a great weekend! ;D

An awesome effort from Crummy and Kev to go solo and well done to all the support crews as well - we couldn't do it without you.

Crummy, 30th, open solo male, 16 laps
Kev, 16th, 40+ solo male, 14 laps
Total Rush (Mark 15 laps) 1st, male pairs, 32 laps.
Spearman Cycles (Josh 9), 2nd, male fours, 33 laps.
Three is better than Two (Ben 10, Meaghan 9 and Nick 9), 3rd, mixed threes, 28 laps.
DIYMTB 1 (Dave 7,Duncan 2,Alexis 3,Duane 5,Allysa 5,Michael 4), 3rd, mixed 6 40+, 26 laps.
Two Heads (Darryl 5, Trevor 5, Clayton 5, Clayton 4), 28th, male 40+ fours, 19 laps.
DIYMTB 2 (Jill 3, Julie 2, Carey 2, Helen 3 and Matthew 3), 11th, mixed six 40+, 13 laps.

Josh: 10th fastest male day lap
Meaghan: 10th fastest female day lap
Alexis: 13th fastest female day lap and 16th fastest female night lap
Plus Crummy won some nice XTR wheels (surprised you haven't mentioned those yet, Crummy - we'll be expecting a review on those soon mate!)

Well done all! Who have I left out?

[fryertuck]

Scum has got some pretty awesome riders. Well done Meaghan and Alexis, you are up there with the best! Congratulations to everyone who rode.

What about the rocks under the dirt, Crummy!!!

Hope you are healing well, Duncan

[crummy]

Well, to start with the pro fastest lap.

The highlight was our mate in the pink.
Nearing the end of the red lap, after all the tech descents, there was that very large double. Well within sight of the finishing line, a growing crowd after a few close calls, the photographers (Canberra times & our own pro) were at the ready. Everyone was amped to see just that little bit of carnage. There weren’t many riders left, on the horizon a pink streak. Flying down the hill, sets up for the berm.

There is air.

The machine contacts the dirt. Front end first, a slight twist as the rear-end failed to follow the front. Suspension compressed, rim bites at the ground through the tyre. A small amount of dust flies in to the air.

The bike, the rider, on the ground!

I find myself wildly shouting and gesturing like a crazy Spanish DH fan. Just for a moment.
For in a single bound the pink clad man was back on the bike, for that last couple of hundred meters.

In the aftermath a lucky punter collected a well travelled and extensively raced bit of carbon bar-end. There is still plenty of excitement in XC racing, we just need 2000 dollar purses and a bit of tricky track.

[crummy]

How can we forget my mate Bozz, after leaving for more sunny pastures, gained a heap of experience though a few 24hr solo efforts in QLD (including a 3rd place). He was on track to give me a smashing and went out of his way to commute 60+kms a day.

Bozz placed 6th against a quality top 10. With 22 laps.

He is one crazy dude with aspirations for the world stage.

[bozz]

I did not end up crazy all by myself crummy. well done to all that did the 24hr it was the most punishing track that i have ever raced on.

[bb]

yes a good weekend with great weather, maybe a bit hot on the Sunday (or maybe that was just me being soft). Well done to all SCUM members who raced or supported, particularly to the solo riders(Crummy, Kev and Bozz)...complete Respect to you for taking that on.

Good work Fenz for still competing super hard after taking a highly photogenic smashing in the prolouge- surely worth a major sponsorship bonus just for the crash alone.

I loved the red track and increasingly disliked the blue with its fiddly little turns and sharpened molar like rock gardens but i have to say it was challenging and after all that is the idea really ;D

Sid taberlay went past me at one point on the descent on the red and made me feel like I had stopped to adjust my false teeth and warm my slippers up-I went my fastest in pursuit and watched him disapear in a cloud of dust like out of a old western movie...

Overall I really enjoyed the experience and learnt a lot. I will now have to start carrying meaghans bags around as she gave me a whoopin on the red track...oh well maybe I will get some cast off prizes she doesnt want

What happened to you Dunk? I didnt realise you got injured


cheers

BB

[Duck]

Congratulations to all those rode the Scott 24 Hr Solo!! And, a special mention to Bozz on a great effort! I'm sure if determination counts for anything, he will have some more massive results in races to come.. Well done Bozza!! Also, I'd just like to echo the I love the Red Lap sentiments!!

