The Welsh Mountain Bike Cross-country Championships return to Fforest Fields, Builth Wells on Sunday 8 May 2016, promoted by local cycling club The Bulls.
Set in the stunning scenery of Radnorshire, racing will be on the course to be used for the BC MTB XC Series Round 4 event in June; this has been slightly revised from previous years to involve somewhat less climbing.
Competition promises to be keen with several riders showing good form at the recent round of the BC MTB XC Series at Newnham. Dylan Kerfoot-Robson (Team USN) could well be pushed all the way, in defence of his Senior Men’s title, by Jacob Phelps (TORQ), who was lapping in similar times at Newnham. And, with many Senior Men’s titles to his name, Lee Williams is also on the start list.
2015 Junior Women’s Champion Ffion James (100% ME) will be looking to replicate her Newnham result in the Senior Women’s category against 2014 and 2015 Champions Mel Alexander and Ruby Miller (Hargroves Cycles) respectively.
And stepping up to the Junior Men’s category, 2015 Youth Boys’ Champion Simon Price (Graham Weigh Racing) will be up against Joe Barnwell (Marsh Tracks RT) who finished second-placed Junior in 2015.
Will it be a repeat of the Welsh MTB XC Series Round 2 result in the Veteran Men’s category that saw Anthony Malarczyk triumph over Roy Davies?
Phil Morris will be hoping to regain the Master Men’s title that he had to relinquish in 2015 and, with Grant Johnson (Sunset Cycles) sidelined through injury, the Grand Veteran Men’s title is up for grabs.
Craig Rogers (Birkenhead North End CC) will be favourite for the Youth Boy’s title and 2015 Juvenile Girls’ Champion Nicole Clarke (also Birkenhead North End CC) will take on Katie Hesden (Dreigiau Coed y Brenin Dragons) for the Youth Girls’ title.
Second place at Newnham bodes well for Tim Freeman (Dreigiau Coed y Brenin Dragons) to improve on his silver of 2015 in the burgeoning Juvenile Boys’ category and Josie Nelson (M and D Cycles) will be fighting for the Championship title in the Juvenile Girls.
Griff Lewis (Ystwyth CC) will be out to repeat his Welsh MTB XC Series wins over Huw Buck-Jones (Dreigiau Coed y Brenin Dragons) and claim the Under 12 Boys’ title but Huw will not make it easy for him. And Madeleine Osborn (Abergavenny RC) will need to keep club-mate Evelyn Higgins-Worrall at bay if she is to retain her Under 12 Girls’ title.
There will be non-Championship races for Under 8s and Under 10s – all ages and abilities are welcome.
Enter the Welsh MTB Cross-country Series
For the Welsh MTB XC Series Round 3 event enter online now or on the day in all categories; no British Cycling membership or racing licence is required.
Entry for the 2016 Welsh MTB XC Championships is now closed. No entries received after the closing date will be eligible for the Championships.
For event updates visit the event Facebook Page.
Come and stay at Fforest Fields for the weekend and enjoy the beautiful and peaceful Mid Wales countryside. The course will be open for practice on the Saturday afternoon but there will be no first aid provision then – so please take care.
