The future of Scottish Cross Country Mountain Biking was on show at Glentress Forest on Sunday morning, as the Race The Worlds Dirt Crit finalists put on a show for the friends, families and spectators who came down to watch.
With the best Scottish U12, U14 and U16 riders qualifying for the finals, it was a real display of determination, speed, skill and passion, as the riders got to tackle sections of the World Championship course, before the top three in each of the six categories got to stand on the World Championships podium just an hour before the Elite riders did!
Just how bright the future is was demonstrated in the final race of the day, which combined the U14 & U16 Girls, as British champion Olivia Poole (Deeside Thistle) swapped her British bands for our special Santini Race The Worlds jersey, and stood on the most impressive podium of her flourishing career so far.
Not only that, but she did it the hard way, working her way up the field from the back of the grid. In that same U14 race there was an epic battle for the minor medals, Orla Burn (West Lothian Clarion) just getting the better of Emma Hall (Pentland Racers) in a sprint finish after a race long tussle.
In the U16/U14 Boys it was a double victory for Pentland Racers, with Jamie Hall taking the U16 title and teammate Zach Buchan getting his hands on the jersey in the U14 event. Buchan rode away to a clear victory, his technical ability evident on a rooty technical descent that is part of the World Championship course, whilst Hall had a battle on his hands, just getting the better of Gregor Calvert (West Lothian Clarion) and Oliver Carter (Deeside Thistle). Ruaridh Fulton and Joel Gillan rounded out the U14 podium.
First off were the U12s, racing in a combined boys and girls race, and the talent on show was incredible, especially the skill level on a steep drop and tight turn just before the finishing line. Lily Cant (West Highland Wheelers) took an impressive victory in the girls race, with Lucy Robb (Pentland Racers) and Ella McQueen (Falkirk Junior Bike Club) taking silver and bronze.
In the U12 Boys the win went to local boy Guy Rorke (Peebles CC), whilst Josh Stewart and Sam Kingan (Pentland Racers) taking the other podium spots after some really close racing.
Well done to everyone who took part in both the Regional Qualifiers and the Finals at Glentress – hopefully this is just the start of your mountain bike journey.