Photo Epic: The Tougher Side of Fort William
It's pretty safe to say most seasoned World Cup racers, mechanics, team managers, photographers, and officials have a love hate relationship with Fort William, Scotland. There is no debating that it is an iconic venue, a staple on the circuit, and a venue that has played host to some of truly historical moments. If you are a race fan you can't help but get goosebumps when you think of the roaring crowd as Steve Peat crossed the line for the win in 2005, or the tributes paid to the late Steve Smith in 2016. The raw emotion seen on race day in Fort William combined with the tens of thousands of fans year in and year out make it an event that is truly hard to beat. Behind all this however is one of the roughest and toughest venues ion the circuit.
It's not just the unrelenting rocks that challenge racers here, everything about the venue itself posses a challenge. It rains... A LOT. It is often cold and windy. If the sun does show itself, with it come the unrelenting midges. The entire hillside is essentially a peat bog as well so spectators, team managers and coaches often find themselves ankles deep in mud for hours a day as they try to work. There is no cover when weather rolls in on the open slopes there and everyone is at the mercy of Mother Nature when things go sideways. In 2015 a day of practice was cancelled. In 2016 all riders were sent to the top for qualifying at 10am so the gondolas could be shut down the rest of the day for wind (fine if you had a top 30 plate, but those in the 100's waited up in the cold for hours). The track absolutely trashes equipment and mechanics work harder at Fort William than any other venue. It is a mental battle through and through for all involved, and for that reason, it is still considered THE race to win. It is the crown jewel every rider is chasing, and while a select few have succeeded it forever remains a thorn in the side for many others. In the chance for championship points, Fort William is the round many racers point to as the place they look less at winning, and more with hopes to manage the race and minimize their losses.
Surely more than a few breathed a temporary sigh of relief when the 2020 round was cancelled, simply because of how difficult a race weekend Fort William always proves to be. But that relief would have quickly been followed by a bit of sadness once the realization that despite its challenges, Fort William is still without a doubt one of the most electric and exciting races of the year. Love it or hate it, it is a race that is terrific for the sport with an atmosphere that is second to none. Both on the ground and in the skies above.
Long Live Fort William
I wonder what the track conditions are like? Because you sure can't see them from the gondola
You can almost always bet on rain in Fort William
Sometimes it snows... in June
You can see the weather rolling in from miles away. Quite often it's not a pretty sight
Rider on the storm
As if it wasn't hard enough to see in the rain... Let's add some fog to make it even more fun
Scottish weather... it's a mood
Mick Hannah making a splash - 2019
Standard waterfall in the middle of a WC track. Dakotah Norton - 2019
Mike Jones - 2015
The infamous woods section that seems to change year after year. Whether for the better or worse is hotly debated
It's rare to find dirt much drier than this in Fort William
Does this look fun?
How about this?
What do you think Tahnee Seagrave is thinking right here?
At least the landing here is soft compared to 95% of there track
Crashes here are unforgiving
That's gonna leave a mark
Sometimes you lose a shoe. Totally normal.
Not an uncommon way of the mountain after a big crash.
By race day in Fort William there seem to be more riders bruised and taped up than any other venue on the circuit.
The dirt on the back of the jersey tells the tale of the day for Manon Carpenter - 2015
Loic Bruni roughed up - 2019
Tahnee Seagrave's season ender in 2019
Mick Hannah's busted shoulder - 2015
Fort William is a mental game for riders as it's easy to get hung up on the weather and track conditions. Those who can push past that thrive in the wet, cold, fog, midges, rocks, and general discomfort of racing here.
Fort William = a never ending rebuilding of wheels
No rim is safe here
Equipment is covered in water, bud and grit at all times
Shocks doing work. So hot the mud instantly dries to dust
It was bright and dry somewhere on this day, but that somewhere was definitely not on the slopes on Aonach Mor.
Kaos Seagrave giving the hands a rest and with another 3 minutes of rock smashing to go.
Gee Atherton outrunning the incoming storm - 2018
Maybe the sun will come out
In some years (2019) it never seems to stop raining.
Umbrellas out in force during the finals in 2019
A trash bag kind of day in Fort William. Heavy rain, cold temps and stinging wind meant a lot of spectators and media were caught out from not being prepared. Practice was canceled the following day as the weather went from bad to worse - 2015
Finn Iles after getting acquainted with the ground
Dean Lucas dips below the fog just above the midway point on track - 2015
The infamous Scottish Dust is flying through the air in abundance
Got clear vision?
Another year, another victim
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Crashed near the top on my final run of the second day (good timing at least). Drove 12 hours back to Southampton with a mangled left hand but totally worth it to ride one of the most beautiful spots on the planet.
Wait... so that liquid, it's not just rain?
I hope to some day ride that mountain.
The Bill... apart from the woods, probably easier in the damp than the dry, so many have raced it or ridden it in pretty much all conditions (me included, many times).
The thick fog in the morning in the dry is the scariest for sure as you know how fast you can go but you are running from memory the whole way down. The wind is 2nd to the fog as the smooth lines are so tight in places.
One of my favourite race tracks that we race in the UK as its the only one the northern racers get to practice before race weekend. Plus it suits my riding style.
Would be great if the WC track was in the same condition as the SDA and these days the nationals race the track as its often so much more beaten up.
Cant believe you missed out Ian Jones and his yearly pilgrimage to marshal the same corner, since the beginning of time I think. haha.
Will never forget Mark Weightmans crash around 10 years ago at the SDA after I had flatted, horrific spiral and distal fracture of tib and fib. We splinted him initially with his armour, lucky a surgeon was not far from the crash site to help before the medics got there.
Great atmosphere and having friends racing in Juniors and Elites, makes it extra special, too.
You don’t realise just how brutal the track is until you see it ‘in the flesh’, just an unrelenting physically demanding onslaught.
The midges are pretty savage, too...
The xc section before the motorway seems a bit lame and often the race is lost on the motorway rather than the tech. The woods cobbles are not easy and probably the hardest part of the track on the body/hands as their is no rest.
I always dreamed of the finish coming through the lower 4x track rock garden and table top, with some modifications and a woods below the gondola (so not really woods but straight down exposed section), you could put a schlayer style section in there including the step downs, that would be wild!
We can all dream though.
I`m sorry about the weather, think yourself lucky in that you could get up and move down the hill,to shelter. I was there for a few hours and, well I actually liked it, meeting various people (including yourself) in various states of dishevelement.
Or am I missing the point. For some of us it IS an annual pilgrimage to see some folk who we only see for a few moments a year. Friendships that were formed on the same wet muddy foggy midgee infested mountainside.We try to make the most of it, regardless of the weather. Yes it is hard, and it is difficult but it could be worse, it could be like this year and we have no racing....
Not a rant, hopefully we`ll be back next year and I look forward to seeing you and all the rest then.