A teenage cycling prodigy is celebrating the start of the National Series of competitions by coming second in the first round.
Back in July, Katie Lawson, from Clayton-le-Dale, became one of the only 14-year-olds to win the British Cycling National Youth Omnium Series in her first year of entering.
And now, as the cycling season gets well and truly underway, Katie has secured an excellent start by coming second in round one of the National Trophy Cyclocross Series, which took place last weekend.
Her dad, Tim Lawson said: “This was at the same venue as when she won u12 North of England Championships a few years ago, although the contrast in weather conditions could not have been bigger for the time of year.
“It was wet muddy and quite warm last weekend, but it was like a scene from Frozen the other year.
“Katie came second, sandwiched between two mountain bike specialists Olivia Poole from Inverness who came first, and Annabelle Griffith from Wales who came third.
“She was probably still feeling the effects of representing the school in the interschools cross country during the week, but it was a great way to start the National Series.
“Katie has been training really hard over the last weeks with her CX club over in Shibden on the local hills and at Manchester velodrome.
“But after a few difficult local races getting used to riding in muddy fields this result is just the confidence boost needed for the 2023 National Track Champion.”
Katie, who attends Ribblesdale High School, has been competing in cyclocross events since she was five and in 2018 rode her way to glory at the Great Harwood Showground, when she took part in the North West Cyclocross Association series competition, aged just eight.
And in September 2021, aged 11, she won the Wessex Series event, and was then presented with the North West Series Trophy after winning the Rossendale Marl Pits event on September 25, before heading to Broughton Hall in Yorkshire to win the series event the following day.
In April, Katie travelled to Fife with her parents where she won the British Youth Circuit Series at Fife Cycle Park in Lochgelly.
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