He's got a barcon, looks like.
First race? I didn't come in dead last, but close. I'd done plenty of off roading both on the bike (a modified tourer) and been casually mountain biking for a few years, so I wasn't worried about handling skills. I was wrong Cornering fast on a cross course is unlike any sort of cornering during normal riding. So practice that. This is still a weak poit for me. I consider myself a decent bike handler, but crossis just a different sort of handling than a lot of other riding.