Quantcast

Champery WC Track 2010 - Part ONE

S

SupaTone

Monkey
Jun 5, 2008
125
0
French Alps
Its in 2 sections as Tahnée's piece was worth a little look just by itself!

From her website:

Holy hell what a track... rode this last year, but the track has had a lot of work since then by track builder Ben Walker (buckoW) and his team. It's still a really scary track to ride - but I love it!

I had a really good day... little bit of a crash at the end. It was on the 35ft step-down before you hit the bottom section of the track - I was hitting it like a girl, which you can not do on this track. Paul Aston gave me a bit of a talking to - I forgot the part about staying to the right and checking my speed!! I wanted to hit again but by the time I got myself back together we had to go as it started raining hard!

 
I

illflip

Monkey
Aug 20, 2007
548
0
Newark, NJ
i cant wait for this race. if freecaster was still PAYcaster, this was the race i was definitely going to pay money to see.
 
frango

frango

Turbo Monkey
Jun 13, 2007
1,454
5
You can't see how steep it is ;)
No, it's free-of-charge-caster, again :)
 
Mulestar

Mulestar

Turbo Monkey
Sep 18, 2007
1,061
0
in the dirt
STEEEEEP! awesome. That's the kind of video where you say "I'd love to ride that" but its probably intimidating as hell in person.
 
S

Steve M

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2007
1,991
45
Whistler
Mulestar said:
STEEEEEP! awesome. That's the kind of video where you say "I'd love to ride that" but its probably intimidating as hell in person.
Click to expand...
haha yeah when you watch numerous top 5 WC riders and a former 10x world champ binning it time and time again it kind of reinforces how ridiculously gnarly that track is.

Can't wait for the WC this year. World champs next year will be off the richter too, hoping I can get over there to watch somehow.
 
Sverre

Sverre

Monkey
Aug 26, 2004
400
0
Norwaii
I thought I´ve ridden steep before, so I went down this track a few years ago. OMG was I surprised!! It´s so steep that I almost wet my shorts. The vid makes it look flat.
This race is gonna be so good. Hope to be there. Fingers crossed :)
 
GoodbyePorkPie

GoodbyePorkPie

Monkey
Dec 7, 2009
197
0
Cloud Kiwi
Sounds wikid, there was a nice write up in dirt #99 with pic's :D for us without local knowledge about the track work gone into to it this year, sounds good, old lines still there, cool!! now with some bunny lines which may or may not be slower but easier if that is possible, prob still harder than most other places lol

So be interesting to see which line choices people choose and which proves more beneficial come race time!

Good work, roll on Champery, hopefully Sam will have recovered by then to create another legendary race run :thumb:
 
gemini2k

gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
What kind of crazy **** beyond the Champery WC track is there in those tiny alpine countries. Like we've got our sorta "off the map" trails that make our race trails look like flat pavement. If the WC track is what you find at a regular resort, what kind of crazier stuff to you find off the beaten path? I'd imagine there's gotta be some REALLY mind blowing stuff. Or does it kinda top out at the WC track?
 
GoodbyePorkPie

GoodbyePorkPie

Monkey
Dec 7, 2009
197
0
Cloud Kiwi
gemini2k said:
What kind of crazy **** beyond the Champery WC track is there in those tiny alpine countries. Like we've got our sorta "off the map" trails that make our race trails look like flat pavement. If the WC track is what you find at a regular resort, what kind of crazier stuff to you find off the beaten path? I'd imagine there's gotta be some REALLY mind blowing stuff. Or does it kinda top out at the WC track?
Click to expand...
I'd say ya raise a good point, the WC tracks are probably more about spectator access, setup etc so some compromise must be the case, surely better courses outback but not suitable for spectator numbers media etc.

Maybe access to those area's might be limited too, private access, liability, cost to the environment etc.

One of the best non WC tracks ever imo is the Mt Psychosis that is no longer going on, what a DH run, imagine a W series of races where its 12min DH runs holy heck, not realistic I know but sure would sort the men form the boys, immortal wurds of Rennie, I must be a boy so will watch from the couch, but sure woulda love a run on that hill, even if it scared me senseless!

Some of the footage from some earthed series DVDs I remember one with Fabian might have been E4 awesome riding on some wicked runs. But must be some Pearler's out there for sure!
 
JCL

JCL

Monkey
Aug 31, 2008
696
0
gemini2k said:
What kind of crazy **** beyond the Champery WC track is there in those tiny alpine countries. Like we've got our sorta "off the map" trails that make our race trails look like flat pavement. If the WC track is what you find at a regular resort, what kind of crazier stuff to you find off the beaten path? I'd imagine there's gotta be some REALLY mind blowing stuff. Or does it kinda top out at the WC track?
Click to expand...
Simply put, that region is the DH capital of the world.
 
