More Go-Ride MTB Racing in Cleveland
Tees Valley School Sports Partnership & Riverside Trailblazers Go-Ride MTB Race
Race 2 - Carlton Bank, Carlton in Cleveland, 6th June 2009
12 hours of torrential rain preceded the 2nd race of the Tees Valley SSP and Riverside Trailblazers Go-Ride Race Series. A course recce the night before didn't look good and organisers only hoped the mist and rain would lift before the next day.
Saturday morning brought more rain and there were concerns that the weather would affect the number of riders that would turn up to race. However, the course was marked out, sign-on opened, riders appeared and. right on cue, the sun came out!
The race format for the day consisted of a Mountain Bike Time Trial and a Cross-Country race. The Cross-Country course passed through the start/finish straight and also included the 1.2k TT circuit, making it a really spectator-friendly event.
The first event was the U16 TT. Race 1's TT winner, Dominic Sparrow, produced a strong performance but finished in 2nd place behind a much improved Jordan McGirr. The pair also fought it out for top spot in the Cross-Country race with Jordan taking an early lead only to tire as the race went on. Sparrow showed great tactical awareness and having held enough back in the early stages, kicked-on to take the win. Although the pair were tied on points, each having a 1st and 2nd place to their name, the overall win went to Jordan McGirr as a result of his slightly quicker TT effort.
Further close competition came from the U14s with first time racers James Edmunds and Mark Hill taking to the course with ease. Consistent performances from Edmunds and Hill in both the TT and the Cross-Country kept Kieran Hares back in 4th place for the 2nd event running, however neither rider managed to get the better of Ben Hetherington. Ben was 2nd in both races and the overall winner at round 1, but this time raised his game to take the win in both the TT and the Cross-Country on the way to claiming the overall win once again.
A top 2 showing from Stockton's Bishopsgarth School in both the U16 and U14 categories is just reward for the hard work put in by PE teacher Gary Hetherington and the Muddy Bums team.
The U12 and U10 races were once again dominated by the Belshaw brothers from Eagglescliffe. Alex took the win in both the U12 TT and the Cross-Country with an unforgiving performance lapping all riders apart from 2nd place Peter Dawson (3rd overall) of Acklam Grange. Aaron Jardine of Acklam Grange finished 2nd overall with a 2nd place in the TT and a gritty performance to finish 3rd in the Cross-Country.
Not to be outdone by Alex, Joe Belshaw followed in his older brother's footsteps taking the win in both the U10 TT and the Cross-Country. Sam Faulkner put in another great race, keeping his powder dry for the later stages to take 2nd in the Cross-Country (4th overall). Josh Hetherington and Jack Tennyson took 2nd and 3rd places overall through consistent performances in both events.
Thanks to Andrew Home of Hetton Hawks and his family for helping out on the day, providing the signing-on and judge's tent (very much appreciated on top of the Cleveland hills!) Thanks are also extended to the current U16 British Mountain Bike Race Series leader, Joe Home for taking the pictures for the event.
