Photos Digby Shaw Words Owen Hughes

Merry bands of now weather-hardened riders navigated their way to Upper Hutt’s Ngati Tama park for the third round of Hüttcross on Sunday. The morning grass was damp under foot, the skies promisingly dry. Course designers dug deep into their evil reserves to find mushy bits of paddock with which to sponge speed from the riders.

After the familiar scramble to somehow cram bike and clothing adjustments, toilet procedures, and simultaneous conversations with four people into five minutes, the stoic group of 50 C graders took to the start line.

Bowie crooned over the PA and set the mood for the rest of the day’s combativity, as any false security garnered from the early weather was soon stripped back to human basics. In the absence of rain, sheer physical exertion was going to win the day. It was seasoned roadie Ione Johnson who held a dominating lead to the end, taking C grade convincingly.

While the kids raced with enough collective furore to serve everyone in attendance, a notoriously competitive B grade limbered up for the following affray. Cheers of glee emanated from a bellicose group of spectators who had assembled at an unrideable muddy bank, which sadistically claimed those lacking dexterity with their footing. Mountain-running ace Dougal Thorburn made light work of a stacked field and emerged on top of the pile of spent remnants.

As confident familiar faces mixed with those more trepidatious lined up for A grade, the outcome looked like it might be a foregone conclusion, but as they say, it’s not over until Kanye raps from the thrashed PA.

After the guttural clatter of embattled derailleurs and ground-down brake pads slowly faded on the wind, it all hinged on a sprint finish. On only his second attempt at ‘cross, Ryan Christensen showed the necessary fortitude to conquer the baying pack and clinched a gritty win. All that remained were the deep gouges left on park, bikes, and bodies, restarting the healing process until they return to strive for redemption once again.