Young Isle of Wight mountain biker Finley Manser-Grundy missed out on victory by just 0.1 seconds to claim another impressive podium, as he and fellow Wightlink CRT rider Sonny Shuttleworth battled difficult conditions at the Forest of Dean.
The juvenile riders were competing in Round 4 of the MIJ Downhill Series at Worcester Lodge on Sunday (14th September), taking on the infamous Elephant Man track.
The challenging double-black run features jumps, drops and technical rock gardens, with overnight rain making conditions particularly difficult for race day.
Finley, one of the youngest competitors in the 7-9 category, endured an eventful opening run when he suffered a pinch puncture halfway down the course.
Despite having a completely flat tyre, the youngster battled on to the finish and remarkably recorded the 2nd-fastest time, ending the run just 0.4 seconds behind the leader.
After his tyre was repaired and the wheel rim straightened, Finley went all-out on his second run.
Rain had made the track even more slippery, but Finley managed to improve his time and eventually secured 2nd place overall – missing out on victory by just 0.1 seconds.
His dad, Jack, has said:
“We’re incredibly proud of how Finn handled the setback, kept his focus, and delivered two strong runs.
“A brilliant learning experience and another step forward in his racing journey.”
Fellow Wightlink CRT youngster Sonny Shuttleworth faced his own challenging weekend while competing in the 10-12 category.
After fast and dry training runs on Saturday, overnight rain transformed the course ahead of Sunday’s racing, leaving the rock gardens and root sections wet and slippery.
During practice, Sonny slid out on a wet root section and hit a tree, leaving him shaken and nursing a sore shoulder.
Despite the crash, the young rider returned to the start line a couple of hours later and completed 2 solid race runs on the demanding course.
Conditions caught out riders throughout the field, particularly around the large rock gardens, tabletop rock slab drop and greasy root sections.
Wightlink CRT praised Sonny’s determination to get back on his bike and race following the earlier crash.
Thanks have been extended to team sponsors Wightlink Isle of Wight Ferries, Island Renewables, Wight Mountain, Rapanui, Kreative Studios and Adrian’s Bike Shop for their continued support.
