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British University Mountainbike Champs 2004

Bringewood, Ludlow - 27/28 March

As last year it was Pearce Cycles who hosted the BUSA MTB champs but this time it was on last years National Champs courses at Bringewood. The event, organised brilliantly by Paddy Hill of BUSA Cycling, was very well supported by the Universities and the atmosphere the whole weekend was electric with big fields and big crowds to spur on the competitors.

Saturday was Downhill day and the Bringewood course was proving to be a real test for some of the inexperienced riders after the overnight rain. In the Mens event Rich Marshall (Heriot Watt) and Luke Fowler (Birmingham) posted good early times but it was Dan Stanbridge (Bath) who had the lead with an impressive 2.50.09 after Run 1. In the second run Chris Ball (Napier) pulled out all the stops to move up to third and Dave Duggan (Manchester) could not improve in his first run so held onto second. Dan Stanbridge's second run ride to glory nearly ended in disaster when he crashed heavily on the very last jump but he managed to limp over the line only 9 seconds down on his first run time and take the title.

Birmingham took the team prize with Manchester second and Brighton third.

In Womens Downhill Jamie Mart (Aberdeen) took the title for the second year in a row with Gill Davies (Edinburgh) in second and Rachel Anscombe (Manchester) in third.

Sunday was XC day and a field of over 100 riders started the sport race which was won by Dave Martin (Staffordshire). In the afternoon the Championship race turned out to be a thriller in both the mens and womens categories with both being decided on the final lap. In the womens event, dominated by Loughborough, it was raining National Junior Champion Sophie Johnson who lead out team mate Nicky Duggan by 3 seconds with 1 lap to go. Both girls entered the arena neck and neck and it was Johnson who won the sprint to the line. Anna McGlaughlin took third making it an all Loughborough podium.

In the Mens event it was the pairing of Mark Russell (Bournemouth) and Simon Ernest (Lancaster) who had to fight it out on the last of 5 laps. Mark Russell gave in when a knee injury flared up leaving Simon to take the title by a comfortable margin. Third place went to Pete Hawkins (Plymouth). As with the womens it was Loughborough who took the team title.