British Champs Rider Bio - Iain Paton

Iain is one of our rising stars who started out in the Youth category a while ago and has climbed through the ranks ever since. He's ridden with Team GB and has made an impact on an international level with some fantastic results at the Junior World Cups. He's also one of our best-travelled racers, coming all the way down from Golspie to the SXC and British Series events. Hard work and dedication is paying off for Iain and we, like him hope to see him finish the year in those blue, red and white hoops.

GOOD LUCK IAIN!!

Name: Iain Paton

Race category: Junior

Club/Team: Ben Wyvis CC/Dryburgh Cycles

Bike: Forme Winscar 29c

Aim for the Cathkin National Champs: Top step of the podium with a stripey Jersey!

Best result of 2013 so far: 20th place at the UCI world cup in Val di Sole, Italy. Also 1st at rounds 3 and 4 of the British Series.

Where/when was your first ever race: first "proper" race was the SXC at Learnie in 2009. Been hooked on it ever since.

Favourite Scottish MTB trail: I might be a bit bias but I am yet to find a trail that beats the Golspie Wildcat trails (which are luckily right on my doorstep) 

Best things about being a MTB'er: Spending loads of time outside and up big hills, plus you have an excuse to eat loads when you get back!

Little known fact about yourself: Although I haven't for a while, I can play the bagpipes!

British Champs Rider Bio - Isla Short

Here's the profile of Isla, she's a wee lassie who can certainly fly when she gets onto a bicycle! This year she has been coming into her own in the Junior category, often challenging Team GB regular Alice Barnes. She's on a par with many of the top Elite riders and her fine form should continue onto a successful British Championships at Margam Park. She'll set off at 12.30pm on Sunday, so make sure you get along and give her massive support. You're looking out for the red and black WXC kit - there are quite a few WXC members tho so it's worth yelling for them all!

Goooooo ISLA!!



Name: Isla Short

Race category: Junior

Club/Team: WXC World Racing

Bike: Specialized Stumpjumper Marathon 29er

Aim for the Cathkin National Champs: To wear the stripy jersey


Best result of 2013 so far: 2nd at Margam National Round 4


Where/when was your first ever race: Kirroughtree 2011.


Favourite Scottish MTB trail: Tricky.. Got to be Kirroughtree


Best things about being a MTB'er: getting to ride my bike every day and race all over the place.


Little known fact about yourself: I quit a specialist music school to become a mtb racer, it was a good call!

British Champ Rider Bio - The Johnston Brothers

They're a mountain biking double act, and both are as fast in their categories as each other! Harry took a 2nd place at the recent SXC series race at Cathkin Braes... Can he go one better at the British Championships on Sunday?? They are another part of the Team Thomsons Cycles riding based from their fantastic Paisley bikeshop. Thomsons also happen to be our amazing series sponsors here at the SXC, so as if you didn't need any more encouragement, make sure you cheer loudly for Harry for that fact! Harry is setting off on the gun at 9.30am on the Sunday morning and will be wearing the navy and white of Thomsons Cycles, as shown in the picture. No excuses not to give them a good old yell and scream and shout as they go past - usually at warp speed!

Good luck Boys, GO! GO! GO!!


Older brother Harry...

Name: Harry Johnston

Team: Team Thomsons Cycles


Category: Youth


Bike: Ridley Ignite 29er Team in Thomsons colours


Aim: The win!


Result: 3rd at BXC Rd 3 at Hopton Woods


First race: Scottish Schools Triathlon Champs in Stirling, 2008


Favourite trail: Berm Baby Berm, Glentress


Best thing about being an MTBer: Not being a roadie!

Little known fact about yourself:  I used to be a competitive swimmer, then triathlete and finally Mtber.



Younger brother Jamie...



Race category: I race up a category to Juvenile from the under-12's race so do both

Club/Team: Team Thomsons Cycles

Bike: Merida 0-Nine custom

Aim for the Cathkin National Champs: Win the Under-12s race

Best result of 2013 so far: 5th in Juvenile at Cathkin Braes

Where/when was your first ever race: Kirroughtree SXC in 2009

Favourite Scottish MTB trail: The climb to the Buzzard's Nest car park at Glentress

Best things about being a MTB'er: MTBers have the nicest bikes! Especially Meridas...

Little known fact about yourself: When I was six, MBUK published a photo of me in the magazine!

British Champs Rider Bio - Conner Johnstone

And we're heading back across to Fife to meet another one of the Team Leslie Bikeshop riders, this time young Conner Johnstone. He's a fantastic team rider and really enjoys getting out riding his bike, and most importantly doing the guys at Leslie Bikes proud. Again, you're looking out for the distinctive Leslie Bikeshop red, black and white with the stand-out logos on it, and a 9.30am start on the Sunday morning. Give him such a loud cheer as he goes past to encourage him on, let's get behind the Scottish guys at our home British Champs!

GOOD LUCK CONNER !!

