Rising star Aimi Kenyon was a whisker away from winning a medal for Great Britain in the Downhill World Championships in France at the weekend.
The 16-year-old from Sunnyside Culloden was one of three Black Isle Mountain Bike Club members who reached finals at the hotly-contested competition, based at Les Gets.
Kenyon, who represents the Pink Bike Downhill team, was fourth in the final of the junior women’s category, coming in less than four seconds behind Colombia’s Valentina Roa Sanchez.
Her overall form has been terrific, with third and second spots secured respectively at the World Cup in Fort William in May and Snowshoe in West Virginia last month.
Just look at those conditions 🤩#LesGets2022pic.twitter.com/c5aAeQ0j0u
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) August 28, 2022
She is set to finish fifth place or higher in this year’s World Cup standings, securing her the accolade of being the top first-year junior.
Australia’s Jenna Hastings was the race winner, with Canada’s Gracey Hemstreet in third.
McCully secures 12th spot finish
Also reaching the final was Kenyon’s club-mate Contin’s Bethany McCully, who came in at 12th position.
The 18-year-old, who only took up the sport four years ago, has had a terrific year, becoming the British Junior Downhill champion in Glencoe last month, as well as scoring a victory in Wales recently in the British Downhill Series.
McCully, who is 18, has also enjoyed consistent performances in recent times.
After becoming the British Junior Downhill champion at Glencoe last month, McCully picked up another victory in the British Downhill Series at Caersws in Wales a fortnight ago.
Final action for debutant Goodwill
There was also a World Championship debut for Kirkhill’s Douglas Goodwill in the men’s junior event, and he finished 24th out of 55 riders in his final, which was won by GB’s Jordan Williams.
The 17-year-old will aim to continue to make tracks in the sport, having finished sixth in the World Cup in Fort William this year.
