Page 44 - Redditch People

Redditch People

cross, competing at national level in all categories. She lives in Crabbs Cross and is 21
years old.

Beth took up competitive cycling at the age of 12, taking part in cycle-cross, track and
road events. At 14 she took up mountain bike cross country racing- the discipline where
she has achieved her best results. Her father had always been interested in this event
and was able to give Beth a great deal of encouragement and support. While still at
school she was selected for the National Talent Team weekend camp in Wales even
though she had only been mountain biking for a short time. She went on to win the girls'
championship for the juvenile age group in the National Mountain Bike Championships.
This allowed her to go forward for training for the Olympic Development Squad.

In 2010 Beth received the Performer of the Year Award at Redditch Borough Council's
Action Sport and the Redditch School Sports Partnership Awards held at the Palace
Theatre.

In 2011 Beth was crowned National Junior Cross Country Champion. She became a
member of the GB development squad, and was a member of the Halesowen Athletics
and Cycling Club. She also raced in the all-women Scott Contessa Epic Team. Beth has
taken part in the World Championships in Austria and, in 2011, finished in the top five.

During 2012 and 2013 Beth continued to race, both in Britain and in Europe. In 2013 she
became the Under 23 Cross Country champion and, in 2014, she was selected to
represent GB in the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Lillehammer.In March
2015 Beth came 5th in the first round of the British Cycling MTB Cross country series at
Sherwood Pines. She was now riding for the North West MTB Race Team. This was a great
ride because, after having been forced to make a pit stop that put her behind much of
the rest of the field, she raced her way back to the front, in spite of heavy rain which
made conditions difficult.

In April she was called up to take part in the GB 10 rider team for the women's
Energiewacht Tour in the Netherlands - a five day stage race. This was the first time she
had represented GB in a competitive road race. In May she competed in the first round
of the Matrix Fitness Grand Prix Ladies Race which was part of the Pearl Uzumi Tour
Series held in Redditch. Riding for Hargreaves Cycles Beth achieved a creditable 30th
place.

In July she won the under 23 title for the third year in a row at the British Cycling MTB
Cross Country Championships at Hadleigh Park. She completed a 5 lap race in 1 hour 10
minutes and 12 seconds. In August Beth competed in the UCI World Cup at Val Di Sole
in Italy.

Beth's next goal is to be selected for the GB squad for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de
Janeiro in Brazil.

Page: 44 © RLHS 2015