Bikers back on the dirt

Riders conquered the Karratha dirt tracks for race four of the 2020 Scott Cycles Club Championships.

Eight riders took part in the Elite division, with the course starting from behind St Luke’s College.

It was the second week of live racing after the COVID-19 pandemic caused the championship to go virtual for two races.

In the four-lap Elite division, Romain Kabs and Dallas McDonald battled it out for the lead.

McDonald led early but was overtaken by Kabs on lap two, with Kabs able to hold off McDonald to take the win by eight seconds, crossing the line in 1:02:44.

Susan Grylls was the highest placed female beating Pille Peri for fifth with an impressive 1:25:31.

Three seconds was all that separated first and second in the Expert division, with Harrison Bray holding off a fast-finishing Justin Crabbe with an impressive 49:16, while Reece Greenem rounded out the top three just a minute behind the leaders.

Ben Ralph took out the Sport division win while Matt Jewkes took the final spot on the podium.

Burrup Mountain Bike Club president Damien Muller said normally the season would have finished round five by now.

“We’re running until mid-September and compressing the race rounds a bit to get six physical rounds in, and we had two virtual ones,” he said.

Muller said the club had put in a COVID-19 safety plan.

“It’s fantastic to be back, people were saying it was good to ride and have a chat.”