GB Models 2.2 UK Rock Crawling Championship

[Webbage]

Gonna post a full report tonight, I gotta shoot out to work now, but I'll leave you with the pictures

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pixel_mason/sets/72157622066587688/

 

[abadk9420]

Nice pics!!!!

 

[slowngreen]

nice pics, thanks for sharing.

 

[Webbage]

The pictures can't really convey how awesome the whole weekend was.

As some of you guys will know I posted a while back that the UK Scene has had some serious problems recently. 2 of the key members responsible for running and organizing both the Nationals and other Comps took severe issue with people questioning their rules and offering suggestions as to changes that might help the sport. In short, they got the hump and pulled out. It almost ended any chance of the Nationals occurring (they were saved at the last minute) and has lead to a lot of subsequent back-biting and agro.

The upshot of all this was GB Models supremo (it's a one-man business more or less ) Rob decided to run his own UK 2.2 Championship over 2 days at the South Derbyshire Racing crawler course in Burton-on-Trent. The 2 persons who had by now caused so much grief to the community were told they would not be welcome. To be honest we all pretty-much made it clear anyway. I've been staying 1 step away from the forums where all this has been blowing off to try not to get embroiled in it, I don't burn bridges myself, but others weren't so reserved. All I'll say is the meeting had a very much more relaxed attitude with no egos and no 'big I am' figures involved. It was all just friendly folks doing what we love to do - getting out there and crawling our rigs on the rocks!

The SDR facility has a purpose built 'urban' crawler course made from rubble, concrete and scrap building materials (it's better than that made it sound). It's developed over time into a really great facility with some really good sections. Rob and his helpers have put tons of time in and even laid on a whole new section of course for the UK Championship meeting. The sections were in tip-top condition and featured both concreted-in sections and loose rock sections which were more like natural rock (and subsequently VERY hard work on the rigs!).

I went along with my friends Kev and Rich, we all piled into Kev's work van with our gazebo, tents and R/C gear and travelled the 130 miles across to the venue. It was a 5am start and the weather was already looking pretty sweet by the time we arrived at 8:30am.

At 9am we had a event breifing and the lots were drawn for the groups. We were split into 2 groups of 16 or so and 2 sections were set out. Each group did runs on a section then we swapped and did the same on the other section. This continued for 8 sections over the 2 days so we got our moneys worth out of the event!!

I started poorly. I'd not even run my new rig properly (I broke the steering testing it at home and only got it repaired a couple of days before) so this was all new. I was immediately impressed though, the new rig was well above my expectations, even if the driver was sucking pretty badly! I made a hash of section 1 even so.

Section 2 was an interesting one. The section was marked out around a large piece of 'rock art' nicknamed 'Rob's Ring-piece'. It has a huge drainage pipe section in the middle (see pictogram below). The highlight of the whole comp came on this section as I managed to clear one of the hardest gates of the weekend. It was inside the ring and near vertical and from the previous gate it was a cow to get through. Most people slipped off and hit the lower maker, but my rig hung on in there and I used the dig to swing the rig tight round the ring and gunned it through once i was lined up.

Blue = Gate 6, Orange = Gate 7, Red = Gate 8 (opposite side to this shot - sorry I don't have a better one). White lines is the path through (dashed is opposite side of the ring to the shot).

Sections 3 and 4 went so-so, but because we were camping overnight we were late finisheing and I didn't get into section 4 until 7pm. I was starting to feel the 5am start catch up on me by then and despite energy drinks and a bit of adrenaline from the excitement of actually getting on with a comp without any problems, I made some dumb mistakes on 4.

The evening involved beer, a fire, and a lot of shouting and fooling about. I won't go into the details, but it was a really awesome night of drunken idiocy!

Day 2 started for me at 7am. I woke up sharp and ready to go, until about 5 mins later when i realised I'd drunk a few beers the night before and had to make a coffee. Luckily I slept in the pit gazebo (sadly required as a security measure because some of the locals are a bit dodgy) so I was right next to the stove and the kettle!

We got on with the first of the days sections at about 9am after everyone had dragged themselves out of bed and got food and coffee down them. We were joined by 4 extra folks that were competing for the sunday trophy too, which made the numbers up even more.

I got a real bum draw for my group. I was first off on the sections meaning I didn't get a chance to see anyone else run. This basically screwed me as I had no clue on the lines so was having to think on my feet. I made dumb mistakes and got frustrated at times and the day 2 sections really kicked my ass, unfortunately. Still, I didn't get down over it, I'd had next to zero practice after all and my rig was running sweet, so nothing to be upset over.

I didn't finish close to the top 10 overall, and I expect I'll more likely be below half way down the list, BUT I did finish every section and cleared some pretty tough gates in places so I was happy with how I did. It was such an awesome weekend overall that it didn't really matter where I finished, I enjoyed my sorry ass (which is more than I have done in my previous 2 comps) and had a good time.

I really get out of the frying pan and into the fire at the end of September, Kev and I are hosting a competition at our local course! I'll let you guys know how we get on with that!

I haven't got my exact placing yet as the full results aren't out. I'll post my place on here when I know it if it's not too embarrassing

 

[Webbage]

Found a picture of that gate I monstered (not my rig in the picture!):

http://s908.photobucket.com/albums/ac284/sdrpics/?action=view&current=GBday1092.jpg

You can't see the lower marker but it's just below the frame of this pic.

Edit: Here ya go this is it withno rig in the way:

http://s908.photobucket.com/albums/ac284/sdrpics/?action=view&current=GBday1090.jpg

 

[hamz9561]

Looks like a fun course to crawl.

 

[slowngreen]

how much gap between gates are you guys allowed?

 

[Webbage]

Minimum spacing must be 16", AFAIK there is no maxmimum.

I, as first runner, actually called one on of the sections because it was only 14" apart