Charlton and Sharp winners in National Youth Championships
Josh Charlton and Isabel Sharp were crowned winners at the National Youth Championship finals, staged over a 10-mile course in Norfolk on Saturday.
Charlton, the 15-year-old Hetton Hawks CC rider from Durham, clocked 19-31 to take victory by just one second, while fastest female was 13-year-old Poole Wheelers rider Isabel Sharp whose time of 22-04 was best by 16 seconds.
Charlton was one of three riders who all broke the GHS Championship Record, while the fastest two girls also broke the girls championship records.
In the team category, victory went to the Poole Wheelers trio of Thomas Day, Jamie Whitcher and Isabel Sharp.
“It went well, my legs didn’t feel too good on the start, but I gave it everything I had,” said Charlton, who qualified for the final with a strong performance in the North East heat back in June, where he was quickest by more than one minute.
“The course was a bit bumpy but very fast and busy, and there was a monster tailwind to the turn – I think I got there in about eight minutes, but then had a tough headwind to the finish.
“I was seventh last year and I didn’t feel like I rode well then, so I knew that if I paced it better and had some luck the win was possible for me.”
Charlton edged to victory in the finals by just one second ahead of 16-year-old Thomas Day (Poole Wheelers), while another 16-year-old Tom Portsmouth (St Georges College Weybridge) was third, 12 seconds slower than Charlton.
Meanwhile, fastest girl Isabel Sharp, 13, took the win ahead of 17-year-old Caitlin Peters (i-Team CC) who had beaten her by almost a minute in the South District heats back in June, while 15-year-old Eva Callinan (Hillingdon Slipstreamers) was third fastest girl in the finals.
The B10/3a course uses the A11 Wymondham bypass, starting near Besthorpe to the north of Attleborough and proceeding north easterly to the turn near Wymondham, before returning back down to the finish point just before the start.
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