A fifth place in the sixth and final round of British Cycling’s National Youth Series at Scarborough was more than enough for Team RL360 rider Amelia Sharpe to win the series overall.

The event was staged on the famous Oliver’s Mount motorcycle racing course which, with its tight twisting corners and stiff climb, is one of the toughest used in the season-long series.

Amelia started the day as the overall leader of the under-16 girls, her seven-point advantage meaning that to retain her advantage she had to finish no lower than four positions behind her main rival and only real challenger, Kate Wootton (Lee Valley Youth CC).

In what was a very tense race, a group of five riders, including Amelia and Wootton, eventually joined forces at the head of the race. The quintet stayed clear to the finish where Lauren Higham (Welwyn Wheelers) won the sprint. Wootton was second and Amelia fifth, which gave the Manx girl the overall title by a solitary point.

Later Amelia admitted that she had to dig deep in the closing stages but was delighted to have won the series, the first Manx girl to achieve such a success.

There was more excitement for the Manx contingent when Max Walker finished a brilliant second in the very competitive under-16 boys.

Max, Dylan Westley and Max Rushby (both Pedalsport CC) chased down early leaders Jamieson Blain (Halesowen CC) and Fred Ball (Andover Wheelers).

Together the five riders managed to maintain and increase their advantage over the rest of the fast-moving field. At the finish it was Westley who pipped the young Manxman for the win, with Rushby third.

Max’s RL360 team-mates, Adam Scarffe and Will Corkill, were eighth and ninth, with James Harrison 28th, Corrin Leeming 31st, Tosh Teare 39th, Aaron Lund 59th and Dan Sowerby 70th.

In the under-14 boys Matthew Cooil was the best Manx rider in a very good seventh place, 34 seconds behind eventual winner Max Poole (Bike Box). Tyler Hannay was 13th, Zac Walker 20th and Jack Christian 27th. Nathan Slack was involved in a crash on the first lap and was forced to retire.

Niall Colquitt and Drystan Sewell were the only team representatives in the u12 boys. Niall attacked and took the lead on the final lap. He was caught and swamped by the bunch, eventually crossing the line in 22nd place. Drystan was a little further down in 27th spot.

Darcy Cain was 29th in the u14 girls and Shellan Leeming 34th in the u16 girls.

A total of 10 Team RL360 riders feature in the National Series final overall standings: under-16 girls: 1, Amelia Sharpe. U16 boys: 5, Max Walker; 12, Adam Scarffe; 19, Will Corkill; 30, Tosh Teare; 42, James Harrison. U14 boys: 11, Matthew Cooil; 19, Tyler Hannay; 39, Zac Walker. U14 girls: 39, Kiera Prentice.