Saturday 8th June saw the inaugural Scottish National BMX Championships take place at the fantastic Broadwood facility in Cumbernauld, home of the Cumbernauld Centurions. A popular venue on the British National BMX calendar, Broadwood would be the setting for an historic day in the continued development of BMX racing in Scotland. Scotland has always had an Open Championship at the end of the summer race season, but this would be the first official National Championship event.
Scotland can boast some brilliant riders across the age groups, in both male and female categories, with British Champions, and riders who regularly podium in the British National Series, amongst those looking to add the title of Scottish National champion to their C.V. The weather conditions were perfect for the riders, a little overcast but mild and not too much in the way of wind. The perfect recipe for fast racing action.
First of the 20” Championship categories on track was 9-10 year old Males and it was Lewis Collins-Nimmo from the Western Titans club making it 3 wins out of 3 in the motos. In the final, Collins-Nimmo continued his dominance to claim the title, with Cumbernauld Centurians’ Cooper McCrum and David Skorus coming in second and third respectively.
Female 9-10 was combined with Female 11-12, with Alexis McCartney and Alice Crowson, both from Western Titans, battling it out in the 9-10 category. McCartney would finish in the gold medal position and Crowson in silver. Cumbernauld’s Tillie McCrum was victorious in the 11-12 category to claim the gold. Cumbernauld’s Nicole Harris would also claim gold in the Female 13-14 category.
Male 11-12 saw Musselburgh’s Jake Nisbet and Nathan Young battling it out, with Nisbet just edging out his club-mate. Neither could stop Cumbernauld’s Logan Taylor, however, as he won all three motos and the final, in his typically stylish fashion, to claim the title with Nisbet second and Young third.
Next up was the Male 13-14, with Jay Taylor as the sole rider from Western Titans, up against the Cumbernauld trio of Ben Fitzsimmons, Jude Fyfe and Charlie MacPherson. Taylor put in some good laps in the moto rounds, however, Fitzsimmons was unstoppable as he won every lap including the final to claim the title. Taylor took the silver, followed by Fyfe for the bronze. Niamh Whitsey from Cumbernauld also claimed gold in the Female 15-16 categpry.
In the Male 15-16 category it was going to be a challenge to stop Cumbernauld’s Cameron Reid on his home track. Club-mates Josh Adams and Austin Goldberg put in a spirited performance, swapping place with Western Titans rider Josh Palmer, but nobody was going to catch Reid who didn’t lose a lap all day, and looked to have overcome his injury woes in time for the Scottish rounds of the British National Series next month. Goldberg took the silver and Adams the bronze.
In the remaining 20” Championship categories Peter Crowson (Western Titans) claimed gold in 17-29 Male, with his father Dominic Crowson winning gold in Male Veteran.
On to the 24” wheel Championship categories and first up was the Male 17-29 Cruiser class. Western Titans Peter Crowson, riding both 20” and 24” classes would have a battle on his hands with Cumbernauld’s Paul Atkinson, both riders swapping places in the moto rounds. With just one point splitting them, it all came down to the final. Nothing could separate the pair as they entered the final straight and it was a sprint to the line. Atkinson just edged it by the narrowest of margins to take the win and the title.
Another Cumbernauld rider to win gold was Daniel Farrell in 40-44 Cruiser Men. Musselburgh Monarch’s rider Ian Archibald would claim the win in the 45-49 Cruiser Men, taking the overall win in the cruiser class in the process. Male Cruiser 50+ saw a battle between Cumbernauld’s Raymond Reid and Western Titans rider Dominic Crowson. Victory would go to Reid, on his home track, with Crowson taking home silver to go with the gold he won in his 20” class, matching the accomplishments of his son Peter. Helen Paxton-Steele would claim gold in the Female Cruiser 45-49 category.
Presenting the medals was Scottish Cycling’s President, Tom Bishop, who was treated to a day of exciting racing, and great family fun. Thanks to all the volunteers and the team at Cumbernauld Centurions, and the Scottish Regional BMX Community for making the event such a success.
