Leaders Emerge in Mountain Bike Series After Three Rounds
IslandStats.com
After three highly competitive rounds of the current mountain bike season, the top three finishers in each division have established themselves, with several close battles shaping up across both the Open and Junior categories.
In the premier Open 60 Minute Male division, Che'Quan Richardson currently leads the standings with 59 points. He holds a narrow advantage over Brian Steinhoff, who is in second place with 58 points, promising a tight contest for the overall title. David Byrne rounds out the top three with 49 points.
The Open 60 Minute Female division sees a clearer leader, with Wendy-Ann Thomas accumulating 62 points. Jennifer Wilson is currently in second place with 47 points, followed closely by Ashley Robinson on 42 points.
In the Open 30 Minute Male category, William Coatesworth has established a healthy lead with 72 points. Manning Smith follows with 62 points, and Sherman O. Darrell holds third with 45 points.
The Open 30 Minute Female division features the closest battle of the series, with Olivia Bishop and Kelise Wade currently tied for the lead, both sitting on 47 points. Zina Jones trails in third with 25 points.
The Novice Male leader is Chris Jansma with 75 points. The second and third places are tied, with Sean Dickinson and Kevin Stokes both on 42 points. Similarly, the Novice Female division is led by Arlene Macguinness with a dominant 75 points. Philippa Mello is second with 62 points, and Katrina Carr is third with 60 points.
In the junior categories, Hannes Swart leads the 13-16 Male division with 67 points, ahead of Alfie Jansma (57 points) and Isaac Wookey (45 points). Lauren Simons leads the 13-16 Female category with 50 points, followed by Paige Noseworthy (47 points) and Ruby Cook (42 points).
Monday, December 08, 2025
White & Teammates Named Domestic Team of the Year
IslandStats.com
Conor White's team, Muc-Off–SRCT–Storck, has been crowned The British Continental’s Domestic Cycling Team of the Year for 2025. The accolade recognizes an outstanding season of dominance and efficiency, made poignant by the team's impending disbandment due to funding issues.
Muc-Off–SRCT–Storck, which features Bermuda's Conor White, delivered one of the most impressive seasons in recent memory, achieving immense success despite operating on a tiny budget (reported around £8,000) and with a small roster of only seven riders. Their accomplishments were secured through grit, talent development, and a strong team spirit.
The team's dominance saw them secure several key achievements:
They won the National Road Series (both individual and team titles).
They claimed two Premier Calendar wins.
They achieved a notable 1-2 finish at the Reservoir.
Four of their riders finished in the top four of The British Continental's national rankings.
The team's success is bittersweet, as their brilliant 2025 season will be their last. The disbandment is a direct result of funding issues, making their Team of the Year award a tribute to their successful project and a symbol of the fragility of domestic cycling funding.
The team showcased exceptional talent and strategy, proving that success is not solely dictated by budget size.
Sunday, December 07, 2025
Mass Bike Failures Overshadow Mountain Bike Race
IslandStats.com
The Fat Tire Massive Mountain Bike Race Series, presented by ONE Communications, saw 95 competitors brave blustery conditions at Coney Island Park, but the event was dominated by a high rate of mechanical failures rather than pure racing, as sharp rocks exposed by recent heavy rain led to a record number of broken bikes.
With the impending motocross event looming, the mountain bikers tested the Coney Island course, a challenging one-mile circuit featuring 70 feet of climb, cool curves, and technical rocky sections.
However, heavy late-evening rains exposed sharp rock edges at a critical dip in the track, turning the course into a mechanical minefield. The attrition rate was unprecedented, with the record set at 15 broken bikes, 12 of which were due to flat tyres. The high number of withdrawals meant that several riders achieved personal best finishes simply by completing the race. The course development group extended their regrets to those affected and took immediate steps to ensure the issue would not be repeated.
Despite the chaos, National Champion Robin Horsfield claimed victory in the Open 60 Minute Male race, completing 12 laps in a time of 1:00:17. Jackson Langley finished second, also completing 12 laps in 1:04:02, and Brian Steinhoff took third after completing 11 laps.
Ashley Robinson won the Open 60 Minute Female race, clocking a 7-lap time of 1:07:40.
In the Open 30 Minute Male race, William Coatesworth secured the win, completing four laps in 29:46. Charles Dunstan was second, also completing four laps in 33:42.
Zina Jones won the Open 30 Minute Female race, completing three laps in a time of 30:46.
The second race of the Fat Tire Massive Mountain Biking season delivered more high-octane action at the challenging Lagoon Park course, with riders maintaining the high standard set for the year. The technical terrain tested the endurance and skill of all competitors across the male and female divisions.
The flagship Open 60-minute Male race saw a fierce battle at the front over nine laps. Dylan Eiselt claimed the victory, completing the course in 1 hour, 5 minutes, and 3 seconds. The top three were tightly packed, with Alexander Miller finishing just behind in second place with a time of 1:05:54, and Kavin Smith rounding out the podium, finishing his ninth lap in 1:06:03.
In the Open 60-minute Female race, Jennifer Wilson proved her dominance, completing six laps in 1 hour and 31 seconds to take the win. Wendy-Ann Thomas secured second place, also completing six laps with a time of 1:03:37. Skye Ferguson finished third, completing five laps in 1:03:06.
The shorter Open 30-minute Male race was won by Dirk Hasselkuss, who was the only competitor to complete five laps, finishing with a time of 46:47. Sherman O. Darrell took second place, completing four laps in 36:43, narrowly beating William Coatesworth, who finished third with a time of 37:00, also after four laps.
Finally, in the Open 30-minute Female race, Kelise Wade claimed the top spot. She finished four laps in 39:38. Olivia Bishop secured second place, completing three laps of the tough circuit in 38:46.
Bermuda’s top cyclists, Conor White and Kaden Hopkins, were celebrated as they officially received cheques according to their upgraded medals from the 2023 Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games. The reassignment of medals followed a doping violation by another participant at the Games, reinforcing Bermuda's commitment to clean sport and fair play.
The financial awards were presented by the Minister of Tourism & Transport, Culture & Sport, Owen K. Darrell, and Premier of Bermuda, David Burt, at a special ceremony.
White, who originally won the Bronze Medal in the Men’s Individual Time Trial, has been officially upgraded to the Silver Medal position. White’s upgraded achievement earned him a financial award of $4,000.00.
While pleased, White expressed the bittersweet nature of the moment, noting, “It is nice to know when you are riding clean that it does pay off... even though it is two years later, it is nice to get recognised”.
Hopkins, who agonisingly missed the podium by one second in the Men's Road Race, finishing fourth, has been elevated to the Bronze Medal position. Hopkins received a financial award of $2,500.00 for his Bronze Medal.
Hopkins acknowledged the difficulty of the long wait for recognition: "When I was searching for a team last year, it would have been nice to have that result on my record to potentially gain more interest," he said.
Minister Darrell extended congratulations on behalf of the Government and people of Bermuda, stating, "Their dedication and pursuit of excellence continue to make Bermuda proud on the international stage".
