The rain didn’t dampen spirits at Silloth over the weekend, with cyclists from all over the country taking to the grass track at the Solway Coast Festival of Cycling.
Riding a fixed wheel track bike with no brakes on grass takes skill at the best of times but when it’s wet it gets even harder so the riders were tested by the conditions.
However they rose to the challenge and apart from a few minor slips there were no adverse incidents and the spectators who braved the weather were treated to some aggressive riding and excellent bike handling.
Scottish rider Gavin Shirley came out on top in the men’s competition, whilst Arthur Smith of Chesterfield took the youth title. The women’s trophy went to current national champion Jo Smith, of Thanet Racing Club in Kent.
Jo grew up in Cumbria and three generations of her family were on the track on Saturday. Her mum Penny was also riding in the senior races whereas her daughter, who is not yet two, stole the hearts of the crowd in the race for preschool children.
Grass track racing is a specialist type of riding, but Carlisle Cycling Association who organised the races were keen to get young riders onto the track too.
The main races were therefore interspersed with races for children from tiny tots to teenagers on their normal bikes.
As seen many times at Carlisle Circuit this year, the Stewart brothers from Castle Douglas were on fine form with Josh, Cobey and Mitchell all winning their age groups. But this time they were joined by little sister Skye who was lifted onto the top step of the podium in the pre-school race.
The teenage race was a very close battle between Megan Pool and Samuel Wrightson, both of Border City Wheelers, with Megan snatching victory by the narrowest of margins in the last lap of the final race.
Many of the riders will be back in action at Ambleside Sports on Thursday, with everyone hoping for better weather this time!
