Last weekend saw EXGB visit a brand new venue for balance bike racing at Brake Hill Farm, near Kettering for the third and penultimate round of their ‘E-Bee All Stars’ championship, and it was another absolute cracker! Yet again there was a healthy line up of youngsters racing and having fun on and off the track across the 14 classes ranging from the 12 inch wheels 3 years of age class all the way up to the faster speeds of the E5 class. The new circuit proved a success with the kids and parents and EXGB did a great job in keeping dust away over the two race days.
In the 12” 3 years of age class it was Ace Songhurst from Jersey who won out on a tie break by winning the last race over Ovie-Roy Tasker. Ace’s three race wins over the six races, compared to Ovie’s two was just enough to get it done with them both accumulating the same points haul. Axel Winston took the third step on the podium after starting off well with a race win. Vinnie Mewse finished fourth overall after some bike issues throughout the weekend. Fifth went to went to Cooper Axel Chorley, just edging out Axel Shellard after a weekend long battle between the two.
Maddox Jackson came out on top in the 12” 4-5 years class with four race wins out of six and a second and third in the other races. Second place went to Cailen-Jay Mountford Lymer, or “Cay-Cay” as he’s affectionally called by his family who always give him plenty of encouragement, especially when he took a win in race four! Ace Songhurst picked up his second trophy and trip to the podium of the weekend coming in third. Roman Gay won the battle for fourth ahead of Maisie White, while Winter Rose Cooper steadily improved throughout the weekend for sixth.
The 16” 3-4 years class was busy and very competitive. Leo Dugmore proved himself as the best with four race wins and two seconds to take the victory. The only rider to beat him was Albie-Gray Mellows who chased him hard all the way. Third went to ‘Cay-Cay” who like many was doubling up in classes and like Ace Songhurst was rushed down to the start of the next race on their dad’s shoulders. Cay-Cay’s standout ride in this class was a second in race four. Paddy Bell was just two points behind for fourth place after never finishing outside the top four. Charlie Jenman also rode consistently for fifth place overall with Oliver Hartley rounding out the top six.
Jimmy Smith was the dominant rider in the 16” 4-5 class with five race wins and a second. Albie Roberts Birchall was the only other rider to take a race win and then was consistent to finish second overall. The final place on the podium went to Jace Treagust, with his best result of the weekend being second. Finishing fourth and just one point behind was Theo Brooks, who battled hard each time out. Leo Salt finished the weekend with six, fifth placed finishes to unsurprisingly finish fifth overall. While Heartli Jones followed suit behind Leo with a sixth in each race for sixth overall.
Ethan Rudd was fast and victorious in the 16” 6-7 years, with a third in race two blotting an otherwise perfect weekend and maximum points score. Tommy White overcome some technical bike issues to finish second. The final place on the podium went to Kaisey Jay Cooper who claimed the spot on a tie break with Lando Boxall. Kaisey’s second place in the final race over Lando’s fourth was enough to seal the deal. Effie Thomas again charged and raced hard with the boys for a well earned fifth place, again getting it on a tie break situation over Jacob Robinson.
The winning continued for Ethan Rudd in the 18” 5-7 class after literally hopping from one bike to another. It wasn’t so clear cut for Ethan in this class, but his three race wins, a third and two fourths was enough to give him a double victory on the weekend and edge out Mason Pilgram by two points. Mason took one race win on his way to second overall then the two other race wins were shared between Ezra Stephen Austin and Harry Barton. Ezra took the final step on the podium for third ahead of Harry with Romeo Gooding coming out on top of tie break with Freddie Holmes for fifth and sixth respectively.
There was no stopping Jimmy Briggs in the 18” 8-10 years races as he clean swept the weekend with six emphatic wins. Casey O’Brien chased him as hard as he could and was the best of the rest in second for all races and the overall. Frankie Arnold won the battle with Charlie Boddy for the final podium position as the two of them kept each other honest out on track all weekend.
Just like Ethan Rudd, Jimmy Briggs also came away as a double class winner, this time romping to victory in the 20” powered by Amped 7-10 class with another six race wins and maximum score to his name. Second went to always entertaining little showman, Colby Fletcher who realistically was the only rider to challenge Briggs. Dean Oates rounded out the podium in style, just fending off the immaculate Arabelle Barnett, while Aston Weaver took fifth overall just ahead of Frankie Arnold.
Preston Chorley once again dominated the 20” powered by Amped 11’14 class with another maximum of race wins, and yet again he was chased hard by Seth Johnson who never quits on going for a race win as the two of them battled another evenly matched weekend for all to see. Ethan Richards took the third step of the podium, grabbing a second in one race along the way. Elsie Holmes also raced hard all weekend and her improvement was obvious to see.
As the only rider in the E1 class Freddie Fenwick had the podium all to himself, but didn’t race on his own and had fun out on track racing alongside the very competitive E2 class where Lando Love claimed the top step of the podium with a consistent weekend. Lando took two race wins and backed them up with four second place finishes to claim victory over Albie Clark, who also took two race wins but couldn’t find the consistency of Lando. Third place on the weekend went to Theo Palmer, who had and up and down weekend but did take the win in race five. Leo Dugmore picked himself up another trophy to go with his 16” 3-4 class win, claiming fifth after a tie break on points with Eddie Hempstock who couldn’t quite keep his form going from Saturday into Sunday. .
In the highly competitive and entertaining E3 class it was Rio Dodd who took the overall victory after some exciting and hard fought races. Rio took four race wins and had to work his way to the front in most of them. Jimmy Smith was consistent all weekend and although he didn’t win a race he did enough for second place ahead of Jesse Harman, who came out swinging on day two with a race win to claim third. The other race win went to Reggie Doyle, but a couple of races didn’t go his way and he ended up fourth overall. Lorenzo Steel was again solid in racking up championship points coming in fifth ahead of the improving Santiago Khakbazan.
Boycie Clements dominated the E4 class winning all but one of his races in convincing fashion to stand on top of the podium. Freddie Holmes and George Fenwick fought hard over second place and put on a good display of racing, with Freddie eventually claiming second by three points over George who took the final step on the podium. Heartli Jones claimed fourth place with a steady and consistent performance, grabbing a couple of third place finishes along the way. Zach Wilson brought it home in fifth ahead of Ryder Harrison in sixth.
The E5 class was fast and action packed and once again belonged to the flamboyant Colby Fletcher, taking five of the six race wins only being beaten fair and square by Jimmy Briggs in race four. Jimmy’s race win was arguably enough to get him second overall by just two points ahead of Rory Ritzka who rounded out the top three. Harry Perkins was consistent with five fourth place finishes and a third to take fourth overall. Ivy Rose Tasker represented herself and the girls well by finishing fifth overall, six points ahead of Oscar Roberts in sixth.
The next event for EXGB is their much anticipated ‘E-Bee Wight Stars’ Electric Dirt Bike Festival on the Isle of Wight. Starting on Tuesday 18th August, at Smallbrook Stadium, riders will have the option and opportunity to ride the Island’s Speedway circuit in an open practice session before moving on to the picturesque setting of Robin Hill Adventure Park where EXGB have made an awesome balance bike circuit. Riders can then take up the option of having their first ride on the track on Thursday for a practice session before racing officially starts on Friday and then carries through to Saturday. With discounts available from Red Funnel Ferries and with all the beautiful Isle of Wight has to offer for a family, it’s well worth a trip for a mini holiday and keeping the kids active with four days of riding available in a controlled safe environment.
You can enter to race the ‘E-Bee Wight Stars’ Electric Dirt Bike Festival and find out more information about it and all of EXGB’s events on their website
www.exgb.co.uk
