Northern Elite Championship glory for Portadown's Ethan Gawley in Scotland
Portadown’s Ethan Gawley delivered a brilliant performance at rounds three and four of the Northern Elite Championship around Drumclog Moto Park in Scotland.
The two-day meeting saw Gawley power the K-Tech/Fluid Plumbing and Heating 85 B/W KTM to two overall victories.
It was heavy going at the Scottish venue, with rain making the track difficult but producing some great racing.
Gawley claimed three decisive gate-to-flag wins across opening day.
After winning race one the next day it could have been a clean sweep for the Killicomaine Junior High School pupil had it not been for a crash in race two when he hit a false neutral.
The 13-year-old remounted to take the chequered flag in second before claiming victory in the final race for another overall.
One of the youngest local competitors at the Northern Elite Championship was six-year-old Zack McCorkell, the Londonderry boy who was on top form by claiming two podiums over the two days on the Aquafix Leak Detection 50cc GasGas machine.
He led the first race one until a back-marker caught him on the last lap, resulting in a crash. He remounted to finish third, then claimed another third in race two, followed by fourth in race three.
He pushed for the win in the opening races across the second day before back-markers came into play and he had to settle for second before completing his weekend with a third in his final race.
Castlederg schoolgirl Erin Deazley was in superb form at the two-day Peterborough Junior MX Club Championship at the Aghyaram MX Track, riding a 65cc KTM.
She claimed her maiden overall podium in the Junior Girls class after three outstanding victories on opening day.
Day two went to plan, with wins in her opening two races. But a crash after hitting a fallen rider left the 11-year-old with a broken nose and forced her to retire from the race.
“It was really disappointing to miss out on the podium. I need to work on my starts,” she said. “I had a few good starts over the weekend, but didn’t make a great start in my final race and paid the price. That’s racing but, overall, I enjoyed the weekend.”
In the 85cc B/W class, Chloe McAlorum impressed by racing her Yamaha YZ85 to two second-place podium finishes over the weekend.
Across the weekend past, Mark McLernon kicked off his challenge in the all-new 2026 FIM Quadcross World Championship in France.
The Hillsborough rider finished inside the top six in the 2025 Quadcross European Championships but believes this new championship will be on another level altogether.
“If I get inside the top six this year, I will be going well,” he said ahead of the programme. “I am treating it as something different and a bit of fun.
McLernon, who will race the DV Racing Yamaha in the nine-round series, is approaching the season with measured expectations. While the World Championship represents a new level, McLernon brings unmatched experience, having claimed five British titles and earned Irish Off-Road Rider of the Year honours on three occasions.