With another new racecourse in the stunning Dalby forest this month, the SIMBA crew have managed to pull it off again. A weekend of trail-building paid dividends, with a good turn out and a positive response to the new course.

Following a fast, and very anaerobic start, the race picked its way through some of the best possible singletrack considering the horrendous weather conditions leading up to race day. The longer-than-usual course wound its way through the Low Dalby area of the forest, giving racers a chance to test their skills with off-camber tracks, rocky descents, and, of course, the aptly named “one Heck of a climb”, running through Heck Dale.

The weather as ever played its part in the proceedings, giving everyone glorious sunshine until at least half-way round the course before the heavens opened and turned the trails into a quagmire.

Stephen Hodgson headed the Fun class, which was, as ever, made up of a big start field, up. In the Experts Andy Oliver stormed the course, taking a convincing win over next place rider Richard Tozer in 2:19 for four laps. The Masters took shape with a win for Dale Goodwin, and a season’s best for Graeme Rossiter in second spot.

The Senior field saw Rod Toward and his dominant form taking the win from last month’s winner Neil Harrison. Similarly, in the Vets, Harry Smith continued his winning streak in a time of 1:57 in front of his rivals Bruce Rollinson and Fred Beckwith.

The next race is an endurance event on Sunday 18th Aug at Dalby forest. The route is an eight-mile lap and all riders will do five laps. The event will be the first of its kind for mountain bikers in the region. Pre entries are coming in thick and fast, proving that competitive mountain biking is not dead!