Finally we had a good cold spell in January, and riders attending the first Racers Guild of 2012 were met with a beautiful yet frosty reception. Not even Gazzaloddis where penetrating the frozen surface. Air temp. in the sunshine only got to 2 degrees at midday.

Theres not much better than a hauling a train with your mates during practise, boosting of the newish stepdown off the gasline. This launch was expertly remade during a build day a few months back. Next build day is January 21st. If you cant make it come to the next one, keep an eye on the FORUM.

Stu Tite playing on his little bike. As the DH boss man for Chase Trials, Stu is heading up the build days yet again this year. Attending build days is good karma & we really do need your help. Do you ever imagine how good the trails could be? Then come to a build day to make it happen !

Either on a Racers Guild day or a normal weekend, the hill always has plenty of young rippers. Here is Ellis Jones proving size is no barrier to speed. Full list of the days times can be found on the FORUM.

I was wearing merino, fleece and a jacket but there was plenty of guys in Tshirts & no gloves putting full feel and control over warmth. You get tough and fast when you have a DH track in your backyard, just like Alex Worral.

This pic isn’t from the day, but the upgraded Mega Trail was keeping a lot of riders warm with a quick session on the way back up the hill, including possibly the first 360 over the big gap. The Mega shows what can be acheived with a bit of organisation and lots of graft. Here is Chris OC trying out part of his hard work. Get well soon Richie !

The last corner decided the times and how much skin you went home with. Don’t go round the edge of the roots, they don’t like it. Give them a frontal attack, show them whose boss.

We now have a slightly revised system in place for getting race times immediately after sign in, we had way more riders than ever before so apologies if you didn’t get many runs.

All donations go to Riders Guild equipment or materials for trailbuilding. For 2012 we have a new gazebo for shelter and will be getting new radios ,maybe a finish flag and lots of fixing bolts and timber for the upgrade of Walleater.

We have also replaced the 16+ race plates, please carefully take off & return your race plates before you leave. The gate gets locked at 3.30, please move your car to the main carpark on Stile Cop Road if you want to ride longer.

Many thanks to the marshalls, starters & timers for standing in subzero temps all day. If you have questions or want to help at Racers Guild email harry@racersguild.co.uk or for Trailbuilding email stuart@chasetrails.co.uk or head over to the FORUM to ask questions & view videos / pics of the action.

Pics courtesy of http://djaphoto.pinkbike.com/

Racers Guild December 2011

Upon arriving early on the hill on Sunday I had a mellow ride down the Red course, I felt cold but the dirt was nice and grippy. Had a walk over to Ridgeline to help tape the course and was met by the elves applying tinsel and baubles to a section of narrow trees. I know the elves quite well, they often come out of their secret elf houses to help fix the trails and often assume human form to help marshall the course, work stopwatches or man the starting areas. The reindeer had been walking along Ridgeline the night before, but fancied taking a different way down so turned left after the ski jump and wound down a rooty narrow section of trail to their feeding area. The elves liked that route so taped it off to allow merriment and high spirits to unfold during the days bicycle gathering, as 72 riders turned up for a last ride on their bikes before Santa brings them a new one, as they have all been good this year.

Elves are a generous creature, and will ask humans to help in many ways, this month all coins offered as thanks were given to Breast Cancer Care along with a chance to win a new bicycle tyre. Many varied creatures entered the bicycle gathering including diverse Santas, a crocodile (or was it a dinosaur), a skeleton, several dogs, reindeer, Christmas trees and a weird dayglo gymnastic entity.

Midday hit and the young rippers came down and threw down with Adam Yates quickest, followed by Sam Hooker, Connor Smith, Sean Hadley & Josh Laywood, keep it up yoof ! Clare Curtis managed to throw a spanner into the normal sausage fest, although being the only lady entrant automatically gave her the win, she did of course beat times set by the gents, we look forward to you beating more guys next time Clare. Adam Haling pulled yet another fastest time out of his TLD with Matt Gilbert properly ragging it to come ahead of Andy Hughes. Good to see a new face mixing it up with the non-mortals. Within the ‘my next purchase is a Stanna’ crowd Chris Jones headed off all challengers, with Paul Fowkes and Gary Rowe close behind.

However, all was not well with the Spirit of Christmas Cheer. The local pixies felt a little left out and to punish the elves and humans, they danced a wicked dance. Lead bauble elf called Alex was forced by the pixies to lie down for 45 seconds as part of an evil spell to bring in a terrible weather storm. For the final runs it was windy, raining and below 4 degrees, not conducive to writing numbers on paper, wearing cotton, sitting down or standing still and certainly not better for riding bikes faster so everyone soon headed away for steamed up car windows, whopper with cheese or a warming ale. Check the FORUM for some videos of the days festivities.

A Christmas tree called Craig was offered a special prize for imaginative possibility of self-electrocution by cheap Chinese fairy lights, whilst Smudge / Dave won a new tyre in the Breast Cancer Care raffle.

There’s been a lot of arms in slings / swollen hands (and even glands), broken bones and visits to the hospital this year so quick recoveries and the very best of health to all.

2012 will begin on the hill with continued work to Mega Trail, Walleater and a bit to Snakes & Ladders and Wonderland giving more and better trails to play and beat your mates on, keep an eye on the FORUM for dates of monthly build sessions, more help at these will really improve the trails.


Merry Christmas and a Happy New year from everyone at Racers Guild and Chase Trails. Its no secret that RG traditionally holds a January Red course Hardtail Challenge hope to see you there, there may be a special event announced aswell…

November. A&E onto CDL

Novembers RG was ran for the first time down A&E a trail named after the two guys who scoped the line out and did most of the building Adam Halling and Elliot Machin.

The trail proved to be a winner with corner into slippy corner followed by a tight run through the trees, over a gap and then onto CDL to the finish.

With greasy conditions on the hill tyre choice was wets for the slippy stuff or drys for speed on the firmer CDL section. Turns out that High Rollers in the hands of Adam H were the quickest with a stunning 56 second run closely followed by the cut Wet Scream and Swampy brigade.

With over 60 riders supporting the Guild this November a cracking day was had by all with some newer faces sending it against the clock for the first time and feeling the excitement that you can only get by going up against the stop watch.

Many thanks to all the guys who helped out on the hill and sorry if your Marshalling spot ran a bit over!
Decembers Guild session is this Sunday 4th Dec. Don't forget your fancy dress!


See you all on the hill soon,Harry.