The first championship event on Saturday’s schedule was the Open Sprint qualifying.
It was a close run thing for fastest time in the heats but Mitchell Sparrow flew around the track in a time of 10.520 to eclipse his GTRC teammate Anthony Young who posted 10.530.
In the first quarter-final heat Mitchell Sparrow overcame Jason Lafferty in a time of 12.068 and progressed to the semis. Heat 2 saw Anthony Young get the better of Graeme Steen (Glasgow Nightingale CC) in 11.291.
Heat 3 was between GTRC teammates Luthais Arthur and Struan Ferns with Arthur taking the win in 11.079. The final quarter final heat was again between two GTRC teammates, Isaac Small and Adam Murray with Small posting a time of 10.829 and progressing.
In the semis, Isaac Small overcame Mitchell Sparrow in their first encounter. Anthony Young and Luthais Arthur were next up with Arthur getting the better of his GTRC teammate first time around.
Next time around and Small triumphed again to progress to the final, saving himself another run.
With Arthur and Young it was the other way around this time, Young taking the win and meaning they would have to run a decider to see who would go through to the final possibly a disadvantage having another effort in their legs.
In the event it was Young who triumphed in the last run in order to progress to the final. In the run off for Bronze Sparrow overcame Arthur to take first blood. Second run and he did it again to secure the third place on the podium.
First run in the Final between Isaac Small and Anthony Young went to Young in a tight finish. And just like the Bronze run off, Anthony Young took the second running of the final to secure Gold and the National title.
After a short break we moved to the Female 500TT event. Times once again were fast with National Record holder Ellie Stone (Black Line) coming away with a 35.641 to take the Gold medal ahead of Kirsty Johnson (Edinburgh RC) who posted 36.382. This was marginally better than Madeleine Silcock who came home in 36.778 to claim the final podium position.
In the Open 4Km IP the early running was set by Vanelli-Project Go’s Andy Bruce, the current Scottish Hour record holder as he overcame his teammate Rhys Edwards to finish in 4.40.801.
After the initial heats this gave Bruce a chance of a medal as only three riders would go faster. Ahron Dick (HUUB BCC RT) was the pacesetter with 4.32.299 and this was just a fraction better than Robert Friel (Vanelli-Project Go) who posted 4.32.731. Third fastest, and Bruce’s opponent in the ride off for third was Calum Moir (Brocar-Rali-AIÁ) who finished in a time of 4.40.801.
This left a final challenge between Ahron Dick and Rob Friel for the top two positions. In the Bronze medal run Calum Moir went off like a rocket and overhauled Bruce within a few short laps to claim the Bronze medal. It was a smart tactic and played to the younger rider’s strengths.
In the Gold/Silver ride Ahron Dick’s effort was more measured but he eventually overhauled Rob Friel to win the National title, the Vanelli-Project Go rider settling for Silver on this occasion.
In the Keirin event Kirsty Johnson (Edinburgh RC) came from the middle of the string to claim a decisive victory ahead of Ellie Stone and Madeleine Silcock in third.
It was a fast start to the 100 lap Open 25km Points Race and it was Aaron King who took the first sprint by shooting off the front. By the second sprint it was altogether and Conal Davidson (Vanelli-Project Go) crossed the line first. Ahron Dick was looking handy and claimed maximum points at the third sprint.
At this point it was Dick from Davidson from King and Calum Moir and Ben Gibson (Vanelli-Project Go) in the points standing.
Fourth sprint and Alexander Ball (Project 1) had been off the front for a few laps and crossed the sprint line first. Dick came over the top of the bunch to claim another brace of points. Dick on 11, Ball and Davidson on 7, Moir and King on 5 apiece.
Approaching Sprint five Ball and Moir launched but were chased down by Rhys Edwards (Vanelli-Project Go). Dick came from behind again to take the sprint, Ball holding onto second ahead of Gibson.
Dick had a commanding points haul at this point with 16 to Ball’s 9 but at half distance it could go any way.
Liam Scott Douglas led out for the next sprint but again Dick came passed with Moir, Shaw and Keir Gaffney (Vanelli-Project Go) sweeping up the remaining points.
There was hesitation in the bunch and Evan Marsh (Beeston CC) took advantage by going off the front but Davidson and Gibson overhauled him to place first and second at the next sprint point.
And then King (Wheelbase Castelli Cabtech) was off in search of a lap, quickly gaining a half lap but then, as often happens, seemed to hang there for a while. Dick had a great points lead at this point so was watching his efforts and letting others do the chasing.
King took the next sprint followed over the line by the Vanelli duo Davidson and Gaffney with Ball right there as well. The Wheelbase rider was eventually reeled in.
More tentative attacks but nothing sticking as the riders sensed the end of the race not too far away. Sprint 9 went the way of Dick once again with Ball just behind. Keeping his totals up Dick was beginning to look like the likely winner…28 points to Davidson’s 17 at this point.
Just the final dash for the line double points of course so still the placings to sort out, Evan Marsh leading again from the front. Rhys Edwards joined him in an attempt to get a lap but with the end of the race just two laps away it was looking like a forlorn hope.
And so it proved as Dick chased them down, Davidson fired up the sprint and triumphed over King with a final points standing of Dick on 28, Davidson on 27 and Alex Ball just pipping King with 17 points to the Stirling riders’ 16.
Last race of the day and the women would face 40 laps of the track with first across the line being the winner. Strong riders in this field with Lauren Dickson representing Alba Development RT, Kate Richardson for Lifeplus Wahoo – soon to be of Hess – and Millie Thompson for Solas among the field.
Action from the gun as Richardson and Dickson split the field to give a lead group of four with one rider chasing. And then they were three as Dickson and Richardson upped the pace. And, once again, they shed another rider and it was Dickson and Richardson on their own at the front of the race.
Pretty soon they had lapped the field and were content to sit in a group with Alison Winship MacKay (RT23). Richardson had a couple of digs to test her Alba opponent and was looking strong but Dickson was wise to the moves.
The only real question at this point was who would triumph from this pair, and who would take the Bronze medal. A lap to go and Richardson shot off the front, Dickson desperately trying to claw her back but to no avail. Richardson won easily ahead of Dickson with Niamh Campbell Williams claiming the Bronze medal. (Velo Bavarian RT).
Sunday sees the final day of racing with more National Championships up for grabs – and a plethora of Youth support races.
Racing Starts at 9am, with our live coverage underway from around 12:30 on our YouTube Channel.