National title for city club's young BMX superstar

‘Jumping’ Jess Marriott earned a world number 4 ranking for 12 year-olds after a great performance in France last month.

And last weekend she retained her national female 12 title in Birmingham after another stellar display.

Marriott recorded two firsts and a second in the final two races of the British National Cycling event series the before winning the final and claiming another gold medal.

Other city racers were also in action in Birmingham.

In the Male 16 event Owen Putland made the podium on Saturday with a third place finish and then finished seventh on Sunday giving an overall series standing of 5th, while Joseph Carey won the B final both days for a final series position of 8thLee Carrick returned to racing after taking 4 years out to finish 6th in the Veterans class final standingswhich was a terrific effort after so long out.Jack Ellis made his national series debut and suffered a nasty crash which left him knocked out. He finished 28th overall.And there was a second place finish and a couple of third place finishes for Peterborough BMX riders in the Cruiser races.Leah Pearson, the reigning British champion in female 30+ cruiser, finished 3rd on Saturday and 4th on Sunday to finish 3rd overall, a position matched by Darren Thompson in the male 30/39 cruiser class.Alfie Thompson finished 8th in the cruiser final standings in the 13/14 merged age and Owen Putland finished 2nd in the standings in the 15-16 merged cruiser class.Richard Ellis finished rode strongly all weekend to reach two A finals, finishing 5th both days for a final standing of 4th in the series in the 50+ cruiser.

Marriott, from Sutton near Ely, has been competing in national and regional races since she first got on a BMX bike aged eight. She is a student at Witchford College.

Her World Championship races in France were her first taste of competitive action abroad.

She also competes at age groups events againt older boys to give her stiffer competition.

Peterborough BMX Club can be found at Benyon Grove, Orton Malborne.