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"There were no flashers as such but the local girls thought the boys were famous footballers because of all the photographs I was taking and Ian Hughes of Scott was there looking like a football agent. The girls were all over the guys.
"Some of the girls were really taken with one of the riders but he was a bit reticent. One girl told him ‘shy bairns get no toffee’ as she draped herself all over him. He passed up the chance."
Despite being dressed in the regulation Tyneside lad’s ‘night-oot’ uniform of chinos and short-sleeved shirts (remember, it’s the middle of winter and down by the Tyne can be chilly), the team were restrained, and contrary to what you might later read in MBUK, were all away from the Toon by 10.30pm, perhaps one of the reasons why Steve Behr got no shots of flashing females (they need to be reasonably tanked up before they bare all).
The next morning team members were all up bright and early for the XC and jumping shots, staged in Chopwell Woods, a key spot for MTBing on Tyneside.
The photo above was taken on Newcastle quayside, Saturday morning, near the new cycle and pedestrian bridge.
XC national champ Oli Beckingsale heads up the XC team with five riders chasing the MBUK/Scott scholarship, including the only female member of the team, Sophie Johnson, a 16-year old from Blandford Forum.
DH rider Will Longden (runner-up national DH championships) heads up the DH Team with another five riders chasing the DH scholarship.
