Bikedock Belles

Given the Belles' intense focus on tiptop preparation?!, Taryn lead a warm up to the tune of "we're singing in the rain". Fraser Harrower (son of Belle Andrea), who spearheads the Young Guns, was too intent on keeping dry to follow. In fact his little brother, Alex, was the only one to humour Taryn!

Going into the Craigavon race Fraser, who is new to racing this year, was lying 5^th in the league behind the 3 highly experienced (yes, even at 7/8 years old!!) boys from Banbridge CC and 1 boy from Carn Wheelers.

The tough, uphill, grassy Craigavon kids' course was made all the more demanding because of the horrendous wet weather, which prompted organisers to halve the number of laps required from 4 to 2 for the U8s and from 6 to 3 for the U10s.

Fraser was joined by stalwart Adam McCaughtry in the U8s Craigavon race, along with recent additions to the Young Guns group, Sam and Christopher Duncan. Unfortunately Emer Melville, the sole girl racer so far this year under the Belles' wings, had a stomach upset and couldn't take part. All of the Belles' Young Guns represent Dromara CC.

Fraser got a fantastic start to the race, showing his strength going up the immediate long, grassy incline, and then demonstrating good downhill skills on the descent, which lead into a tricky corner around a couple of trees. By the end of the first lap he was behind 2 riders from Carn Wheelers and had asserted himself ahead of 2 of the 3 Banbridge boys, and for the second half of the 2^nd lap was on the wheel of the other very talented Banbridge rider.

Fraser finished, wrecked after the taxing course and one tumble that he impressively jumped straight back onto his bike from, a fantastic 4^th position. Although there was such disarray and chaos around the finishing area that any young rider coming in 3^rd or below could have been given any position!

Bigger numbers than expected, U8s and U10s riding the same course at the same time, and a pen that wouldn’t work due to the rain!! meant that full results could not be issued.

Adam, Sam and Christopher all enjoyed the race despite the awful conditions and are all looking forward to the next, and final, race of the series on Sunday 12 September in Tollymore. The three boys and their parents!! have no idea what position they were in the Craigavon race, particularly Adam who was again invisibile due to his camouflage bike jersey!!. Going into the event Adam was ranked 15^th in the league, Sam Duncan 11^th and Christopher Duncan 31. Emer Melville, who will hopefully fly the flags for the girls in Tollymore, was ranked 22^nd.

Her brother Max Melville, ranked 7^th in the U10s ahead of the Craigavon race, again put in a strong performance on the grassy course, pushing hard all the way around the 3 laps that the slightly older age group had to complete. Indeed, you could say he lived up to his name and pushed to the "max"!

Well done to all Young Guns. You are doing us proud and the best thing about it is that you are all loving it! Indeed, it seems the harder, muckier and wetter the better! Roll on Tollymore and a glorious end to your first taste of XC MTB racing.

Ding Dong!

Andrea