Event Report: 2011 DMR Bikes Pump Track Challenge

Riders turned up in big numbers for the race in Bristol - likely something to do with the Wideopen Magazine/Monster party after the race and the great location. A good crowd of spectators also watched during the day with the very popular Lezyne exploder going off between the heats.

 

The format for racing was straight knock out - after a seeding run, it was quarter and semi finals, then the top 5 riders from the Rippers, Open, Girls and Pro made it to the Finals.      

 

The Pro race was stacked with riders trying to win £400 in prize money. After the heats it came down the final five.

The format for the Pros was a rolling start from a one lap warm up that lead straight into the timed lap. James Wilson was first to go in the final having beaten quite a few big names, but it all went wrong with a crash over the bars in the 2nd corner.

Olly Wilkins, master of the pump track and style king, initially went fastest with a 19.3 on the clock. 

Three more to go... Lewis Lacey was giving pump track racing a go after his recent win in the Cobble Wobble - he can pump and manual like the best of them, and with a super fast 17.2 he was looking good enough to win.

Next up was Ben Baker. He put together a super fast lap, really smooth, and stopped the clock at just 16.2 seconds! it was all down to Bernard Kerr. With £250 on the line for the win it was going to be an all out lap to beat Baker. Even though Kerr was super smooth, he stopped the clock at 16.5 seconds, leaving Baker with his first win!

"It's fantastic" Baker said, "Such a great way to race with all the mates shouting in the crowd. I loved it and cannot wait to do the next one at the London Bike Show in January."

The Top Three won some great prizes from Lezyne, and all the winners won a pair of Teva shoes. The Pros shared £400 in prize money from DMR Bikes.

Video by Pete Newman

Photos by No Limits Photography