National XC Championships 2009

The National Championships moved north of the border for the first time since 2004 and headed for the hills of Scotland, pitching up at the popular trail centre of Innerleithen ready to pitch rider against rider to crown our National XC Champions of 2009. Nestled in the bosom of the Tweed valley, Innerleithen offers a variety of terrain most of it technical and you’re either climbing or descending and the course on offer for the champs was no different. A long 7 km loop that took you up and then brought you down for a white knuckle ride, redlining all the way round. It was a tough, true old style mountain bike course that would soon sort the men from the boys, whatever the weather!

Sue Clarke – Senior women’s winner

“It’s been a real tough journey along the way to this point and there are a lot of people who have a part of this jersey today, Barrie, my family, there are so many that have stuck by me through thick and thin, I just have to say ‘Thanks guys this is for you!”

Liam Killeen – Senior Winner

“It was good to have a clean run and the weather was fine, we were lucky with that. It was good once again to have a great race with Oli, he’s in really good form at the moment and I’m sure he’ll achieve what he wants this year.

It’s weird I’ve never been in this position of having to defend a National title, but yeah it feels nice to be able to pull it back on for another year.”

To read the full report click on the BC button above.

For ALL pictures of the event click on the gallery buttons above.