Medals Galore at Ulster MTB Championships

It was quite a weekend of cycling activity at the weekend and on Sunday in Castlewellan the Banbridge Cycling Club held the Ulster MTB Championships. The weather was sunny/raining/sunny/raining/sunny so perfect conditions for the MTB. The competition at all levels was as fierce an I have ever seen it so you needed to be at the top of your game even to think about medalling. The first race of the day was of course the U6’s race where the young talent starts. Dromara CC youth saw Alexandra & George Chambers with Rylee Broome take to the start line and all of them made it around the tough little course although I cant confirm or deny if haribo was the provided at the end. It was very much deserved. The next race with Dromara CC representation was the U8’s girls race that would see the ever improving Aoife Kellett take to the start line with Coach Kellett nervously spectating. This is the first U8 championships for Aoife and she put in a sterling effort by putting a blistering start to mix it with the race leaders on the first lap. By the second lap the top two girls Emer Heverin and Aoife Craig managed to get a gap but Poppy Hamilton and Anna Morris were hunting down young Aoife. With a final push Aoife stormed into third for a well deserved podium position. The U10 girls race would see Lexi Broome put her tyre on the start line. For those that think the underage courses are like a flat field should probably have a go. With plenty of climbing and a descent thrown in it really tests those bike skills. Lexi went on the B of the bang and produced a great first lap to move into second place and on the second lap she held the same pace. Alas Lexi would miss out on her second place by only 11 seconds to claim a fantastic 3rd place and a bronze medal to take home. In the U10 boys race James Armstrong would take part in one of the most competitive categories. To get some insight into how the race went he said “I had a good start and was going well with a quick first lap on a good twisty course. A steep hill seen me lose a few places over the following laps. 9 seconds separated 6th to 8th. I finished the race in 8th. I felt I had went as hard as I could go. Now looking forward to trying cross on my new bike! “. He is not wrong about the hill being steep although he does sell himself short on the report – after the first lap he was mixing it with the podium boys and after lap 2 he was still in touch but that hill can suck the life out of your legs and he would loose touch of the podium places. With 9 seconds just separating the next few boys I’m sure he will […]