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Location: Grestoke Forest, Johnby, Penrith, Cumbria
Event: 22 July 2012

The fourth round of the Cumbria Cross Country Series - GET STOKE’d, was held at Greystoke Forest, near Penrith on Sunday, organised by Beacon Wheelers.

The event proved popular amongst youth category riders, with the overall number of competitors continuing to increase from the previous Ulverston, Whitehaven and Whinlatter rounds, with a total of 69 entries across the age categories.

The event had three interesting and challenging courses to suit all age categories, using a mix of natural woodland paths and forest tracks, and a common start and finish area, the courses were suited to either Mountain or Cyclocross bike, and produced categories winners on both types.

To add further value and interest for the youth categories, and allow them to experience two different types of races, all categories first rode a one lap time trial before the main race on each of their respective courses, the positions in both races were then added together to determine the overall category placings.

A special course was designed for the under 8 category to allow the children to race without assistance, this proved successful and provided some very determined and entertaining racing, clear winner was Luca Longo (Huddersfield Star Wheelers), followed by a determined Imogen Peatfield from (Bolton Hot Wheels), after having a race long battle with local James Bent (U/A Carlisle).

The under 10/12’s race was next up, using a different challenging course to suit these riders abilities, local riders Oliver May (Beacon Wheelers) was a clear winner ahead of Matti Egglestone (Beacon Wheelers) in the race, with both riders winning their respective categories, Jonny Bouch (Border City Wheelers) and Billy Waistell (Beacon Wheelers) were second and third in the U12 category, Ben Peatfield (Bolton Hot Wheels) and Hamish Donnelly (Beacon Wheelers) were second and third in the U10 category

Riding the adult course, the under 14/16’s race was won by interloper from outside the county, Joseph Peatfield (Bolton Hot Wheels) a clear winner in the U14 category, followed by Olli Dawson (U/A Carlisle) in second and Mark Donovan (Beacon Wheelers) in third. In the U16 category Jacob Peatfield (Bolton Hot Wheels) took the win ahead of locals Finn Donovan (Beacon Wheelers) in second and Finn Wostear (U/A Penrith) in third.

For the adults the men and women had separate races, but rode at the same time having a staggered start. In the men’s race local road race champion Giles Harrison (Blumilk) rode away in to a clear lead early in the race, but in typical Morgan Donnelly (Beacon Wheelers) style after a slow start, he set about reducing the lead, eventually hauling in Harrison, to overtake and win by a small margin, Greg Tognarelli (VC Cumbria) followed up in third place.

In the women’s race, Lucy Donnelly (Beacon Wheelers) attacked from the start, gradually extended her lead throughout the event to take a win, Laura Huggon (U/A Penrith) competing for the first time finished in second, with Annie Donovan (Beacon Wheelers) taking third after a close battle with Penny Kingsland (Beacon Wheelers).

With the race wins split between mountain bike and cyclo-cross bike, and riders enjoying this type of natural cross country course, for Beacon Wheelers the GET STOKE’d event had achieved what it had set out to do.

Result