Kyle Evans and Tre Whyte took a victory each as the British BMX Series continued with rounds eight and nine at Perry Park in Birmingham.
As ever the Birmingham track was in tip top condition for the race and even the deluge of rain through the qualifying races on day one couldn’t dampen the atmosphere or the riders or their desire for racing.
Fresh from his bronze at the world championships in Rotterdam, Tre Whyte was ready to continue where he left off and took the win in Saturday’s racing after a great battle with his Great Britain teammate Kyle Evans.
Evans led from the gate and pulled a bike ahead into the first turn with Whyte making his move into second. Down the second straight Whyte started to close the gap and made his move in turn two.
Fighting back, Evans again took the lead down the third straight but left the slightest gap in the last turn which Whyte didn’t need inviting through twice and the pair drag raced through the final straight with Whyte taking the win by less than a bike length.
Following the show stopping race, Evans said: “Decent racing today, sat back and Brother Tre Whyte took advantage of it and gave us a drag race to the line! Love close racing and back on it tomorrow!”
His premonition of success was accurate as he came out all guns blazing in the second day of racing to go unbeaten all day and took the win in the final. The pack was level down the hill as Evans started to cut over to find a commanding line into the first turn.
After the turn there was no stopping him as he barreled through the track with Kelvin Batey on his tail in second and Whyte rounded off the podium in third.
In the championship women’s class, the British ladies were joined by Denmark’s Pure rider Simone Tetsche Christensen who proved to be the spoiler as she went unbeaten all weekend.
On day one Christensen was untroubled as Abbie Taylor gave chase in second and Charlotte Green had her first race back since an injury sustained at the Papendal UCI BMX Supercross race in May to claim third.
On day two Taylor was ready to fight back and took the race to Christensen. Off the gate the Dane lead out the field, but a bobble on the second straight saw Taylor close the gap. Through the final two straights the pair went head to head with a super close duel down the last straight which saw Christensen take the win by a tyre width.
Green rounded off a successful return to racing with another third-place finish and her Identiti team mate Joey Gough fought back to fourth after a strong move in the second turn saw her swoop under Blaine Ridge-Davis and Katurah Davidson.
After the racing Taylor commented: “I had a good weekend at Birmingham. The track was fantastic. I’m happy to get two seconds behind a fast girl like Simone Tetsche Christensen, thanks to Haro, Bike Track, mum and dad.”
Green also added: “I’m glad to be back on board my Identiti Bike and representing after injury and time off the bike. It’s been tough but I feel I’m heading in the right direction.”
There was chaos and a bitter sweet taste to the championship men’s class as Bristol’s Mitch Brooks took another great win on day one but crashed out on day two.
Brooks fought with Doublecross’ Liam Brown through the first day’s racing to claim day one as Braintree’s Taylor Andrews back in the thick of the action following a serious injury in third.
On day two Brooks went down at the foot of the start hill as Andrews powered into the lead. The Aggro team rider lead out into the second straight where he over jumped the first of the pro section obstacles allowing Brown a clear run at the second jump and from there the win was his. Andrews finished off an amazing come back with second and Peckham’s Dean Reeves took third after a number crashes through the weekend nearly ended his day.
Other standout performances came from Tiverton’s Callum Chard-Maple who was dominant in the 8s as was the home club’s Chad Hartwell who not only took his first win of the year but won both days in fine style.
Gosport’s Ethan Craik continued to impress, riding a year up in the 12s as he took his first double win of the year. In the 15s the first win of the weekend went to the home club’s TJ Yates who took his first win of the year and on the second day Eddie Moore from Burnham swooped in hard in the last turn for his first win of the year.
Adam Brazil had a massive weekend in the 17-29s as he took his fist class wins of the year and doubled up for Burnham. Another great double for the Burnham club came from Lauren Stack in the 15-16 girls as she powered away from the pack.
The final round of the British BMX Series will be held at Manchester’s Velopark on 13-14 September 2014.
