It’s been a summer of wildly fluctuating weather, with a distinct lack of sunshine, so it was a breath of fresh air that this year’s running of the Scottish National Youth TT Championships on Sunday was treated to lovely, clear conditions…almost exactly the same as last year’s race.
This time trial, hosted once again by Glasgow Riderz, was scheduled to be over 10-miles and based on the popular A77 course. However, the area is a mess of water construction works so the start and finish lines had to be moved further south than usual and this meant that the normal turn under the bridge at the M77 had to be extended to the smaller roundabout south of the Galston turn-off.
This also meant that the riders would have to cover 11.2-miles before their pain would be over for another year. First away from the starter was the host club’s Finn McHenry and he battled into the headwind on the outward leg. If anything, the strength of the wind increased marginally throughout the day as the riders headed up onto the Fenwick plateau. On the return leg, the riders flashed past as they headed to the finish, legs spinning out on their restricted gears.
Running line astern on the road the Youth C Boys category went to the aforementioned Finn McHenry in 35:28 from the Johnstone Wheelers pairing of Joseph McIntosh in 35:49 and James Ross in 41:46. Coming home in an excellent time of 37:48 the Youth C Girls win went to East Kilbride RC’s Isla Gilroy.
Onto the first Championship event and it was the awesome Eva Young (Pedal Power RT) who scorched along to win in 31:31 from a fast-following Georgia Ferry (Glasgow Riderz) in 32:46. Rounding out the podium in a time of 33:56 was Flora Knight (Kendal CC), making it a successful trip north.
In the Youth B Boys it was a powerful performance from Johnstone Wheelers’ Hamish MacLaren that saw him finish 37 seconds ahead of second-placed Daniel Kain (Ythan CC), his 28:33 to the Ythan rider’s 29:10. Again rounding out the podium, it was Edinburgh RC’s Kyle Thomas in 29:16, just missing out on second spot. The Edinburgh rider would take home two medals as, along with Louis Moore, he picked up the team prize. There had been no eligible pairing for the Girl’s team award in this category.
Moving to the Youth A Girls and it was a superb battle into the headwind, followed by a flying finish, that saw Georgia Speake (East Kilbride RC) return in a time of 30:05 to lift the title by 38 seconds from Ellie Park (Johnstone Wheelers CC). Running a minute behind the winner on the road, 3rd spot went to Anna Shackley (Glasgow Riderz) in a time of 30:57, meaning that all three medalists finished within the same minute. The Girls Team award went to Ellie Park and Lusia Steele, riding for Johnstone Wheelers CC.
In the boys race we saw the fastest performance of the whole day as the hotly tipped Adam Jarps (Hetton Hawks CC) motored over the course. This rider has been returning regular low-20’s for 10-mile courses down in England (unrestricted gearing) and was looking very relaxed as he passed on the way out, even adopting the latest trend of sticking his tongue out at photographers. On the way back, he was pushing his restricted gears to the max and he returned a time of 26:12.
However, 20-minutes early, the very modest Alexander Dent (Nevis Cycles RT) had come home just one second slower in 26:13. This rider has grown in stature through the past year and deservedly won the Gold Medal in this category at almost exactly the same time as his older brother was sprinting to Gold in the Scottish National Junior RR at Kilwinning. A double celebration in the Dent household on Sunday, and not for the first time as this family begin to dominate their categories.
Coming home in the Silver medal spot was Jonathon Hilbourne (Glasgow Riderz) in a time of 27:06 with Pro Vision Cycle Clothing’s Charlie Johnston claiming Bronze 36-seconds later in 27:42.
Another good day, and another set of medals, for the host club as Hilbourne and Scott Howieson claimed the team prize for Glasgow Riderz.
Other notable performances came from Alex MacRae (Pro Vision Cycle Clothing) who won the Junior category in a time of 27-minutes dead.
Sally Smith (unattached) picked up the Women’s category win in a time of 33:17 and the Senior Men’s win went to the Scotia CC’s Martin Ferry in 26:53.
Impressive times from the senior riders that put the performances of the Youths into perspective…and bodes well for the future of time trialing in Scotland…lots of riders coming through and being successful in different disciplines.
Pretty soon the medals had been awarded, the sandwiches had been eaten and the cups of tea downed and rider were away to practice for the next event.
We’ll see you at Forfar for the Scottish National Cross-Country Championships!
Results:
Race Youth C Boys (12 years +)
1. Finn McHenry Glasgow Riderz 35.28
2. Joseph Mcintosh Johnstone Wheelers Cycling Club 35.49
3. James Ross Johnstone Wheelers Cycling Club 41.46
Race Youth C Girls (12 years +)
1. Isla Gilroy East Kilbride Road Club 37.48
Championship Race U14 Boys
1. Hamish MacLaren Johnstone Wheelers Cycling Club 28.33
2. Daniel Kain Ythan CC 29.10
3. Kyle Thomas Edinburgh RC 29.16
U14 M TEAM - Edinburgh RC - Kyle Thomas/Louis Moore
Championship Race U14 Girls
1. Eva Young Pedal Power RT 31.31
2. Georgia Ferry Glasgow Riderz 32.46
3. Flora Knight Kendal Cycle Club 33.56
Championship Race U16 Boys
1. Alexander Dent Nevis Cycles Racing Team 26.13
2. Jonathon Hilbourne Glasgow Riderz 27.06
3. Charlie Johnston Pro Vision Cycle Clothing 27.42
U16M TEAM - Glasgow Riderz - Jonathon Hillbourne/Scott Howieson
Championship Race U16 Girls
1. Georgia Speake East Kilbride Road Club 30.05
2. Ellie Park Johnstone Wheelers Cycling Club 30.43
3. Anna Shackley Glasgow Riderz 30.57
U16F TEAM - Johnstone Wheelers Cycling Club - Ellie Park/Lusia Steele
Race Junior Men
1. Alex MacRae Pro Vision Cycle Clothing 27.00
2. Joseph Agnew Edinburgh RC 27.31
3. Ross Thomson Dunfermline CC 28.54
Race Senior Women
1. Sally Smith U/A 33.17
2. Gillian Anderson VC Astar Anderside 36.22
3. Michelle Kelly Glasgow Riderz 38.23
Race Senior Men
1. Martin Ferry Scotia CC 26.53
2. Allan Duncan Fullarton Wheelers Cycling Club 27.41
3. Graeme Brown Glasgow Cycle Team 29.06
Fastest Overall Time - Adam Jarps (U16M Non-eligible) - Hetton Hawks Cycling Club - 26.12
