The Scottish Cycling Youth Time Trial Championships took place over the weekend as part of an open TT event run by the Grampian Tigers Youth Cycling Club, in Drumoak, Aberdeenshire.

Millie Thompson (Deeside Thistle CC) competing in the Youth Female B Championship TT event for the very first time narrowly missed out on taking the win by just two tenths of a second, recording 29:22.3, however it was team mate Evie White who took the Championship title, with a 29:22.1, while Ailsa Long took bronze with a 29:36 giving Deeside Thistle CC a clean sweep of the podium.

Erin Murphy (Deeside Thistle CC) was hoping to keep the Deeside Thistle CC winning streak going in the Youth Female A event, with her time of 27:39.

It was not to be as Morven Yeoman (East Kilbride RC), who recently claimed overall victory in the Errigal International Youth Tour in Ireland, powered home with a time of 27:17. Kirsty Johnson (Edinburgh RC), tried hard to dislodge Yeoman, but her eventual of time 27:30 just slotted her into second spot. All eyes were now on pre race favourite Imani Pereira-James (East Kilbride RC) still on the course and looking for a fast finish. Despite her efforts she recorded 27:21 to narrowly miss out on the win to club mate Yeoman, with Johnson taking the bronze. Pereira-James found consolation with a gold in the Youth Female A team prize she was awarded with team mate and event winner Morven Yeoman.

Samuel Edgar (Johnstone Wheelers CC) had been the first to set a serious challenge for a podium spot in the Youth Male B event, making good use of the tailwind on the homeward stretch to record a time of 26:55. Edgar now had the hard task of waiting whilst the last remaining 7 riders came home, his closest challenge came from Noah Fontaine (Deeside Thistle CC) with a 27:28, and then last man home Corey Whiteford (Lanark Race Team) blew the race to pieces with a 25:59 to claim victory, leaving Edgar to pick up silver and Fontaine the bronze.

Edgar along with team mate Jamie Thomson picked up the team prize.

Track champion Ross Birrell (Edinburgh RC) was the first rider in the Youth Male A event to break 24 minutes with a time of 23:50.

It would be a nervous wait to see if this would be good enough to get him on the podium. Next rider to break the 24 minutes barrier was Birrell’s club-mate Alexander Gibb, setting the new fastest time of 23:39. Dreams of having at least two Edinburgh RC riders on the podium looked realistic as the next three riders were unable to come close to the times set by Birrell and Gibb. 

Then Fraser Gault (Aberdeen Wheelers CC) came home in 22:59 to knock Gibb from the top position. Birrell’s hopes of a podium spot would now depend on the last man on course; Daniel Kain (Squadra Scozzese).

Kain swept everyone else aside with a time of 22:21 to claim victory adding another gold medal to his already impressive season. Gault took silver with Gibb taking bronze. Birrell’s podium hopes came in the form of top spot in the team event where he and Gibb took gold.

Thanks to Colin Sim and his team of volunteers at Grampian Tigers Youth Cycling Club, the Commissaires, and everyone involved in ensuring that this was a thoroughly enjoyable and well run event. Excellent performances across all the races, a very well done to all!