CwmCarn, the setting for this year's BUSA National Champs. Over 500 competitors representing 50 uni's converging on this one damp spot in Wales.... They were greeted with very Welsh weather on Saturday, comprising of horizontal rain and lots of it on the Saturday for the DH champs. Despite the atrocious conditions, there was a nail biting race going on, with Will Soffe - Swansea, claiming the hot seat after round 1, while elite boys Ralph Jones, Chris Hutchens and Mike Gray all had less than perfect rides in the conditions.

Will Soffe couldn't better his blinding run in his second run, but then so it seemed could no one else.... until the top seeds came down. Ralph Jones- Liverpool JM narrowly squeezed Soffe off the hot seat only to be ousted himself minutes later by the winner Chris Hutchens - Edinburgh Uni.

Soffe's bronze also helped Swansea take gold in the team section.

Sue Mahony, complete with her rather fetching pyjamas continued to dominate the women's race, taking her 4th win. This is her last year at uni so next year there'll be a new winner at last! Bristol Uni took the women's team prize.

Fast forward to Sunday morning and the once wet and blustery skies were now replaced with warm spring sunshine. Such a complete contrast! Still it meant that despite hangover's a few more of the DHers turned up suitably attired to have a go at the sport XC race, alongside the whippet XC boys and girls.

The course was an entire lap of the famous CwmCarn trail, which on a good day if fun, not sure how many stopped to admire the views around the tough 9 mile lap.

Chris Baddick - Bath Uni won the sport race with Rebecca Law taking the women's race. Sue Mahony made the most of the weekend, picking up yet another podium, this time by coming home in 3rd in the sports women's race, sans pyjamas... not sure the washing facilities on site could get those muddy stains out of them in time!

Onto the XC Champs themselves and this time the big boys were looking at a whooping 3 laps of the demanding 9 mile circuit and the girls 2. By now the weather was having difficulty deciding what to do, we had, brilliant sunshine, followed by pouring rain, followed by more sunshine topped off with a few hail stones along the way.... Just to make it all more interesting..

Ross Adams, already selected for the Student XC/Marathon & road World Champs was hot favourite for this, but a poor start saw him battling for position. lap 2 he gained a good lead and then disaster struck as he catapulted headlong down the track putting paid to his quest. Oli Holmes - Swansea Uni took no second asking and was soon running with the gauntlet, taking the win after over 2 hrs of racing pipping Bath's John Whittington to the title. Adam's family pride was not all dashed as Ross's brother Euan came home in 3rd. Swansea Uni picked up the team prize thus ending a brilliant weekend for the Welsh campus.

Nicola Duggan - Newcastle fought off attacks by Abi Greenaway to take the women's race. Greenaway helped secure Bath Uni's team gold medal in the women's team, in way of compensation.

So despite the contrasting conditions the event was a great kick off to the start of the MTB racing calendar.