Manx riders take five overall podium places at British enduro finale

Isle of Man mountain bikers took a string of overall podium places at the final round of the British National Enduro Series, held over seven stages at Fort William in Scotland, Energy FM reported.

The Highland trail centre, a regular host of the UCI Downhill World Cup, staged the fifth and last round of the season-long series, where the series champions were decided.

Oliver Kennington, recently crowned British National Champion, travelled north 15 points behind the leader in the under-15 standings. His bike was damaged beyond repair during final practice on the Saturday, and his father withdrew from his own race to give Oliver his bike for Sunday’s competition.

Riding an unfamiliar machine, Kennington finished fifth on the day, enough to secure second place overall in his first attempt at the national series.

Ramsey’s Joey Huyton, who won the local Manx MTB Enduro series the week before, competed at national level for the first time in the under-18 category. He rode four clean timed stages and, despite a minor mistake on his last run, finished second in the round, according to Energy FM.

Max Hitchen, also from the north of the island, went into the finale five points off the lead in the under-21 championship. After practising on the World Cup downhill track, he placed fourth on the day against a field that included many Scottish wildcard entries, confirming third overall in the series.

Port Erin’s Coral Heginbotham, the only Manx woman in the field, finished second on the day and second overall in the under-21 women’s standings. She had earlier raced alongside Hitchen at a world-round event in Italy this year.

In the Veteran 40 category, Laxey’s Russell Moore and Douglas’s Tom Dawson continued a rivalry that has run all season. Dawson had taken second at the series round staged on the Isle of Man.

The pair practised together at Fort William to work through the technical tracks. Dawson finished second on the day and Moore sixth, leaving them second and third respectively in the final national standings.

There was disappointment in the E-Bike Masters division for James Hinchcliff, who had been in contention for a podium finish overall. A heavy crash left his bike beyond repair and he was recorded as a DNF, dropping to fourth in the championship.

Energy FM described 2026 as an extraordinary campaign for the island’s enduro riders and said they would look to return stronger in 2027, backed by a busy local events calendar.