What made it a weekend to remember
TRP LAKE RIDE
It’s a Malverns tradition for riders to end up in the drink. Why have a lake if you’re not going to use it? Gone was the ’90s sport of lake jumping – hitting a ramp and landing in 3ft of water is no longer ‘safe’, apparently. Cue the 2018 equivalent –the TRP Lake Ride, a network of floating blocks linked together in a tricky loop around the lake, including mini bumps, 90-degree turns and a devilish gap to finish things off. The crowds begged for splashes galore and boy did they get them!
DMR BOMBHOLE
This was the best viewing spot for catching the thrills and spills of the races back in the day, and this year it was once again a key feature of the DH track, although slightly modified from days of old. The crowds swarmed there to listen to the tunes from DJ Trike and get ready to watch riders in the DH race and quad eliminator. As the sun began to set on Saturday evening, there was a real chilled vibe with a stunning view across the whole festival site – it was, like, a totally spiritual moment, man...
BALANCE BIKE DOWNHILL
In true family-event spirit, one of the big highlights on Sunday afternoon was the downhill balance bike race. Starting from the bottom section of the DH track, the mini riders’ little legs hit the ground as fast as possible as they hurtled down the track to the finish line. The grins were huge and all of them were supported by a massive crowd that came to watch them get their first taste of race action. Judging by some of the raw speed on display, these guys and girls will be back in years to come!
DANCE TENT
Partying and good times is a signature of the Malverns, and once the racing and activities had finished, attention turned to the huge dance tent at the bottom of the field. With live bands playing a good mix of indie and rock covers it got everyone in the mood for a great time as the beers flowed. The DJ kept the ’90s dance tunes coming and everyone partied like it was 1998 – particularly those Smurfs, who owned the dance floor and then partially cleared it when they decided to get naked.