2011 year re-cap with Ben Deakin and a look forward to 2012...

2011 year re-cap with Ben Deakin and a look forward to 2012...

 

Primera downhill team rider Ben Deakin has had a busy year for 2011 both on and off the race track, here's what he had to say when we caught up with him.

 

Q1 Who is Ben Deakin?

Well for a start hes known as one of the fastest downhill riders in the south and southwest racking up some great results at Regional and National level and further more he is an all-round nice guy that delivers coaching and training days see www.bendeakin.net for more info.

 

Q2 Whats your Job Title?

 

I have gone through the hardest most gruelling military training in the world to become a Royal Marine Commando.

 

Q3 What do you do?

 

Well to start with I passed out of Royal Marine commando Training in 2006 where 110 recruits started and only 11 of us passed for duty after the 32 weeks. Others dropped off due to injury, pulling themselves out or generally just not fit enough to pass things, to give you a insight of Marine training the Commando tests on the last week consist of a 9 mile speed march with weight, A hard assault Course, a 6 mile endurance course then to top it off you have a 30 mile run across Dartmoor not known for the best terrain to run over which you have to complete in 7 hours! oh and I forgot that's with a full 80 pound of kit and a weapon with hardly any sleep!

After my initial training my job has sent me all over from being deployed in the jungles of Africa, Front line of Afghanistan. I have also been in Germany instructing Skiing, Mountain Biking, Kayaking. Last year saw me climb to Mount Everest BC to raise money for injured Marines.
 

Q4 You had an injury to your foot can you explain about it?

 

I was on a clearance patrol in Afghanistan in 2007 and got shot with 3 other lads in my troop. At the time we were on top of a roof with some machine guns covering the lads as they were ready to extract from a small village when suddenly we heard cracks over our heads and thought we need to get out of here, 2 seconds later I noticed a mate had been shot so I pushed him off the roof and jumped down after him, I dislocated my foot, I didn't realise I had been shot through my ankle until a friend took my boot off, other lads got the other casualty off the roof so there were 3 of us shot! one through both legs and we presume I got hit with the same bullet hence why I didn't get an exit wound as he slowed it down, My other mate was shot through the ankle which has now resulted in him having an amputation of his leg. We then tried extracting out the area but we got full on ambushed which resulted in another one of my mates getting shot in the thigh gradually the lads got the rounds down and we managed to get out of there alive but we related it to the film "Lock Stock and two smoking barrels" Saying "Can everyone stop getting shot".                  

 

Q5 Hows your progress after surgery?

 

Progress after surgery has consisted of a lot of operations trying to put it right, just literally had my last operation Dec 2011 where they opened my foot and examined inside to try and mend some tendons and to check if any arthritis had set in.

 

Q6 Whats your training plan for upcoming 2012 season?

 

After last years bigger tracks I know what I need to work on, I would have been on the podium at pretty much every National if I was riding in my age category (seniors 19-29) but due to riding with the fast boys in Expert the times are so close, Round 1 of the National Downhill series saw me get 8th in expert literally 1 second off the podium, so I need to actually concentrate on getting fitter for the bigger tracks, as I'm fine in the Regional's as they are half the course length and I always end up being one of the fastest riders if not the fastest rider so I just have to transfer my skills into a Longer track and concentrate more on endurance riding over a flat out Sprint.

 

Q7 Tell me about your bike and setup?

 

I don't run anything to much different from stock, I just have the bike set up quite hard as I weigh 15 stone and the rear end rebound set up quite slow so it doesn't have a tendency to buck you on the bigger jumps.

 

Q8 Your hopes for 2012?

 

I would like to podium in Expert at National level and if money, time enables me I would like to go and try a few European races before moving up to Pro Elite.

 

Q9 Tell me about Primera and your 2011 Season?

 

My 2011 season with Primera has been awesome, riding a race spec Specialized Demo which has served me well.  As well as the race results below I have had a few promotional roles including a 5 page spread in Mountain Biking UK Magazine (Dec 11), and been asked to perform for a few film directors this includes Southside productions

http://www.pinkbike.com/video/208626/ also Richmond Productions http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6B3jF3SkQQ

Q10 Whats your favourite bike product of all time?

 

Has to be Hydraulic Disk Brakes in general the technology now is insane you couldn't go back to using cantilever brakes now could you!!

 

Q11 Favourite places to ride?

 

When I'm back home UK Bikepark, there uplift is unreal and will get you doing as many runs as you need to wear you out for the week. Other than that when I'm at work in Plymouth, Tavistock has got a lot there but favourite has to go to the French Alps if your bike will actually last as that place is a bike muncher but the choice of runs is insane.

 

Q12 Advice to any aspiring riders?

 

Have fun and don't worry to much about results, if you start taking it to seriously you wont enjoy riding as much.  

 

Q13 Whats your favourite motto or saying?

 

"Can Everyone stop getting shot" From the film Lock Stock and 2 smoking Barrels.

 

Q14 Favourite rider of all time?

 

Steve Peat, all round nice guy and still riding with the best at 37 absolute legend!!

 

Q15 Your thoughts on the charity Help for Heroes?

 

Help for Heroes does so much for all our wounded and long term sick serviceman and woman, an amazing charity that does its best to help make the injured peoples lives back to normal after a severe trauma.

 

Q16 Your long term goals?

 

Leave the Marines and start up my own business, On the riding front have as much fun as I can and live life to the max getting my name up there along with the greats!!

 

Peace Out.