Skem’ed – Introducing Ant Hale
A Tommy C Edit
Skelmersdale; for a region with few official hill’s let alone mountains, there is a quality crop of riders coming out the area. With Tommy C pedalling the tales of the Merseyside/ Lancashire locals, Team CRC-Nukeproof team Manager Nigel Page helping to inspire the next generation of riders and the recent addition of not one but two bike parks, Skem locals have every right to be stoked right now.
Nigel has always been keen to give opportunities to riders that haven’t had the break that potentially their talent deserved, step up Antony Hale.
Ant came to mountain bikes a little later than most (starting racing at 22, he’s now 25). A youthful career as a promising Motocross racer has given him a stacked skill set. However, a depleted bank balance and injuries shattered his dreams of a career of an MX racer. The switch to pedal bikes was a logical move, a little more economical, easier to wield a spanner at and they fit into that back of the car. It was all about racing from the start and over the past 3 years has seen him rise to the top of the timesheets in downhill and enduro.
A chance meeting up the local with Nigel Page led to him demonstrating his speed, moto-style and motivation (plus his insane love for the back wheel!). Most of all Ant has a spark that Nige can relate to and be super keen to offer an opportunity to, to see where that can take him.
In late 2019 we spoke with Ant and are stoked to support his step up to the Expert category in the UK National Downhill. After a winter of putting countless hours on his Dissent, unfortunately, the season of racing was put on pause for obvious reason. Just before “lockdown in the UK”, Ant acquired a Mega 290c and a Reactor 275c off Nigel and started digging with Tommy C for an edit. Now with green shoots starting to show in the health situation, Ant met up back up with Tommy to welcome himself to the team, Skem’ Style.
Follow Ant’s going on here: @Ant_Hale_MTB
