Champery World Cup - Friday 4x qualies UPDATED

CHAMPERY, Switzerland (transcendmagazine.com) -- 4x qualies are over, and took place in steady rain. The 4 x course is getting pretty soft in sections, and the asphalt jumps and gravel covered corners are going to get incredibly slick.

Rain is falling steadily now and it looks like Dh pratice tomorrow is going to be a doozy. See below for updates from Gary Perkin and Chris Kilmurray.

4X Qualifier results

Men
1 - Brian Lopes
2 - Michal Prokop +1.49
3 - Michael Deldycke +2.46

Women
1 - Jill Kintner
2 - Rachel Seydoux
3 - Fionn Griffiths
4 - Anneke Beerten

Update #1: Gary Perkin has just checked in post 4x qualies.
Update #2: Chris has now checked in as well.

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Report #1: Gary Perkin (www.flipper.co.za/)

Another long day of practice down and the course is taking shape nicely ... holes, rocks, exposed roots and that kind of thing all coming to surface in a big way. Despite the course being pretty much 95% in the trees, each section has a different soil texture, hazards and is making the course more and more technical to race. Once again the riders are putting the thought of rain far from their minds in the hope that it stays away come race day.

Peat is on it today .. no more messing around looking for lines like Thursday - today he is on it. Brendan Fairclough is also looking very comfortable despite his still injured hand - although he did bin it so hard at the end of practice that his shoe came off - but no damage done. Others werent so lucky, top 10 finisher in Vigo, Tom Braithwaite crashed hard in the top woods and is out with suspected broken wrist and collar bone.

It did rain during 4X qualifiers though - right after 4X practice the heavens opened to completly change the course. Riders struggled in the conditions but despite his misgivings about the course pre-qualis Brian Lopes took fastest qualifier - putting 1.49 seconds into Michal Prokop, Mickael Deldycke was 3rd 2.46 down, while Scott Beaumont took 4th and Bryn Atkinson 5th. In the womens qualis Jill Kintner is out to prove a point after losing in Vigo. She set the fastest time of 56.68 - good enough for top 30 in the men - beating out local Rachel Seydoux, Fionn Griffiths and Vigo winner Anneke Beerten taking 4th some 7.31 seconds down in Jill.

thats about it for today ... going to finish my crepes now.
laters
gary

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Report #2: Chris Kilmurray

Roots, Ruts and Rescues! Friday Practice had the three R's alright. Early start again with the pits buzzing from at least 8:00a.m. The mountain got hot too, straight from the word go. With all the big guns up early to either ride or walk the track with the former being a lot easier.

Some big lines were being had by many of the big names. Minnaar is back on clips as the track dries and the limits of grip and just how hard you can slam from rut to rut, corner to corner are found.

As midday approached a lot of people were looking comfortable on the hugely demanding track, but still getting a full run in was like finding hens teeth as the catch nettings in many areas saw some heavy use as did the marshals flags.

Peat is still on flats and looks damned quick too, proving that no matter what the track or conditions, he is a big contender. David Vasquez looks on form, on the back of a stellar Vigo ride the joint leader in the overall is horsing his clips and Highrollers down the mountain at a fair old lick.

Gossip and general goings on are thinner on the ground than yesterday as I was mighty busy doing my best to "horse" down the hill myself, rag da beast, ya know!!!

4x practice and qualification was on earlier, sorry didin't stick around for the results. As Fraser has already reported some rain was falling at that time but that has been the way most evenings this week, it's all dry now, and the sky is looking good for another dry day tomorrow. The track on the other hand 'aint looking forward to tomorrow as by end of practice today some huge chunks of corner where just dissapearing. Sunday is gonna be a big one. Timed runs tomorrow for the top 80. I'll fill you in then!

On a side note top 80 practice was delayed for 15mins this afternoon as numerous riders where airlifted to the nearby hospital in Monthey, one of those lucky buggers was my travel mate and all round Pykey galore Tom Power. After a long wait at the bottom of the hill, I hear my name being called out on the P.A., that's right Tom's in the hospital, fractured ribs.......cheers! He decided that the helicopter was a better way down the hill then his bike. So that leaves me with the driving, washing-up, cooking, and packing. Cheers Tom.....

Until tomorrow.

Gallery has been updated

Beaumont hangin' on