SDA RD 1 - 15TH/16TH APRIL
INNERLEITHEN 2006

After months of anticipation and a previously un-heard of entry rush, the entire 2006 Scottish Downhill Series was sold out before the first round had began! Time for the U.K’s premier downhill mountain biking series to show all the others how it should be done.

The cornerstone of Scottish Downhilling that is Innerleithen near Peebles was the venue for round one; however things were thrown into chaos just nine days before show time thanks to the forestry commission’s Health & Safety advisor stumbling across some old red tape which meant the old uplift system was no longer ‘legal’. Long story short, the SDA pulled through and came out on top with a new system which basically meant bikes in one truck, riders in another, seated with helmets on. Both trucks went up the hill in tandem and the uplift ran smoothly and efficiently all weekend. Great job guys.

As far as Vibe Racing is concerned this season brings with it a lot of hope for bigger and better things to follow on from the success some of our riders enjoyed last season. Lawrence Juliussen will be hoping to put in a strong challenge for the Seniors title this year and young Neil Danskin will be looking to go one better than his 4th place over all last season and finally step on that elusive podium, while the rest of us are just looking to keep progressing and chasing these guys down, not forgetting to get wasted and have the time of our lives along the way!

Almost all of the Vibe Racing contingent has joined the ‘Friday Night Elite’ now and so most of us took the opportunity to walk the track before settling down to a ‘few’ Stella’s and some epic banter! As usual the rumour mill had been spinning full pelt in the lead up to the weekend with regards to what track will be used, and the eventual way down the hill chosen certainly did not disappoint. Starting at the old hut way up top it was straight into the technical, slightly muddy and very rooty and rutted corners which would set the tone for the remainder of your 4mins or so on track. An alternative to the quarry was used with some new lines cut and so pumping through some fun whoops you were spat out into the old 39 steps course. Lots more tight twists and turns before you head back out into the open and across a slippery grass off camber section then back into the forest to revert back to lost more tree dodging! The next fire-road crossing was a rocky affair which kept a lot of riders on their toes and soon you were traversing back across the hill down towards the finish. Starting to tire now it was a last ditch effort to dig for some stored energy that was much needed to help you hang on down the bottom where we were sent over the top of the bomb hole and down a steep chute, cut close to the padded tree, dive into the gully then onto the gas and sprint for all your worth to squeeze out those milliseconds! Anywhere round the 4-4.30 mark was good, however some of the top guys put us to shame and were posting times around the 3 mins 30 secs mark…were they on the same course as us!? If they were the must have some photographic memory as the mere mortals among us were having a tough time just remembering which corner we would be coming to next as they all looked to alike!

Saturday practice saw bright sunshine for almost the whole day and everyone there was loving it, this is the sort of atmosphere the SDA’s are renowned for! A few spills during the day kept us awake and alert and most managed 4-5 runs which is good going considering the 2mile cycle to the uplift!

To the important part…the Saturday night drinking session! While the sensible among us enjoyed a shower and kicked back with a few beers in the warmth of our static caravan courtesy of Greg Robertson, fresh back from Belgium to represent the Vibe, the rest of the crew set about creating party central and we were soon persuaded to join them by the campfire! Much drunkenness ensued until the legend that is Super Dave decided he needed a good wash…over to the river and a handful of moss, job done! And what better way to dry off than a spot of nakedness followed by barefoot fire walking!? All part of living the Vibe Racing life!

Waking up early Sunday AM with a hangover was a good enough excuse for most of us to only do one, if any, practice runs. Not so for Sketchy Jim who only arrived Saturday PM and needed to do two runs otherwise he wouldn’t be able to race! Onto race runs and despite some showers the previous night the track held together well and everyone seemed really up for it. Props to Robo Edge who bust his mech hanger on his final practice and couldn’t make his race run. Greg Robertson was the only Vibe rider to get down the hill before a lengthy stoppage due to a nasty crash at the side of the bomb hole, however the wait wasn’t enough to put us off, even though both Sketch and Iain Carnegie were red flagged and had to make their way back to the top of the hill! With a fair few of us crashing in run one it was Sketchy who shone through posting a great time of 4.10 despite only having two runs on a very difficult to remember course, he was just behind Lawr with myself further back on 4.20 and the rest of the guys not particularly happy with their runs. All down to run two then, or at least it was until the rain set in and meant that only Iain and Steve were able to better their times in the soggy mud.

No podiums this time for Vibe Racing but a great start to the season none the less. Jimmypop and Sketch are flying right now and if they can transfer that into a race run we had all best watch out, Stuntman knows he just needs to get off them anchors and Lawr that he needs to stop crashing! As for the rest of us, the speed is there but there is always something to work on come race day!

Notable absentees in the run order were Eagle I Mackay, Si Heron, Danny Danskin, George Ridge and Brian Keith, look out for these guys to be making up for missing out come SDA Round two which is set for Ae Forest, near Dumfries on May 20-21st, hope to see you all there.

Thanks to the SDA for making the best series in the U.K, to descent-world.co.uk for keeping us all up to speed and to all the world-wide Vibe Groupies, it wouldn’t be the same without you guys!

How Did We Do?
Lawrence Juliussen - 04.09.273 - 35th
James ‘Sketchy’ Richmond - 04.10.254 - 38th
Scott Dyer - 04.20.395 - 49th
Iain Carnegie - 04.30.493 - 63rd
Greg Robertson - 04.36.474 - 67th
Jamie ‘Jimmypop’ Oakley - 04.49.867 - 75th
‘Stuntman’ Steve Anderson - 05.07.993 - 86th
Mark Edgcombe - DNS

MONTHEVIBE!
Diddy