Name: Conner Johnstone

Race category: Juvenile

Club/Team: Team Leslie bike shop/bikers-boutique

Bike: Giant Anthem x4

Aim for the Cathkin National Champs: To come in a good place for my 1st National race

Best result of 2013 so far: Came 2nd at Drumlanrig

Where/when was your first ever race: MUCKMEDDEN

Favourite Scottish MTB trail: SXC Trail Drumlanrig / Pitmedden my local training trail.

Best things about being a MTB'er: Good laugh on club runs,excitement and challenge on race days and doing well for my team

Little known fact about yourself: I raced for Team Mukyriderz for the whole of the Mountain biking season last year then just before the start of the cyclocross Season I got asked to race for Team Leslie bike shop and I'm really proud to do so.

British Champs Rider Bio - Roger Campbell-Crawford

We've got the profile of Roger CC (That's Campbell-Crawford, not Cycling Club...!). He's another member of the team who sponsor us here at the SXC Series, Thomsons Cycles. Riding in the Sport category last year he put in an excellent performance at the SXC and has moved up to Masters this year. He'll be taking on the Cathkin Braes course in the Thomsons Cycles navy and blue kit - make sure you give him and extra loud cheer and help him get around in a seriously tough race category.

Good Luck Rog!

Name: Roger Campbell-Crawford

Race category: Master 

Club/Team: Team Thomsons Cycles

Bike: Ridley Ignite 29er

Aim for the Cathkin National Champs: Smash it & Smile lots!

Best result of 2013 so far: 3rd @ SXC 3 Cathkin Braes.

Where/when was your first ever race: Yair forest, '97 rocking it on an LTS-1

Favourite Scottish MTB trail: Torridon!

Best things about being a MTB'er: Meeting great people, travelling to cool places to ride bikes, scenery, the smell of pine trees, getting to join my awesome team, Team Thomsons (thanks Morven for hooking that up last year at Forfar!  )

Little known fact about yourself: I secretly have been enjoying crit/road racing a lot this year, plus getting more wins on tarmac than dirt! (No Rab I'm still not shaving my legs, I'm an MTB'er at heart!) 

British Champs Rider Bio - The Grange Kitchen

Now, we're branching out in our rider profiles.. They may not be a rider per-say, though the main-man Euan is a cyclist! They are our regular SXC race day caterers, The Grange Kitchen, and they're stepping up to the mark to keep all you riders and spectators well fed and watered over the weekend. They always bring delicious food, fantastic burgers and a wide selection of cold food, hot and cold drinks and home made cakes. One word... YUM!! They've always done us proud, and we can't wait for them to share their delicious food with Britain's top racers.

We hope that you have a fantastic weekend and that everyone leaves with full bellies and a smile on their faces after tasting your excellent supplies!

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  Name : The Grange Kitchen

  Race Category : SXC Caterers

  Club : Rockhard MBC

  Bike : I got a shiny new Yeti Arc carbon in a box just waiting to get built. Sadly I've been too busy preparing for catering at the Cathkin to get out on it yet!

  Aim for the Cathkin National Champs : To provide a mouth watering range of hot meals, cold snacks, hot drinks and a massive bucket of ice cold cans of coke for post race refuelling.

  Favourite Scottish MTB trail : How could we pick a favourite , we love catering at all trails. We are particularly fond of catering in the highlands. 

  Best thing about being an MTB'er : It's great to get away, the banter at races is good and its always a joy to put hot food and drink into the hands of shaking cold riders.

  Little known fact : We also love catering at cross races!

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

British Champs Rider Bio - The Hanlon Cole Sisters

There seems to be a lot of family double acts in cross-country mountain biking. Here's yet another, Eve and Millie Hanlon Cole. They're smiley girls who put all their effort into racing and will do their club and us at the SXC proud when they take to the Cathkin Braes course at 9.30am on Sunday morning. They're part of the recent young generation of rising stars coming from Peebles and should be easy to spot in the red, white and black of Peebles CC. Make sure you say good luck to them pre-race and cheer them on extra loud during the race as they put their all into it.

Good luck girls from all us here at the SXC Series! :)

Older sister Eve...

Name: Eve Hanlon Cole

Race category: Youth Female

Club/Team: Peebles CC

Aim for the Cathkin National Champs: To finish! And to do my best and go home with a smile on my face!

Best result of 2013 so far: 4th at Cathkin Braes SXC

Where/when was your first ever race: Kirroughtree SXC in 2011

Favourite Scottish MTB trail: Don't have a favourite, they're all awesome!Best things about being a MTB'er:It's fun, keeps you fit and you get to meet cool people.




Younger sister Millie...

Name: Millie Hanlon Cole

Race category: Juvenile

Club/Team: Peebles Cycling Club

Bike: Kona Kula Deluxe

Aim for the Cathkin National Champs: To stay smooth on the technical sections and keep the bike rubber side down.

Best result of 2013 so far: 3rd at Drumlanrig 

Where/when was your first ever race: Dirt Crit at Glentress when I was 9.

Favourite Scottish MTB trail: Aviemore, because the whole place is a trail!! 

Best things about being a MTB'er: the freedom of the trails! 

Little known fact about yourself: I have an awesome American old lady accent