Lewis keeps his cool on icy track

Published 26 Feb 2010 13:28 5 Comments

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Lewis Buchanan took the win on rather icy home soil at the downhill winter series in Innerleithen last weekend.

The 16-year-old not only won the junior category, but also took the prize for the fastest time of the day.

The difficult and icy conditions saw many of the riders choose not to race on Sunday.

But Lewis was undeterred, and after negotiating the notoriously technical track was the only rider to post a time under four minutes.

Lewis told the Peeblesshire News: "The conditions were pretty tricky on the Sunday.

"The weather was great during practice on the Saturday, but a cold night meant parts of the track really iced up.

"Although some of the track stayed ice-free, the conditions meant that it was really hard to give 100 per cent and push the speed too much. I decided to just go for it, and I'm really pleased with the way I rode.

"It was a great feeling to post the fastest time of the day as well, as I'm a lot younger than most of the other riders."

The only elite rider to tackle the course, Adam Brayton, struggled to find form and came in over 30 seconds behind Lewis.

Both Marc Beaumont and Ben Cathro, elite riders tipped for the podium, decided to withdraw on the day citing injury fears in the run up to the national and world cup series later in the spring.

The winter series, organised by Borderline Events and sponsored by Alpine Bikes, attracts racers from across the country keen to test their fitness after a few months away from competition.

But Lewis wont have much time to enjoy his victory, as he looks to capitalise on his win and take the overall series title at the final round next month.

He said: "I feel my racing has really come on in the last year and it would be great to go into the summer season with a couple of wins under my belt."

This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 26 Feb 10

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Elizabeth Bell
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Mar 4, 04:30
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I am disgusted that Caddon has been turned into a bike run. I was born and raised in Innerleithen and am utterly dismayed and appalled to read that this has been allowed to take place. Although I have not been home for many years, I keep in touch via the Peeblesshire News and also with family and friends in the town and they are all upset that Caddon and the surrounding hills are made use of in this way. It is a shocking disturbance to the residents and an act of environmental vandalism. Elizabeth Bell (nee Scott)

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Grant Buchanan
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Mar 10, 22:15
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I can't see why Mrs Bell (nee Scott) is disgusted. How can she even say it is a shocking disturbance to the residents when she hasn't stayed in Innerleithen for 'many years'? Does she not understand that Innerleithen may become a 'ghost town' if it was not for the mountainbiking interest, especially due to the trails built on Caddon bank etc? Do all her friends and neighbours wish to see this happen?

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Elizabeth Bell
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Mar 22, 03:36
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Thank you Grant for your comment in response to my one of Mar 4. It may not worry the mountain bikers but it certainly does cause grief to the local residents who live close to the hill. Having loved Caddon which I viewed from No 2o Montgomery Street, my home, and having passed many delightful days traversing Minch Moor via Caddon or walking along its forestry path after a pleasant climb up along Haughhead burn and spending hours on warm summer days delighting in the quiet view from its brow. I feel extremely sad that the hill I so loved has been so commerc*alised and by all accounts from the photographs I have seen, abused. It seems that Innerleithen is now being enveloped in all things commercial and the growing housing complexes are an additional scar on what was once a quiet rural village with stunning views (unfortunately it is those stunning views and its "tranquillity" which is fast becoming its downfall). I grant you you have every right to your opinion, but I strongly disbelieve your assumption that Innerleithen will become a ghost town just because of the mountain biking interest is just that - an assumption on your part. Innerleithen was never and will never become a "ghost town" just simply depending on riders careering downhill causing scars across Caddon's once verdant face. The only things that used to roll down that hill were Easter eggs. No-one wants bicycle competitions or chair-lifts cluttering up the hills around Innerleithen. I don't look forward to coming home on holiday to see my beloved valley having been so defiled.

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Grant Buchanan
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Mar 31, 20:45
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Dear Elizabeth.....I'm quite sure there are more people than you would like to imagine who would like to see a chairlift and also support bicycle competitions in the area. As far as I am concerned the stunning views are still there! The tranquility may be dissapearing but this is not necessarily a bad thing. What 'made' Innerleithen in the past? Was it not textile manufacturing? Was this not commerc*alisation? I'm sure there would have been people like yourself complaining of dirty great factories and Chimneys scarring the landscape back then as well. Why have you not complained about this? Although I also do not applaud the fact that new housing has been built in the last 2 years, is this not similar to when Montgomery street was built? It's called progress. It happens! Oh...and I didn't know it was 'your' valley!.....I'm sorry!

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Elizabeth
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Apr 22, 13:25
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Thank you for your comments Grant and I am sure I will see for myself what "progress" has done to "my valley" (having been born and bred in the old town, I feel I still have some right to call it "my home") when I return in June to our house in Innerleithen (even if for a visit, I am still attached to the "old country") and still have connections and a house there. Judging from what I hear, at least, little is left (industry-wise) in Innerleithen as you say, but I am still looking forward to walking the old haunts and hoping to enjoy some tranquility at least and who can tell... perhaps I will see you there, but I don't think I will be cheering the speeding bikies on my visit or looking forward to any kind of confrontation as I try to warily edge my way around them along the brow of one of my most favourite hills!

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