[bozz]

go the red track. ;D

[dunkman]

Yeah good on everyone for being and having fun (hopefully). We had a good event all up. All the usual things, the odd flat tyre, missed transitions etc. No real drama's except for the twit who, on his first lap, thought it would be great to nail the downhill course like Rennie without the gear, or, more importantly, the skill.

I have since apologised to my team for being rendered more useless than a bloke at a birth (or maybe that's just me too).

[dunkman]

... I'm especially stoked with how well quite a few people did.

Ben Meaghan and Nick were not only consistent but bloody quick,
Trevor on his tenth appearance at the event,
crummy for his pre race interview,

I keep thinking with all that time in one place I'll catch up with everyone, but it never seems to happen except while waiting in transition just as your rider comes in...

[crummy]

To give 100% at the Scott was the plan. With six 8 hour races around NSW and ACT and a huge 100 down at Mogo as training, it looked a better six month lead-up. There was a new bike in the mix, unfortunalty the frame broke after two 8 hour races and the chances of a quick replacement were slim. Last years two-wheeled workhorse was resurrected for the three month wait and remainder two 8 hours and the Mogo Enduro. Shane Taylor started turning up to a few events with some impressive riding. Shane and I had been discussing things MTB related since April, as we had both qualified for the 2008 24hr Solo World Championship, with our results from the 2007 Scott 24hr. It was getting close and Shane snapped a link in his suspension at the final round of the 8 hour events. I was having trouble keeping my body pain free and managed to hold onto a top 5 position for the 8 hour series point-score. The Mogo Enduro was ridden as a 24 hour training ride, steady and within my limits, d**n this back ache.

The week prior to the Scott 24 a new and improved gusseted frame finally arrived. There was a flurry of parts swapping back to the new bike and a couple of 1-2 hour rides to ensure there were no issues. I managed to rebuild the old workhorse with its old parts, just in case. In some spare time I converted a set of American Classic and standard tyres to tubeless for the workhorse.

Things were getting close; the final arrangements were being re-arranged. Then we were off to Canberra, a little late, but still with plenty of light to build our own fortress. The trusty OIC and the other participants from Albatross, found a perfect spot close to transition within the loop. The organisers had assigned a position in “solo ally” for me but it wasn’t big enough for our group, nice thought though. A mess of green canvas was arranged under the guidance of an ex-army support crew thankfully we had brought.

It was off for a nice look at the red lap with a couple of keen riders before the sun set on the Stromlo camp. We swapped lead to the top of the climb; from there it was just a RP23 click and seven minutes of decent to the camp. Hammering along, popping air, pumping the humps, nobody was thinking of the blue lap, how much fun was this downhill? It was a rush to rail berms and negotiate rock gardens with some great mates. We pulled into our prime position at the southern end of the crit track, now where did I put that last carb loading meal?

[bb]

What about that XTR wheelset?

[crummy]

Saturday morning there was plenty of time to have breakfast, double check the bike, then go for a walk around the stands before the prologue. Bozz and I received a quick brief from Russ Baker on how the transition was going to work. I think the massive scale for the Scott was hitting Bozz pretty hard. A walk down past the bike shops and Leigh Paulin's bike had been fixed after a suspected travelling scrape. The HID Tech guys whose lights I have been running were busy making the final ones before the start of the race. Fenner was rushing around amongst all the elite riders. A quick chat with any SCUM riders that were hanging around, then it was off with the elite riders for a hot red lap.

1, Andy Bell, 2, Jason English, 3, Crummy? You have got to be kidding me? How did I get the number 3? I thought it was quite scary; it is a big set of boots to fill. Congratulations to Trevor Bridge, a big ten 24hr events, is that a one off jersey your wearing? They even had the top 10 numbers line up at the front of the solo start, preferential parking! The rest of the crowd were racking up for the le-mans start. Bozz, Kev and Jamie Warren were moved back with the rest of the solo riders. Shane Taylor lined up next to last years winner Mr Bell. Stu Plant was jabbering on about the usual. He interviewed Mr Bell then was on the hunt for Jason English. I hadn’t seen the World No.2 all morning and now Stu was looking for the next number. No questions? What do you want me to say? Allrighty then! Something about last year and how I was looking forward to this race, I am really not to sure. Hand back the mike, point out Shane who was riding with the No.4. Shane gets ignored, a minute later Jason turns up and the order has been restored, sorry champ. Lets get this show on the road then, Willo gets a quick burst and we are off with the crack of the gun!