Champery WC track 2010 preview

Author: | 11 June 2010 | 25

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Oh my golly, I cannot wait for World Cup Round 4 Champery. Okay so we’ve got Leogang next week but Champery is going to be mental.

Check out this preview below featuring two of the guys who worked on the track Ben and Will Walker.

Also have a read of the recent article in Dirt issue #99 with Claudio Caluori for the full story on the building of the Champery track.

Thanks to Tony Seagrave for the heads up.


GRAVITY TV EPISODE ONE >>

The one thing that strikes you about Champery every time you arrive in town is the awe-inspiring scenery and the ‘hugeness’ of the mountains. Being based just less than 1hr away from Champery meant that all the recent work that Ben Walker and his tribe of builders have put in was well worth a visit for our growing possy of riders.

Supposedly, the track is not as ‘extreme’ as it was before – but, if you pardon my english – thats just bollocks!! However, even though there is still a bit of work to do over the next few weeks, its riding well – really well!

Right from the start you get thrown into the double, double, hip (that to spectators will look huge). When you are descending at warp speed out of the first two, you need some serious brake checking, to ride this smooth. That’s what its all about here at Champery, ride it smooth, flow the sections and you are onto a winner – a track where you really do have to slow down to go fast!

They have added wider, easier sections to the steep corners, making it more rideable for the masses – the good news is that, as all World Cups should be, the organisers are going to be taping these sections wide so the old, steep lines, are still available.

There is a new 35ft step down nearing the final section of the track that is just after a few corners that again gives you a false sense that you are slowing down for this gap! The straight after, however, has you gathering speed with lightning pace meaning you have to scrub your speed before you hit it.

All in all it was a great day… we stopped shooting and filming just above the finish section because, apart from the XC race that was happening in the finish area of the track, the heavens opened up!!.
Now, I think I am right here, at 4pm two years ago, the same thing happened for the Worlds fastest racers – we ‘mere mortals’ called it a day! Be warned!!!

Apart from all the work that has gone in on the World Cup track, there is something a little special about the six weeks of hard graft that has gone in to making a walkers path from bottom to top and the television view points. the guys at Champery have stumped up extra cash for 4 more television platforms so the public can really get a feel of the action – the creative thinking here is to be admired!

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25 Responses to “Champery WC track 2010 preview”

  1. Was there last week, and it’s proper wizard?

  2. I’m sorry, I think it needs to be a bit steeper. Looks way too easy to me.

  3. that is fucking awesome. cant wait for the race.

  4. I’m sick of these flat, easy tracks! They should have left this XC shit alone and gone back to the ultra-gnarl of Canberra!

  5. Absolutly can’t wait for this WC. UCI/freecaster or whoever is in charge of filming please bring in a few extra cameras so we can see lots of the track in action!!! :)

  6. flat. lmao, you should try riding that hill pal… it would be impossible to make a flat track down there, just because it’s been bench vut so its wider, and more sustainable doesn’t mean it’s flat… the video does the hill no justice, and i guarentee you those jumps would scare the shit out of most the people on here when landing on landings that steep.

  7. Track looks sick, i want 2 go now 2 ride it. Wonder if Sam Hill is gonna b better 2 actually ride it.

  8. @downer, think Dave was being a tad sarcastic

  9. Some nice Tiki Taane on the sound track too, mean track I want to see Blinky slay this beast.

  10. Jesus Downer, is sarcasm totally lost on you or are you American? ;)

  11. Hey guys,

    A little correction here is in need. Claudio Calouri built the track the first time without my brother and I and last November Claudio was the head shaper and Will and I worked for him. I can’t take credit for Claudio’s work but thanks for the props.

    Ben Walker

  12. @ Ben
    You have done so many in the last years for Portes du Soleil.
    Thanks for all! I remember 2005, my friends and i sitting in Les Crosets to having lunch and you came to our table with a flyer from your track in Morgins. The next day we ride from Morzine to Morgins and it was an great adventure an special Day.

  13. haha. whoopsies.. internet sarcasm + drinking way too much yesterday evening meant that i completely missed it.. my point still stands about the video not doing it justice.. it is one gnarly as fuck hill

  14. Damn…. those builders have a keen eye. Track looks epic, steep and wild, i cant wait to see it on race day!

  15. Ben und Jim *Thumbs up*! This track is really thick. One of the hardest you can find at portes du soleil. Solid stuff at it´s best!
    Cheers and greetz from Germany

  16. Brendog for the win!

  17. amplus taren brasil
    June 13th, 2010 at 12:32 am

    Sam Hill gona win!

  18. amplus taren brasil
    June 13th, 2010 at 1:07 am

    Again…

  19. What is the song please?

  20. looking forward to that one.

  21. Mental!!! Switzerland rocks anyway and Champery with Morzine and Lake Geneve is worth a awesome trip.

  22. Oooo track looks realy nice :) It will be challenging. What is the title of this song?

  23. Now This Is It – Tiki Taane is the song ;) Track looks mind blowing. Cannot wait!

  24. Millner – still a lunatic – and i know you’re going to try and get us to follow you down that come august

  25. Sweet vid, that track looks proper bad ass, deffinately gonna sort the men from the boys, proper technical heart in mouth stuff by the looks of it.Gee FTW but lets hope top 10 for Baltic if he tears it up like that vid from Glencoe.

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