The Isle of Man’s two-wheeled talent shone on the national stage as Manx MTB Enduro riders secured a flurry of overall honours at the finale of the British National Enduro Series in Scotland.
The fifth and final round of the season-long competition took place at the fearsome Fort William trail centre. The venue has regularly held rounds of the UCI Downhill World Cup, making the seven-stage contest a fitting location in which to crown the series champions.
Dad to the Rescue as Kennington Clinches Second
Newly crowned British National Champion Oliver Kennington arrived in Scotland just 15 points adrift of the U-15 series lead.
However, Fort William’s notoriously brutal tracks took a heavy toll during theSaturday’s final practice, leaving Kennington’s bike damaged beyond repair. In a true sporting gesture, his father sacrificed his own race, handing over his bike so Oliver could compete on the Sunday.
Battling hard on an unfamiliar setup, Oliver fought his way to a gritty fifth-place finish on the day, scoring enough points to seal an incredible second place overall in his debut national series attempt.
Ramsey Rockets
Fresh off the back of a classy victory at the local Manx MTB Enduro series the previous week, Ramsey’s Joey Huyton stepped up to national level for the first time in the U-18 category.
The debutant adapted instantly to the standard of competition, delivering four flawless timed stages. Despite a minor error on his final run, he claimed a superb second place in the round, signalling immense potential for a full championship assault in 2027.
Fellow northerner Max Hitchen entered the finale just five points off the U-21 championship lead, following a stellar season of high quality results.
After sharpening his lines on the legendary UCI World Cup downhill track during early practice, the Manxman started race day full of confidence. Despite a field flooded with local Scottish wildcards, Hitchen secured fourth on the day, safely locking down third place in the overall series.
Coral’s Far From a Gamble
Port Erin’s Coral Heginbotham, the island’s sole female representative, continued the exceptional run of form that has defined her season.
Having already gained valuable international experience alongside Hitchen at a world-round event in Italy earlier this year, Heginbotham demonstrated her signature consistency. She raced to a brilliant second place on the day, securing second overall in the final U-21 women’s championship standings.
Old Dogs, New Tricks
The Veteran 40 category saw a thrilling season-long, head-to-head battle continue between Laxey’s Russell Moore and Douglas’s Tom Dawson.
Having pushed each other all year, including an impressive second-place finish for Dawson at his home round on the Isle of Man, the duo rode together in practice to dissect the technical tracks.
This teamwork paid dividends, Dawson claimed second on the day and Moore took sixth, meaning the local rivals secured an incredible second and third overall respectively in the national series.
In the E-Bike Masters division, James Hinchcliff was well-placed to wrap up his campaign with a podium finish after strong performances throughout the year.
Unfortunately, the unforgiving Fort William terrain struck again, with a heavy crash causing irreparable damage to his bike. Forced into a DNF, Hinchcliff narrowly slipped to fourth overall in the championship, though his season-long form makes for an outstanding achievement at national level.
Following an extraordinary 2026 campaign, the island’s riders have firmly established the Isle of Man as a powerhouse for British mountain bike enduro talent. Backed by a thriving local event scene, the team will look to return even stronger for the 2027 season.