IH8Rice

IH8Rice

I'm Mr. Negative! I Fail!
Aug 2, 2008
24,524
494
Im over here now
gemini2k said:
Kinda what I always assumed. Isn't there something crazy like 7-8 lift access bike parks in portes du soleil within a 45 minute radius?
Click to expand...
that region is amazing. 12 parks with 24 lifts :shocked:
http://www.portesdusoleil.com/en_summer/12 resorts/12_resorts.html

we went the week before they all opened and there were only 3 lifts running, but it was still amazing. i wish i could go back.
we were there this time last year.



how old is Tahnée? she looks pretty comfortable on the bike for being so young.
damn kids :)
 
Last edited:
Capricorn

Capricorn

Monkey
Jan 9, 2010
425
0
Cape Town, ZA
DOB 15th June 1995 from FMD

so make that 15 yrs of age. Irrelevant really, cos she kicks ass all the way up the age categories. I wonder if she will feature in FR like that super gorgeous babe Darcy Turenne, or go as she plans to rock the DH podium. either way. super impressive.
 
buckoW

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,786
4,727
Champery, Switzerland
IH8Rice said:
im still massively jealous of BuckoW
Click to expand...
hehe, thanks dude. Come riding with us next time you are here.

The goats are making sure the track stays a bit rough. You can see one of the TV platforms we made for the race. That way we get to decide where the cameras go and you guys get to see the better spots on the track.



Here are 2 photos that shows the steepness very well. The first one is 30 meters up from the start of the track. I built a new section above the track from the tram making it a solid 6-7 minute run. I offered up the possibility to the UCI of a longer track but they thought it was plenty long.





Just to clear up the part about the track being easier. When we take a walking digger down something that steep it is sometimes hard to get all the dirt off the track when it is under the machine without hurting the roots. So, there is a bunch of loose dirt covering all the ruthless root gardens that will be gone in no time. The roots will come back out and the tech factor will increase with every run down the track.
 
Last edited:
norbar

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,367
1,605
Warsaw :/
Love what you did on the track (with the rest of the team as dirt seems to change their mind fast about who is the main builder ;) ). Im crap at jumping but the track seems awesome. Wish the trip this year planned with the guys from warsaw was to morzine. I simply cant get to that place.(though I will think of something sooner or later)
 
buckoW

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,786
4,727
Champery, Switzerland
norbar said:
Love what you did on the track (with the rest of the team as dirt seems to change their mind fast about who is the main builder ;) ). Im crap at jumping but the track seems awesome. Wish the trip this year planned with the guys from warsaw was to morzine. I simply cant get to that place.(though I will think of something sooner or later)
Click to expand...
It is super fun even if you don't hit the big jumps.

Just to be clear, My brother Will and I worked for Claudio Calouri on the Champery track. Claudio was the head shaper of the track, I am the race director for the DH race and I am responsible for maintenance. I did not design the track the first time nor for the rebuild. I keep getting credit for it so I just wanted to clear that up.
 
norbar

norbar

KESSLER PROBLEM. Just cause
Jun 7, 2007
11,367
1,605
Warsaw :/
buckoW said:
It is super fun even if you don't hit the big jumps.

Just to be clear, My brother Will and I worked for Claudio Calouri on the Champery track. Claudio was the head shaper of the track, I am the race director for the DH race and I am responsible for maintenance. I did not design the track the first time nor for the rebuild. I keep getting credit for it so I just wanted to clear that up.
Click to expand...
Yeah I was suprised dirt gave you full credit for that on their page after the article in dirt 99 where they clearly stated Claudio was the boss.
 
S

SupaTone

Monkey
Jun 5, 2008
125
0
French Alps
Capricorn said:
DOB 15th June 1995 from FMD

so make that 15 yrs of age. Irrelevant really, cos she kicks ass all the way up the age categories. I wonder if she will feature in FR like that super gorgeous babe Darcy Turenne, or go as she plans to rock the DH podium. either way. super impressive.
Click to expand...
15 today!
 
buckoW

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,786
4,727
Champery, Switzerland
bizutch said:
whoever your buddy is boosting those jumps as guinea pig, he goes...HUGE!

And why on earth did that chic boost so far past the lander???
Click to expand...
Paul and Joel were both going huge. Such sick riders.

It is actually a pretty big blind step down. She was on the landing but too far left. I am surprised she even tried it. Go Tahnée!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom