Junior Mens DH review

Cam Johnson
16 Yrs old

From ALEXANDRA, NZ

Dan asked me to write how I found the Wellington Nationals Track at Long Gully. As well as that I’ll tell you about some other mean races from this season.

VERTIGO ran an OPEN Chainless race in January, at Coronet Peak. The downhill track was mean as, it had good corners and flowed nicely. I finished 8th overall and with a faster time than I got in the SI Subaru series with a chain. Can’t wait till next season when Coronet hopefully has a longer riding season.

Also I teamed up with Martin, a top mechanic from Bike Fix, Queenstown for the ‘Brakeburner’ Event. A 6 hr Endurance Race, also at on Coronet Peak. We were the BIKE FIX Team and were in the Open Men’s Class, (he’s a bit older, lucky he’s super fit). The track had heaps of uphill, and not much down. In the end, we came second to the Vertigo Team. It was a bloody good day, and a great group to hang out with.

Cam durring the Brake Burner Race at Coronet Peak

Wellington Nationals Track

Well the track started on the ridge between the wind turbine and that white dome thing, and dropped to the burnout pad. While not too technical, the track was fast and full of loose drifty corners, it also had a wall of gorse along the lower part of the track that you could use as a crash pad if you needed too… OUCH!

The track ended up worn out by race day and real dusty. The weather wasn’t friendly either, typically Wellington, wind was strong and gusty, and for the unlucky, it accounted for bad race run times.

Thanks to the organizers though, it was really well run by Vince Langford and the team…. up with the best of them. Wellington is a great track to ride, any chance to do it? Get there.

Another great track to ride, was Lava Flow, in Christchurch, I went up for the NZ Open. It’s a short and wickedly quick track, very rough, and heaps of big rocks. Finishing 3^rd in U19 here was a highlight for me, before heading back to Nelson for Oceania’s.

Cam durring the NZ National Round in Nelson

The Oceania’s held on that Nelson track up Maitai Valley was in good condition. The track had cool jumps, loose rocks all the way down, and it was steep and very fast from top to bottom. The more I raced this track the more I liked it. Thanks to Chris Mildon and guys for a great and well run event.

Just run last weekend, September, Linger and Die downhill race in Alexandra. Good track, all us boys been working on it thru the winter, came in 3^rd under 19, after a bit of cross country (by mistake) right near the bottom, 6^th fastest race time overall for the day.

Next race, 3^rd Round Bluff Series race, 11th October, see yah there.

CAM

SPONSORED RIDER THE BIKE FIX, QUEENSTOWN,

RED TUSSOCK GALLERY ALEXANDRA

PHOTOS SUPPLIED BY James Allan

and Eddie