Mountain bikers hit the trails for Round 3 of Tamworth Twilight series

Only a second separated the brothers in the elite men's race, with Justin pipping older brother Steve.

Backing up from competing in his first national level race in Canberra, where he finished 12^th in the under-17s, the weekend previous Lachie Butters was third behind them after completing two laps.

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Sixty eight riders assembled at the central picnic area for the third round of the year, race co-ordinator Ross Aylwin deciding, now that the season is settling into a rhythm, to start sending them up the mountain.

The Rec, C and Junior Elite riders had a 12-15 min loop taking in the Southpark loop, Taipans Bends and the newly re-furbished and dizzying corkscrew descent off the end of hillside, before heading back up Secret Valley. It was then a shortcut back to the timing shed.

Not so for the B grade riders, who got to have a poke around over the CheeseGrater and North Hill shortcut before heading back to the timing shed. The A and elite grade riders were on top of that also sent to the top of North Hill.

Marty Siddons finished first in what was a competitive A grade race, ahead of Aylwin and Tim Harris.

After a few in race battles, Jack Hyde took the honours from Ben Baker and James Eason in B grade, the latter perfectly timing his attack to slip over the line eight seconds ahead of Laurie Willis, who was the first woman.

Mark Follington was first in the C grade men, Liza Mackay just edging out Renae Sharples in the women's.

Jock Barwick scorched his rivals in the junior elites, while Elesa Crowley took top spot in the recreation division, Jack Ormiston the dirtmasters A boys and Ella Wright the girls, and Rory Simms (boys) and Claudia Eason (girls) the Bs.

RESULTS

Elite Men: 1st Justin Roberts 48.06 (3 laps), 2nd Steven Roberts 48.07 (3 laps), 3rd Lachie Butters (2 laps)

A grade men: 1st Marty Siddons 36.40 (2 laps), 2nd Ross Aylwin 37.48 (2 laps), 3rd Tim Harris 38.00 (2 laps)

B Grade Men: 1st Jack Hyde 40.54 (3 laps), 2nd Ben Baker 42.02 (3 laps), 3rd James Eason 43.10 (3 laps)

B Grade Women: 1st Laurie Willis 43.18 (3 laps)

C Grade Men: 1st Mark Follington 35.34 (3 laps), 2nd Glen Bramley 39.33 (3 laps), 3rd Flynn Sylvester (2 laps)

C Grade Women: 1st Liza Mackay 32.15 (2 laps), 2nd Renae Sharples 32.16 (2 laps)

Junior Elite Men: Jock Barwick 35:01.7 (3 laps), Liam Marsh 41:37.6 (3 laps), Angus Hobson 43:08.2 (3 laps)

Recreation: 1st Elesa Crowley 28.48, 2nd Shakaya Fenton 38.08, 3rd Isabella Ormiston 38.10

Dirty A lads: 1st Jack Ormiston 15.32 (7 laps), 2nd Elliot Fenton 15.40 (6 laps), 3rd Harry Arndell 16.07 (4 laps)

Dirty A lassies: 1st Ella Wright (3 laps)

Dirty B lads: 1st Rory Simms 14.53 (9 laps), 2nd Cooper Taylor 15.28 (9 laps), 3rd Xavier McKenzie (6 laps)

Dirty B lassies: 1st Claudia Eason 15.08 (9 laps); 2nd overall, 2nd Eliza Lockwood (9 laps), 3rd Ruby Eason (8 laps)