Newnham Park - Grundig World Cup 199? (photo heavy)

[gump]

I know its a long trek for most but Newnham Park should be a retro meet venue in 2009. If you're still allowed to ride there of course?

Yep, would like to go back there. Would mean a lot as raced there many times. Would feel proper retro

They used to run a series of smaller xc races where the full course was basically split in three for each event. Have some video somewhere.

 

[longun]

They used to run a series of smaller xc races where the full course was basically split in three for each event. Have some video somewhere.[/quote]

these were run by barrettoes bikes iirc,entered quite a few and did ok,remember trying to charge the hill opposite pipeline while the crowd cheered everyone who rode up it

 

[jimbo-xc]

Newnham

That's right, Barretto's bikes of Plympton. We bought a pair of new 1989 Saracen Traverse mtb's there in Feb '90. Sort of violet colour, Mountain LX groupset. Tried similarly priced Konas (Lava Dome probbly) but preferred the Saracen ride. Our first mountain bikes. Caroline's got nicked 18 months later, mine was sold to a mate's wife & she has only just retired it, but I digress.

 

[longun]

did my work experience there and a few weekends,chris taught me how to build wheels and drink black coffee lol,i enjoy4ed these races more than national ones,they always seemed to have nicer weather :roll:

 

[gump]

did my work experience there and a few weekends,chris taught me how to build wheels and drink black coffee lol,i enjoy4ed these races more than national ones,they always seemed to have nicer weather :roll:

and easier to win too

 

[PeeBeds]

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=39403

forgot i had this,looks like it was 94,first year it was at newnham

The pics in this thread may well be from 94, but the UK World Cup round was deffo at Newnham in 1993 for first time, I know this for sure as I 'retired' at the end of 93 and Newnham was one of my last rides. As for me in 1994 I was starting a career in Leisure Management, drinking beer and spending time with a girl who is now my wife

Thing is, the pics might be from '93 and '94, although Im not sure which

Muddy race, Tinker in Volvo Cannondale gear.

Dry race, Tinker in Klein gear.

Was your race paticularly muddy, or bone dry?

 

[flyingwelshman]

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=39403

forgot i had this,looks like it was 94,first year it was at newnham

The pics in this thread may well be from 94, but the UK World Cup round was deffo at Newnham in 1993 for first time, I know this for sure as I 'retired' at the end of 93 and Newnham was one of my last rides. As for me in 1994 I was starting a career in Leisure Management, drinking beer and spending time with a girl who is now my wife

Thing is, the pics might be from '93 and '94, although Im not sure which

Muddy race, Tinker in Volvo Cannondale gear.

Dry race, Tinker in Klein gear.

Was your race paticularly muddy, or bone dry?

Dry in 93 - except the river crossings

 

[Crayons]

Can't help with the year as I went to all the world cups held there and the memories bleed into one another – lived about 20 mins walk away at the time (in Plympton)

Certainly remember Tinker on that bike though, might even have a pic of him myself.

The course was/is superb, especially the pipeline. Not sure they use that stretch of the course now though.

I believe there is an endurance race held there (Newnham 90) so perhaps the idea of a pilgrimage isn't so daft (not that I've ever ridden an endurance race).

Unfortunately the course is on private ground so you can't get on it at any other time of the year (and if memory serves they used to use parts of it for clay pigeon shooting, or worse. Don't know if that's still the case.

 

[scant]

surprising how many people lived near newnham park during this period. I was in student digs in plymouth city centre.

i agree with the course, a real mix of everything. the pipeline hasnt been used for quite some time, the double jumps to the left of the first grassy climb (IE coming back towards the finish) have long since gone.
you know its a fairly tough course in the wet when you see tomac crash (that muddy offcamber DH to the top of the course stream crossing)

as mentioned newnham is private land & not recommended riding there unless theres an event... ahem, in uni days we used to ride the top of the course & back of the woods entering via borringdon hill, top of cann woods area. also accessed via the old moorland DH course from the side of the china clay pits.... I never forget a trail ..probs overgrown by now!

 

[PeeBeds]

Seems that they are running a race series there at the moment
If I didnt live abou 500 miles away, Id come and have a go.....

Beware though:

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PRACTICE BEFORE RACE DAY- THEY ARE SHOOTING AND THEY GET VERY UPSET WHEN LYCRA APPEARS IN THEIR SIGHTS!!

:shock: