Location: The Edge Adventure Centre, Much Wenlock, Shropshire
Event: 14 July 2013
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Scott Beaumont and Katy Curd continued their domestic dominance by retaining their titles at the National Fourcross Championships.
The day started with qualification runs for the senior women and men. The riders were seeded from national rankings and then set off in reverse order.
Elizabeth Fowler, Renee Diwell, Jess Greaves, Heather Kay and Cara Murray were all within one second of each other before Katy Curd set the fastest time in the women’s event.
In the men’s competition, Will Evans set the fastest time early then Isaac Mundy was into the hot seat. Nathan Parsons was the first rider to go sub 40 seconds with a 39.76. Next up was Tom Dowie. He was the first rider to jump the first double jump on the first straight. He had a great run and just got ahead of Parsons with a 39.71. The final rider was Scott Beaumont who set the fastest time of 38.03.
In the quarter finals, Isaac Mundy, tipped by some as a contender for the win went out as 2011 national champion Luke Limbrick with Duncan Ferris and Jordan Lunn.
In the women's semi finals, Curd got the snap and won semi final one from Jess Greaves. In the second semi final, the racing was really close but at the finish line it was Cara Murray and Heather Kay who moved onto the ‘A’ final.
In the men’s semi finals, Beaumont made a perfect gate and took the win in semi final one ahead of his team mate Dave Richardson. In semi final two, Tom Dowie got the gate and led start to finish. The battle was on for second between Nathan Parsons, Will Evans and Rich Lane. It was Parsons who held his nerve and finished in second though.
In the women’s final, Katy Curd led down the first straight and into turn one. Cara Murray managed to get across on Heather Kay and moved into second to try and chase Curd. It wasn’t to be though. Curd, like she has been all year, was on fire and she pulled a good lead to claim the senior women's national championship. She rode a flawless lap and thoroughly deserved the win with Murray in second and Kay in third.
In the men’s final Beaumont rocketed out of the gate. At the first jump he had a lead already and after jumping the double and step up on the first straight he was on a mission.
Dowie got to turn one in second ahead of Parsons and Richardson. Down the second straight, Richardson lined up a pass on Parsons, went for it into turn three but just lost traction and slid out. Across the finish line, Beaumont had ridden a perfect lap that in his own words ‘was better than my qualifying lap’ with Dowie second and Parsons third.
