BMX racing in the Hawkesbury took another leap forward with the outstanding performances of a dozen competitors at the NSW titles at Maitland on the October long weekend.
The Hawkesbury Hornets BMX Club put this region firmly on the map with the best results in the club's 10-year history, coming home with five State championships among 13 trophy winning efforts from just 15 competitors.
Georgia Barnes was the star for the Hornets, showing just why she is rated among the best riders in Australia, winning the 12yr girls event and beating clubmate Abbey Vahtrik, the 11yr girls champion, in a Hawkesbury 1-2 finish for the Junior Girls Cruiser title.
Mitchell Chaston claimed the 12yr boys crown and Barnes' father and club coach Brett Barnes picked up the 40-plus men #1 race plate.
But the club wasn't finished there, with Wes Seward taking third spot in the 25-plus men, Sean Walker and Stuart Maittlen claiming fourth in the 25-plus men and 35-plus men respectively and Chaston backing up his 12yr boys win with a fifth spot in the Junior Boys Cruiser event.
Aidan Vahtrik finished seventh in the 14yr boys and made the semi finals of the A Pro Men division, while Bailey Sutcliffe and Morgan Seward each picked up a Sprockets Trophy for strong performances in age groups under 8yrs - where no classifications are given.
"We are only a relatively small club, so to come away with a result that betters all the big BMX clubs around the State is unheard of," Hornets vice president Graham Hamiliton said.
"One of our youngest riders, Jack Whitmore, raced for the first time in a competitive class, finishing fifth in his semi final, which saw him just miss out on a final berth, while our young pro rider, Aidan Vahtrik also just missed that final but made the 14 age final in what turned out to be a brutal banging of bars between the eight riders."
Freemans Reach's Penrith Panthers' club members RJ and Jack Shepherd were also in fine form in their Sprockets classes.
RJ picked up three firsts and three seconds in the 6yr boys and his little brother Jack had two seconds, two thirds and a fourth in his races.
The Shepherd boys will turn their attention, alongside the Hawkesbury riders, to the XBR Series in January, followed by the the rounds of Southern Regional events and the National Titles at Shepparton, Victoria, in May next year.
Hawkesbury was recently announced as a host of one of the XBR events, a coup for the small McGraths Hill-based club.
Brett Barnes credited the club's success to hard training and having such a good track at Hawkesbury.
"The Hawkesbury track would be the best in Sydney at the moment," he said.
"We have had lots of support from Hawkesbury Sports Council and have been able to give our riders (children and adults) the best possible preparation for their State titles."
Hawkesbury BMX club have race meets on Sunday afternoons, with the calendar viewable by visiting www.hawkesbury.bmxnsw.com.au
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