2006 World Championships - An Irish Perspective

by Gerard Wolfe

September 06

Brian Wolfe and Jim Smith were fortunate enough to bring the 4 man Irish DH team of Gerard Wolfe, Steven Mc Clintock, Daniel Wolfe and Richard Smith to the World Championships in Rotoura New Zealand.

A short 1 hour flight in to the mayhem of London Heathrow, then an 11 hour flight to Los Angeles and finally, a 14 hour flight to Auckland New Zealand. After a tyre wash by health and safety in the airport, it was off to sort out the rented cars. We were on the road in no time sitting down once again. We got to Rotoura mid Monday afternoon, leaving Dublin early Saturday morning. Once in the hotel and unpacked and had a bit to eat, it was time for sleeping in an actual bed for once.

In preparation for the racing we got to ride an old National level track which was only 10 minutes outside the town. We did a few runs of this amazing track. It was excellent practice for the predicted wet, loose and drifty race day conditions.

Registration and walking the course was on Monday. I never thought entering an event could be such a long wait, well, for the managers. After walking the course a few things sprung to mind. It had a lot of pedaling to it, a few big gaps and a very technical section in the middle and end. The lake jump at the top of the course was an interesting one. It had a fast open turn into it and a channel of water to clear. There was a high risk of a crash in the middle technical section after the 4 sprints leading into it. Bridges and short technical sections made up the lower split with a very slippery off camber rock section. Overall the track was interesting and different compared to anything else.

The first practice day got under way. Some very big 50/50 casing of the lake jump took place by a lot of the riders. A few big drifts on the bare wooden bridges were also a problem for everyone, but it was sorted out after the managers meeting for next day.

Practice/Qualifying day and Steven decides to hit the lake jump first run without even looking at it (better off because it worked) the Irish team where all in full flight by the end of the day. Moments that stuck out in practice was Mick Hannah’s effortless no handed suicide over the lake jump and Chris Kovarik’s huge crash in the steep wood section.

Junior qualifying went amazing and horrible. Richard stopped the clock on a 3:34 which put him in 15 th place. Daniel on the other hand had a very eventful run. 30 seconds into his run his saddle fell off. To top that, he ends up pointing the wrong direction on the off camber rock section. Daniel posted a 3:38 placing him in 25 th position.

Elite qualifying wasn’t much better. Gerard and Steven both stopped the clock on 3:40 and 3:41 placing them in 46 th and 48 th respectively; it was only a seeding run.

Third day practice was only for two hours, a possible four runs of the course to sort out any problems from yesterday.

Race day came along. It wasn’t a day of nerves as such but an indication that the amazing trip was coming to an end. We knew ourselves; it was all or nothing in the afternoon final. Everyone was happy with there last few practice runs and were ready for the race. The crowds started to build up. The atmosphere was immense. People lettered the edges of the track to cheer on the best downhill racers in the world to the finish line. The track was running about 12 seconds slower then qualifying day due to an amount of rain late into the night and in the early morning. Practice and the cool/mild afternoon made the track very tacky and the wind picked up too. Overall it was slower. The elites had a long wait until their final.

Daniel was first of in the juniors for Ireland. Daniel was off the pace at the spilt by a few seconds dew to a crash in the woods and with a top 6th lower split. This left him with a 16 th position. He stopped the clock at 3:43. It doesn’t give him the justification of the speed he was going at everywhere else, as we watched from the big screen. Unfortunately for Richard the loose flat turn into the lake jump (that took out Brendan Fairclough too) got the better of him and he crashed, completely ruining any chance of getting a result he deserved. Separate practice allowed me to observe the awesome junior riding from the Irish. It was devastating to see Ireland’s two juniors so far down the results sheet as they where looking easily top 10 fast.

Steven was first off in the elites with Gerard two minutes behind him. Unfortunately for Steven, a horrific crash in the wood’s section put an end to his World’s final. After 5 shots of morphine he was ready for a rally in the ambulance to the local hospital. We later found out that he had dislocated his shoulder and torn ligaments. As for Gerard, getting through the technical steep wood section smooth, then hitting the last tree before the split and crashing out cost him valuable time. Gerard stopped the clock at 3:40 placing him in 41 st position.

Sam Hill put together an astonishing run. He was clearly faster in at least 3 sections on the big screen. Pedaling everywhere, he didn’t seem to get tired at all. He actually made everyone else look so unfit. He deserved the win.

It was a trip of a life time and a lot was experienced and learnt. As for New Zealand, get your self down there. It’s amazing, the people are nearly too nice and they love the Irish. As for racing, well you can make your own mind up about that, I’m sure you have or will experience the ups and down of racing some time soon. You never know, you might be on Team Ireland for the Worlds up in the high lands of Scotland.

Other forms of preparation and relaxation for the event included the following: BMX Tracks and Trails, Bungee Jumping, Sky Diving, Big Swing Thing, Power Boating on a river, Dry Luge, Hot Spa, Watching an MX and Drag Race, Rallying Rented Cars, Road Rage, going to Tribal Dinner Dances and Irish Bars. “What happens away stays away” LOL!!!

But my final run was more of an adrenalin rush then everything else I did on the trip.