Chisholm and Mowbray take Tross Cross crowns
Freya Mowbray and Sam Chisholm left their rivals in their extremely muddy wakes on Sunday afternoon as Tross Cross served up an absolutely belting round of the HUPcc Scottish Cyclocross Series.
In only the second ever race at Gartmore House, Aberfoyle, and the first at Scottish Series level, the venue has already established itself as a Scottish CX classic in many quarters. Those who enjoyed their day’s out were Freya Mowbray and Sam Chisholm, winners of the final two races of the day.
The day started with rain however, and lots of it, making conditions super slick for our Masters 50 & 60 Open riders, Dougie Cameron continuing his winning streak in the 50s, getting the better of Marcus Illingworth who took second place. As per Camperdown, there was another close battle for the top step of the podium in the 60s between Neil Raitt and Brendan Roe, with Raitt taking the victory, despite mistakes from both riders creating a thrilling final lap.
Next up were our youth riders, with strong fields assembled for the first properly muddy race of the year. The conditions didn’t change the outcome of the Youth B Female race though, with Isla Reekie taking another victory, however Emma Nicholson turned the tables on Eilidh Scally from Camperdown for the remainder of the podium. In the Youth A race Emie Smith took a dominant win in the female U16.
In the Open equivalents, Sam Kingan was top dog again in the Youth Bs, well clear of Leo Walsh and Cobey Stewart who enjoyed a tighter race for the second and third. In the Youth As it was another Stewart on the podium, Josh besting Gregor McNaught in another close fought race, with Rhuairdh Fulton handling the muddy conditions well to take third.
Around midday the weather made a sudden switch, with the rain stopping and the sun coming out – four seasons in a day stuff. That meant that as our Female racers hit the course conditions were starting to alter, drying up to make the mud even tackier!
The aforementioned Mowbray would use her speed and skill to surf her way to victory, crossing the line first to take the Junior win. Her GB mountain bike teammate Daisy Taylor also looked on good form, matching Mowbray’s blistering opening lap, but not quite able to live with her rival for the duration – nonetheless an impressive Senior victory. She would be joined on the podium by clubmate Beatrix Kiehlmann and Evie Steed, the duo separated by a mere 10 seconds.
Lettie McDonald would take another M40 win, sixth overall, whilst Sian Tovey produced one of the rides of the day, seventh overall, and a commanding M50 win, using all of her technical prowess to great effect. It was once again Helen Winton who prevailed in the M60s.
The final race of the day saw a closely fought battle between Senior Open riders Sam Chisholm, Reuben Oakley and Innes McDonald. Chisholm, fresh off the Koppenbergcross last weekend, proved strongest, riding away from Oakley and McDonald in the second half of the race to take a dominant win, with Oakley and McDonald taking second and third respectively. The M40 race saw Gary MacDonald and Davie Lines take the battle to last round’s winner and co-organiser Richard McDonald, but they couldn’t stop the Vanelli-Project Go rider, as he finally gapped his namesake on the last lap, Lines rounding out the podium. In the Junior race it was Joel Gillan who powered his way to victory despite a final lap mechanical leaving him with a run to the finish!
Massive thank you to Rob Friel and his team for putting on a truly epic day of cyclocross. See you at Linlithgow in two weeks for round five of the series, with entries closing on Sunday at 23.55 – this race also incorporates the Scottish Championships, with entries for that already closed.
