As the country gears up for Wimbledon fortnight, it was game, Oset and match for Sophie Bailey at the last round of the women’s nationals.
The Kent youngster is currently leading the championship after an impressive performance at rounds 3 and 4 hosted by Zona1 in Gloucestershire.
Steep, wet and muddy banks with difficult cambers made for a tough trial on day one. Sophie admits not her favourite type of event, but she worked hard in every section to finish second on the day after completing the 10 section, four lap course.
Darren Bailey, Sophie’s dad and minder on the day, said: “Sometimes it’s the hardest trials that mark you out as a determined rider and help move your riding forward. I was incredibly proud of the way Sophie dug in and soldiered on. We were both delighted to get on the podium.”
Day two was a different day altogether. “This is the trialling that Sophie loves and she thrives in an environment like Birdlip Quarry that is full of rocks, logs and tight turns,” said Darren.
Sophie performed faultlessly to ride four clean laps, not a single dab in 40 sections, which saw her claim the top spot on the podium on her OSET 24.0.
Ian Smith from OSET Bikes, said: “Well done Sophie – another great ride! We’re delighted our prototype OSET 24.0 is such a competitive bike. The future looks bright!”