Husqvarna Report from JNCC race in Japan

Husqvarna’s Racing Team Rider Glenn Kearney raced last weekend at the Japan National Cross-Country following an invitation from the organiser. The JNCC race was the last race of the year championship and popular with riders due the 3 hour Cross-Country style like the GNCC in America.

This year’s race is located in the Chūbu-Sangaku National Park, near Honshu. The organisers are using the Jiigatake skiing area for an interesting 7 km loop. Over 576 starters tackled the difficult track which was set in a very scenic location. Set on a steep ski slope surrounded by snowcapped mountain tops, with soft garden mix like soil sections, into extremely technical rocky hills. The course was 6 km of which the top riders did 15 laps over the 3 hour race.

Glenn got a 4th place start, and quickly moved into the lead, before a small fall. He regrouped and was back into the lead with a 53 sec gap over second after the first lap. The gap increased to over a minute after lap 2. Glenn continued to lead the first 4 laps of the race before beginning to struggle making it through the rocky up hills with no momentum, because of all the lapped riders stuck across the track. At times top riders were forced to wait in line and battle through the crowd of riders for their turn at the section. With over 250 riders in the afternoon race, the track was quite packed.

Glenn Kearney finish only 6 seconds behind 3rd place

Kearney commented straight after the race: “I had a good race. The lap was very short, around 10 -12 minute just over 6 km.  There were over 250 bikes in my race. I’ve got into lead after a 3rd place start and after the 1st lap I had a first minute lead, then almost 2 minutes after the second lap. Soon I hit the lappers. The track was very technical and rocky with three very tough hills. Once the hills were covered with lappers it was almost impossible to get through them. I could not use momentum and to get up the hills, that is when I started going backwards. Having to paddle up the hills I kept falling over. Eventually I dropped back and got passed for 3rd position on the final lap while I was stuck on a hill, finishing in 4th only 6 seconds behind 3rd place. It was a very tough race and my speed was good, but the Japanese guys were good in the technical rocky sections. The Husqvarna Japan team is a great bunch of people and it was a blast to ride for them.”

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