Bikedock Belles

Cyclo-Cross races are non-technical, fairly fast courses – but on leg ripping grass, which with the recent heavy rain was hard going for wee legs!, and had the added extra of lots of heavy going mud.

The sun was shining, the sky was blue and there wasn't a cloud in the sky on Sunday, but it wasn't enough to dry out the course. Much to the joy of the kids!

First off at 1040am was the U8s, with Fraser Harrower lining up in lead starting position and keen to get the Young Guns and Dromara CC off to a good start. His mate Adam McCaughtry, one of the Young Guns stalwarts, enjoyed a starting position in the 2^nd row of the grid after his impressive races in the first 2 rounds of the series. He is followed in the series rankings by relative newcomer Zak Tsoutsas, with Aberdelghy being only his 4^th race. Brothers Sam and Christopher Duncan, who have been part of the Young Guns for a few months, are also ranking highly.

Where are all you girls out there?! Come join the boys and give them a run for their money!

The U8 race took place over 2 laps, with Fraser falling into 2^nd position from the outset and soon making up ground with his skill at a few of the tight corners. With half a lap to go, and three bends to go, Fraser was so close to leader Daniel Donnelly of Newry Wheelers that their wheels clashed and both boys went tumbling – Daniel more so than Fraser. As quick as a bullet flying from a (young) gun, Fraser picked up his bike, ran around Daniel, and jumped back onto his bike on the move….then speeding towards the finish line to take his first ever win. That’s my boy!

In the wake of all that excitement in the lead, another battle was going on, with Adam closing the ground on Daniel, who had already been overtaken by Sarah Elder of Carn Wheelers. Adam has been improving race after race, while enjoying every moment of it and immediately looking forward to the next event! Adam finished 4^th on Sunday – his highest finishing place to date. Watch this space for future podium finishes!

Sam Duncan also came out all guns blazing on Sunday, registering his best finish in 7^th place. Even with the hard effort required on the mud and grass, Sam smiled the whole way around. As did Zak Tsoutsas, who came in 10^th on the day, just ahead of another of the Young Guns, Dillon Cook. That left Sam’s brother Christopher, who unfortunately just before the finish fell off his bike at a corner and it took him some time to brush the mud off. But the important thing is, he did brush it off, and finished the race off. That is the sort of spirit that the Young Guns is all about.

Oh, there was one other rider in the U8s, Fraser’s little brother Alex, who at 3 and 1/2 years old tootled about at the back but did so for the entire 2 laps. Including a spectacular face plant in a muddy corner! Again, smiling all the way!

So, there were 17 riders in the U8s (Alex wasn’t officially listed!) and 6 of those were Young Guns, racing for Dromara CC. There were also 4 other U8s riding for Dromara CC.

U8s complete, it was the turn of the U10s and there were 12 competitors. Max Melville showed impressive strength and endurance in his first few races at the XC MTB series earlier in the year, and he seems set to rank highly in the Cyclo-Cross series. Unfortunately he did not race in the previous round, so did not have a great starting position in the grid on Sunday. However he moved his way up through the field on the 4 lap course and finished in an encouraging 6^th position. His progress is evident in every race.

For the first time since the inception of the Young Guns, we had a girl racing in the U10s. Olivia Watson, as always pretty in pink!, was nervous before she started this unknown type of event, but as always she smiled her way through. She had a gutsy race, befitting of a Belle, on a very physically challenging course and showed great natural skill at corners, and great strength at the end of the last lap to overtake two girls from Carn Wheelers.

Then for the first time since the inception of the Young Guns, we had a racer in the U12s. Charlie Watson, Olivia’s brother, had a tough baptism of fire with only a field of 4 in his category – and the other 3 all experienced (yes, even at U12!!) riders. Added to this, it was a gruelling 6 laps they had to complete. Quite an ask given the terrain and conditions. However Charlie showed steely determination and although on the back foot for the entire race, he gave 100% to hang onto the back wheel of the 3^rd placed rider from McConvey Cycles.

All the Young Guns are growing in skill with every race and their unfettered enthusiasm is being fuelled week after week by signs of progress, no matter where they finish the race.

Having raced themselves, most of the Young Guns stayed on to cheer Andrea on in her second such bike race. Thanks Young Guns!

Ding Dong!

Andrea