CharlesTheTog

Name: CharlesTheTog
Address: Carretera sis pobles s/n Bikepark LA POMA, Premià de Dalt, 08338, ES
Telephone: 07777635482

Casa
España
Premià de Dalt
CharlesTheTog

Internationally published photographer

01/09/2026

A few weeks ago, stage 1 of the Female Tour of Britain was on my doorstep. Decided to shoot it for The BBC. Even got a selfie published 🤣

07/08/2026

This is Si "Superfly" Paton
I first met him at a race in Ae Forrest in 2005. Back then, he was running the National Points Series (The top downhill mountain bike race series in the country).
He wasn't just running the series; he was finding time to race it as well. In that era, he went under the username Superfly on Descent-World (which at the time, was THEE forum youd be on talking all things racing).
From there he went over to Pinkbike, which went on to become the world's largest cycling website. He also changed things up race-wise. Gone was the NPS, and in was The British Downhill Series. Now you speak to any racer, they will tell you it was the best race series around. Not sure how he managed it, but the world's best would all end up racing the series, on these shores! Very much a hay day of british downhill racing.
Fast forward to now and he runs the biggest cycling festival in the world, The Malverns.
Now, most of you know me; I've shot races for the last 19 years as far West as Hawaii and as far east as Australia. When I say The Malverns is the best racing i've ever seen, it comes with some gravitas.
If you're into cycling, you should buy a ticket for this year's Malverns. If you're a parent, you should be reported to social if you haven't got a ticket, Thats neglect! Legitametley an epic time away!
I don't post much about my personal life on this account anymore, but I will say this: This time last year was pretty grim for me, so much so that I cancelled all work for what would be 10 months. The only event i went to was The Malverns, and though I took a camera, I didn't shoot much. Being there really did change my headspace, even if it was only for whils i was there.
The reason I'm posting this now isn't that Si has paid me to do so; it's because I'm grateful.
Massively looking forward to it in a few weeks time. I can't stress enough how good it is with the tunes blazing as the sun sets, watching some boys throw down double backflips.
1. diving into a photo.
2. Champery Worlds, Rocky Roads 🤣
3. Calling in the filth for some kids on the rob.
4. Reviewing a pinkbike blog post with Karl
5. Gwinn Interview
6. Perfectly summed up.

26/07/2026

Chronological order from JBC a few weeks ago.

The 2000 character caption that I had written out is gone because Instagram is utter fu***ng w**k and for some reason failed to post.

I'll sum it up: my job is to make stuff look good, sometimes its work, this wasn't work, it was a dick about. What a sick weekend!

01/07/2026

Glencoe... WHAT A TRACK!!! Flat out top section, proper tech middle, jump line to finish. 👌🏼

Without being hyperbolic, I think the British Downhill at the weekend was the best race DH race I've been to in years -quite something when I'm doing it week in week out around the world-. Absolutely loved shooting it and it gave me hope for the UK DH race scene.

Thanks for having me Scottish Downhill Association

24/06/2026

Semmering, loved it.

Side note, correct choice cancelling Seeding on Saturday, that lightning was WILD!

10/06/2026

From Willingen, Germany to La Molina, Spain.

1. Stunning location and could see on the map the track was right next to some ponds. Perfect for the underwater housing. Except them were fenced off and at the wrong elevation in relation to the track.
2. Track walk, supposed to start at 10:00, yet despite protestations, the chair lift didn't open until 10:00 pushing track walk back. It had pi**ed down so the top section was just a clay bog. Less than impressed. Sun came out though and it ran mega, all weekend.
3. The first hour of practice was spent on the bottom section, I knew people would be keen to send the tables on their first run.
4. The same moment in time as 3, but from behind.
5. The last table before the finish line.
6&7. The laziness in full affect. Instead of taping the track properly, it was just taped to whatever was there, trees in this case. Meaning I had a barmy with a marshal trying to shoot what I wanted.
8. Sends from a rock. S**t crop, again due to track tape.
9. Camo pan, to get your brain working a little.
10. I'd looked around when setting up the shot and couldn't see anyone in a media bib so knew I wasn't in anyones photos. A minute later, Leo (pictured) dad starts having a go about how I take the p**s and ruin his shots and I done the same in Portugal. I was already pi**ed off with 2,6&7 so he got both barrels. I handled the situation like a dick, not ideal.
11. A new day and glorious light.
12&13. P**s poor positioning and communication from marshalls meant riders were running red flags flat out and when they did see them, no-one else could. DANGEROUS! Side note, Noah would go on to smash the s**t out of my remote camera in a crash.
14. A sick section of tech. Lose the front wheel and she's gone.
15. Back to flat out slamming catch berms.
16. Seeding
17. The end of seeding. Cut short due to a huge crash.
18. Tracks now are different, a lot less tech and more flat out. A different kind of skill set. When you crash though, the consequences are much worse.
19. Sunny Sunday style
20. Full race mode aggression. F**k it take the poles and course tape with you.

