NS Bikes' Craig Potter Reports from Dirt Wars UK

Our NS Bikes grassroots rider Craig Potter competed in the 4th and final round of Dirt Wars UK at Wisley. Here's his report:

After a long weekend off working and not getting in till 2:30 in the morning from work, I was up at 11 ready for the fourth and final round of Dirt Wars UK.

It was a murky Sunday morning after the rain that dropped within surrey on the Saturday the trails were pretty sticky and not really the perfect conditions to be holding a competition luckily the boys at Wisley trails got up nice and early ready to get the jumps running for all the mountain bikers ready to get the competition underway.

As usual everyone signed up and got fuelled up on Rockstar Energy ready to begin the competition, with only 6 people entering the open comp they decided that finals would only consist of 3 riders so only half the riders would qualify for the finals so they all wanted to get that top three spot. Up for grabs was a frame and a set of wheels for the top two riders and a few goodies for the third place rider.

One thing that has amazed me over the years is the quality of the riders in the open class, some of them really should be hooked up by someone seen as they all can put down flawless runs like they do it as a day job, all 6 riders in the open class were throwing out tricks everywhere, Wig and his younger brother Sam obviously ride solidly all the time seen as they were both throwing tricks left right and centre. Freddy Pulman, Jack Scrotford-Smith and Callum Gribble were going crazy, Callum was 360ing mid set, Jack was barspinning and Freddy was throwing huge superman’s. After qualifying Freddy, Jack and Wig qualified ready for the open finals.

Elite qualifying consisted of about 15 riders, top 7 qualifying, personally I absolutely adore Wisley and it most definitely showed on the day, easily the most flawless runs I have achieved so far this year which made my position within the day’s rankings well known. My best run in qualifying was probably 360 x-up into 360 into 1 footed table in big tuck no hander on the left hand hip finally into a huge super tailwhip. I was competing mostly against Daryl Brown who was throwing 360 barspins, Clinton Johns who was 360 tailwhipping mid set, Ryan Nangle barspinning mid set, Danny Pace flipping mid set so everyone was riding and pushing themselves at Wisley. I qualified in 3rd, easily my best result so far this year, I was really happy seen as I was only behind Ryan and Clinton, qualifying ahead of Daryl, Danny and even the likes of Chopper Fielder seen as he was one of the riders I looked up to as a kid this put a smile permanently on my face.

Finally the open finals came about, all 3 riders Jack, Wig and Freddy were trying to get the win, unfortunately for Wig he messed 2 of his 3 runs up which placed him in 3rd. After that both Jack and Freddy upped their game, Freddy did a wicked run including 360’s, superman’s and no footed cans. Jack wanted the win just as much and was throwing barspins on the transfer line and a big flip on the last jump.

After the open had finished their runs finals for elite had come about, I decided to keep with what I was doing just cause it worked before and the only person pushing themselves a lot further was Clinton Johns, he was desperate to end up with the top spot. Unfortunately for me like Wig I mucked up 2 of my 3 runs, which but me slightly lower down the final scores.

Open results ended up being Freddy Pulman in 1st with Jack in 2nd and Wig in 3rd.

Elite results ended with Clinton in 1st, Daryl in 2nd and Ryan in 3rd, I ended up coming away with 6th behind Ray Samson and Danny Pace which I was pleased with seen as I had beaten the people that I got beaten by at the beginning of the year, I know that I’m improving and becoming more of a contender for the podium spots now.

Thanks again to Cliff Barbeary for putting on the Dirt Wars series, as he’s stepping down for 2012 wish him all the best for the future.

Also thanks to Sam Davies for use of the wicked super whip photo.