Bikedock Belles

Guts summed it all up, from way before the starting whistle! On the way up to registration, Young Guns stalwart Adam McCaughtry came crashing off his bike (although his mum has had him in strict crash training after Fraser’s tumble during the race last week!) and had to be patched up by St Johns Ambulance. Did this stop him from participating in the U8s? Not a chance….and the icing on the cake (not that his mum provided a picnic…again!) was that he crossed the finish line first! Go Adam!

Adam has progressed up the ranks in the last number of races and going into 2011 looked set to finish events in the top 3. To do it so early on in the year in a race is awesome, and proves that aside from his great ability and attitude, his new found love of gear changes is paying off!

The kids races were grid started on Sunday, with the fastest riders from last week being set off….not as you would expect!.....on a second whistle behind the other riders. Now there’s a challenge for an U8…..a handicapped race!

Fraser showed guts after his upset last week, setting off in this second chasing group and riding strongly from the start, managing to get up the tarmac path and into the single track without a crash and well ahead of the guys that beat him last week. During the 2 laps he progressively pulled away from them, but couldn’t catch Adam given that he put in such an impressive ride.

Zak Tsoutsas was back on Sunday having missed the first race and had a great race, finishing 8^th out of a total of 20 riders…..plus unlisted rider Alex Harrower! Alex also had a crash pre race shortly after Adam….and another crash during….and a few crashes after!

In the U10s there was an awesome display of guts from Dillon Cook in the 4 lap race. The grid system ended up with much confusion and in the furore at the start, when the whistle went Dillon was squeezed by two riders from either side and came tumbling off his bike before he got started. Hurt and upset, it was a few minutes before he made a move to walk away…or get back on his bike….and what did he do? Displayed that spirit that all the Young Guns have shown from the beginning….he started the race! Well done Dillon. It’s hard enough to be knocked like that, but to start a race so far behind the others takes true guts. And boy did Dillon put on a great show. So much so that in his last lap he actually overtook another rider and didn’t cross the line last. Dillon, you’re the winner in our eyes!

A few places ahead of Dillon was Sarah Elder of Carn Wheelers who not only put in a gutsy ride, but was gutsy enough being the only girl in the field of the U10s. Sarah, keep flying our flag for the girls! And older sister Emma too, who raced in the U12s. Emma was the first girl home of 3 girls in the U12 group.

The U12s were racing on a larger lap and had to complete 3 of them. It was a tough, tough ride. But they’re tough enough and guts were again on display from Max Melville. Max stormed up the tarmac at the start, reaching the singletrack first in his group and well clear of the chasing group. For the first two laps Max held onto his lead position and showed great strength and stamina, as well as awareness in where the chasing riders were. Into the final 3^rd lap and a Banbridge guy overtook Max, with another Banbridge rider on his tail. Max pulled out all the stops and with all his ability and great heart and guts he held the second rider off, raced up to the line, and finished in his best ever position – 2^nd! He may have looked like he was retching his guts up, down on his knees at the end, but this boy could have raced it all over again! What a race for Mr November (ahem, yes, this Young Gun has also just featured in a calendar near you!).

Ding Dong !

ps click on the thumbnails to enlarge and use arrows to scroll through the pics

Andrea