Buicks show pedal power
A podium finish for every member - that's the record of a Wymondham family at the National Series mountain bike races in Thetford Forest.Imogen Buick, who is 12, came second in the Juvenile Women's race, while sister Anna, 17, was third in the Junior Women section.
A podium finish for every member - that's the record of a Wymondham family at the National Series mountain bike races in Thetford Forest.
Imogen Buick, who is 12, came second in the Juvenile Women's race, while sister Anna, 17, was third in the Junior Women section.
Dad, now classified as a Grand Vet (meaning he is over 50) was third in this class and mum Sara Flatt was third in the Veteran Women's event.
They race for the Thetford-based Salsa Factory Racing team.
The forest on the Norfolk /Suffolk border, famous for drying out quickly after winter rains, was host to the first round of the five-race National Points Series XC (or cross-country) MTB races.
It was indeed dry and fast under wheel, so much so that the organisers hastily added an extra lap to most of the races.
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Visiting experts enjoyed the fast, twisting singletrack, and coped as best they could with the hard stints into the wind and the lack of any downhill respite.
Local riders making a mark included Paul Ashby (Fat Birds CC, second in the veteran men, son James Ashby (UEA) sixth in the junior men, and Luke Newby from Garboldisham, who was sixth in the youth men category.
The Garboldisham teenager has been sponsored to ride the whole 2008 national series races by French trials bike manufacturer Koxx.
With the national events completed, the second day in the forest was devoted to the Whyte Enduro races over an extended
12.2 kilometre circuit.
Longest available distance was 100 km which Paul Ashby completed in 3-56:58, fastest of the over 40s.
Norwich Pedal Revolution riders tackled the 75 km distance, Darren Evans being timed at 3-23:58 and Robert Hermstrom 3-24:05.
Team Flow rider Richard Emerson took 3-34:52 while Honington veteran Richard Muchmore got round in 3-53:29.
In the 50km race Jeff Sharpe of Ben Hayward/Over The Hill won the veterans' section with a 1-58:07 ride, making good use of the lockout on his front suspension to give rigidity on the straight fire roads, but suspension over tree roots in the singletrack.
Thetford rider Nick Owen (Salsa) took 2-1:13, Luke Newby 2-7:34 and Phil Buick 2-8:10.
