Britain’s top female riders resumed battle just one week after the centenary SSDT, with the 2nd and 3rd round of the British Ladies Championship last weekend.

MRS BVM Sherco rider, Becky Cook had mixed fortunes but came away on top at the end of a tough couple of days. Still struggling with a wrist injury sustained during the first day of the SSDT, Becky hadn’t ridden all week and started Saturday’s competition with it strapped up but determined not to let it affect her performance too much.

Held at Low North Park near Scarborough on the dry, dusty rocks and banks, which got the occasional damping from the intermittent showers throughout the day, Becky soon settled back into the stop permitted rules of the British Championship and completed the first seven sections for just a dab, recording the first clean on section six across a jumble of rocks followed by a big angled step. Section eight was the hardest of the day and was Becky’s ‘bogey’ section, making it to the summit of the four rock steps every lap but sending her vertical and straight back down! A soft dab followed on the tenth section and she completed the lap on seven with Emma Bristow two marks in front. The following two laps were much the same with Becky cleaning almost everything but just couldn’t make the eighth section where she fived again.

The final scores were Emma on eleven, Becky on twenty and Donna Fox on thirty seven.

Sunday saw the ladies move on to Lincoln for the 3rd round of the championship at Manton Quarry. It was another close battle at the front with both Becky and Emma completing the first lap for one. Becky’s ‘one’ being lost on section six, a steadying dab at the top of a double step. Lap two, Becky parted with a dab apiece on sections one and two but fought back to go clean right to the last section where another one went down. Her lap of three was two better than Emma and she went into the final lap determined to maintain her lead. Riding calm and confidently she cleaned everything to finish as the winner on four marks, with Emma second on seven and Donna third on thirty.

This puts her in the lead for the championship with two wins and a second so far. With the next round just two weeks away Becky’s hoping her wrist makes a quick recovery so she can get practicing!