29/05/2026

My first 4X race of the year last weekend in Falmouth, Cornwall. Proper fun was had with some sick moves going down. Awesome track, sick location, plenty of riders. Couldn't want much more from a race weekend.

18/05/2026

Fort William.
1 & 2 - I stole an old man's tactics, shoot the motorway for the first 2 runs. The psychology being, everyone is giddy as a kipper on the first runs of the weekend so they'll throw some style down.
3 - the number of cameras used at once over the weekend. Shout out to mammut, the backpack is sick! Don't think its rated to take that much weight, but worked and was comfy.
4 - 135mm angle number 1.
5 - 24mm pan, angle number 2.
6 - 85mm 1.8, super shallow depth of field and buttery background, angle number 3.
7 - The staff at Nevis Range go above an beyond! It was someone's job to walk the track with tea and coffee a few times a day to make sure the marshalls were warm. I mean it was snowing...
8 - A throw back to the days of having Geoff Waugh present. Screw being track side, just go for a wander, see what you see.
9 - lots of thoughts on The Simpsons. Will try and join them up and write something. As equally interesting as they are quick.
10 - Turned the screw when it came to racing. Fitting race plate.
11 & 12 - back to back Ruben's. Never know how to spell his name does it have an e or not.
13 & 14 - Test shot for focus and light - hair game is 💪-, Seeding run shot.
15 - despite the preceeding 2 days being mega weather -top was off at one point, granted that doesn't take much - it PI**ED down come race day.
16 & 17 - what that meant is the 2 new grass sections which everyone had finally mastered, changed and was carnage!
18 - This one evoked a memory from another trip to Fort William. Walking down in the snow and all of a sudden the dog just disappeared down a hole 🤣. Same here, but on a bike.
19 - There were some SOLID times put down by stand out riders. Nathan being one of those.
20 - If you are going to provide a hot seat, in the p**sing down rain, provide an umbrella. My Alpinestars umbrella coming in clutch.

Finals...
A UCI Comm - who I've known 10+ years- done something unjust in my opinion. I called it out, s**t escalated. I won't mention any names. I'll put it down to them having an off day. And even though it cost me financially, water under the bridge.

13/05/2026

Musings from my first downhill national is perhaps 5 years. A good event by hampered by cycling's national governing body
Changes that will probably fix things:
• One organiser should run the full series. You can package it together better for sponsors which means better investment and a better series. It also means continuity.
• £200 entry fee but limit it to 200 riders max. This means you aren't queueing for eternity to get a run in.
• Requirement of British Cycling points gained from other regional races just to be able to enter. This means that when you finally get enough points to race a national event, you'll either be quick enough to not be in the way of the countries best or experienced enough to know and how to get out of the way.
- both of the above points mean that international riders are more likely to attend events. It also means that places will be limited and those who want to race will have to race regional events, thus making them events stronger.
• SINCE WHEN was the running order Female elite followed by Expert, Junior, then Elite Men. The final 4 categories in order should be. Junior Women, Junior Men, Elite Women, Elite men.

1 - Planned for a mega view, low cloud covered put a stop to that.
2 - Partial to a hoodie, but stop wearing black!!!
3 - A crash in finals was unfortunate, but she was quick on track all weekend as was evident by her seeding time.
4 - Love a good switch back Scandi flick.
5 - ...and from behind
6 - ...and then when you don't quite pull it off.
7 - The old boy still has some pace left in the tank.
8 - Pantone matching.
9 - Pan not Pantone. Bluebells for days.
10 - Overhead pan, variety and all 🤣
11 - Not a bad angle for a remote camera.
12 - Remember shooting him at his first World Cup. Not quite as freshed faced as he was then.
13 - Borrowdale Bash kind of vibes (its a local thing)
14 - Very impressed by her pace at the weekend, a standout. Dissapointing to only have 30 mins elite practice (1 run) only to be red flagged.
15 - Window shopping
16 - Let's see what genetics does for an athlete.
17 - Fin

09/04/2026

Preface, when I shoot races, I'm not just taking photos, I'm also counting seconds, - akin to Rain Man - along with a whole myriad of other things.

I was wrong...

Portugal DH Cup 1, post qualifying I'm asked how quick George was by someone. Not a fu***ng clue who George is. "He was the last rider down the hill", the significance of this is, the highest world ranked rider is usually the last to start their qualifying run...

My response was simple, 'I thought that was a course sweeper'. Now you could take that as an insult, it wasn't meant that way. I've seen some rapid course sweepers in my time (Cathro, Brendan, et al). Now this George wasn't that quick past where I was shooting in qualifying.

Fast forward to the photos above. The following week, Portugal DH Cup 2. "George" wins it 🤣.

Fair play Mr Madley, ill blame my view on a very limited sample size. .madley.mtb

Side note, he's a really nice kid, will keep an eye on his year

Dirección

Carretera Sis Pobles S/n Bikepark LA POMA
Premià De Dalt
08338

Teléfono

07777635482

Página web

http://www.CharlesTheTog.com/

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