Bikedock Belles

Fraser, Adam and Alex were the representatives at U8, but after 2 practice laps Alex face-planted 50m into the actual race and was encouraged not to continue!

Fraser and Adam set about tackling the varied course, which took them on wide quarry track, bumpy uphill, a flat single-track grass section and slight downhill, before rejoining the fast flat quarry track again. The boys had 2 laps to complete in this striking location – which all the kids recall as the best venue last year. Boys and diggers eh?! Adam's mum did wish that the quarry hadn't had such an impact last year – how could she bear not bringing her son this year for purely selfish reasons like too late and big a night the night before ?! Her selfishness did shine through however when she arrived bearing coffee for herself – not for the other coffee addicts that are clearly known to her !

Adam continues to put in a steady stream of constant performances, finishing Sunday in 6^th position. Fraser got another podium place with 3^rd.

The Elder sisters were again battling it their respective age groups, Sarah in the U10s and Emma in the U12s. The u10s raced the same course as the U8s, but the U12s raced a much larger loop and had to complete 2 laps.

Max Melville, who has been gradually working himself into the reaches of the top 3 riders at U12, played a key part in the most exciting U12 race to date – not that we're biased or anything! Since Max started racing last year, as a complete newcomer to MTB, he has shown true natural ability and stamina, and towards the end of last year has been inching closer to a podium finish. Boy did he come so close on Sunday!

The race was easily lead by John Buller of Banbridge CC from the very start, but by the end of lap 1 Craig McCarthy, Max Anderson and Max Melville were within a bike length of each other and all showing 100% determination to end up in 2^nd and 3^rd places. The three riders came around the final bend, with 100m to go, and were side-by-side. Max edged wide to find a clear line up the inside, hammering his legs as fast as he could, but was unable to claw back the half tyre width to make it into 3^rd position. It was a truly nail-biting finish – so much so that there are no photos of the "photo finish" because we were all too busy screaming!

This was a truly admirable and gutsy ride by Max, who just gets better and better, and is such a race face now that he has ditched his "cool and trendy" hard helmet for a lightweight racing helmet! Now that's commitment! And never mind Max's efforts towards the races, his mum is now pulling out all the stops on the picnic front and usurping Adam's mum as the lavish provider and domestic goddess. That is another battle that is sure to hot up in the coming rounds !

By the end of the U12s the rain was falling in monsoon-like volumes, so what else for it but.....hit a highly recommended ice-cream shop. The delectable treat had been so immensely bigged up by the Melvilles that all the Young Guns (ahem, of course not the parents! No, not at all!) HAD to have one afterwards, no matter what the weather.

Our wee group outings for these races, filled with great atmosphere and craic between the few lots of kids and parents under the Young Guns auspices, now take a little break as the next round isn't until July. Fear not, we'll be getting together somewhere, sometime. Just try and stop us.

Ding Dong !

Andrea