Let's see what this does…
You will often find photos such as this coming out of my camera, especially during the summer. Frequently, the ones I like the most aren't of the best known riders, which allows me the priviledge of sticking them up on my blog, as I know nobody will pay to put them in print. Frequently, nobody will put my photos in print for other reasons, but we'll keep it specific for now.
I was working for the event organisers, Rare Management, at the British round of the UCI MTB World Cup when I took this shot, at the start of June. I worked at the first event in 2002 as a course worker, when I was recovering from a broken collarbone, carting around large crowd barriers on the side of a mountain. A few years later, I tripped while walking down the course, and broke my ankle, resulting in me getting stretchered off the hill, and missing a holiday. Since then, I've tried to avoid injury, and take better photographs instead... largely, I think it's gone alright.
I'm trying to get to more World Cup rounds this year, but realistically, I think the only one I'll manage will be the finals in September (which I've got the flights for already...). Still, two's better than one. Maybe next year I'll go to three... or four. It's good to have goals for the future, and airmiles are mine. I hope people don't get so bent out of shape about purple lycra photo bibs in Austria, life's too short.
Also, the event had some great trophies, designed by Component Creatives. Good job on getting away from traditional silverware and following on strong from the massive claymores that the winners were swinging about after the 2008 event...
