The first race of the year for many took place on Sunday 16th January marking the start of the 2011 race season. Although the big races aren’t for a couple a months these early season tests of form are a good indicator of what to expect come the season proper.

For the Firecrest Skills Trained Athletes competing yesterday in Cross-country and Downhill the season couldn’t off got off to a better start!

Racing at Round 1 of the Gorrick Spring Cross-Country Series www.gorrick.com Maxine Filby put her skills and fitness (she’s also trained by Firecrests fitness and performance coach Graham Warby) to good use to win the Expert Women’s race by a comfortable 10min margin getting the series and her season off to a great start.

Maxine said “I felt really good, the course felt massively grippy compared with yesterday (Maxine was on a FMTB skills course at Aston Hill the day before) even though everyone was saying how slippery it was. Thanks for yesterday it was fab!”

Full results from Timelaps: http://bit.ly/hy8Qdi

Harry Molloy and Josh Lowe were both racing at Mr Blings Downhill race at PORC in Kent on home turf the Firecrest MTB Skills Trained Athletes won the Senior and Youth categories respectively. With Harry just sneaking fastest time of the day from Steve Peat Syndicate Rider Nathan Vials by 0.26 of a second. Josh meanwhile had nothing to worry about with a five second margin over second place in the Youth category and fourth fastest time of the day.

Full results from Mikrotime: http://bit.ly/ep9Knm

So, we are off and racing in 2011 and I have a feeling we’ve not seen the best of the Firecrest Trained Athletes yet. With the rest of the FMTB trained athletes working towards their season goals and in action over the next few weeks and months I’m sure there are more great results to come in 2011. Watch this space!