Thrills and spills
Hairy Coo returns to Comrie Croft circuit
Intrepid mountain bikers took to the slopes of Comrie Croft on Sunday for the annual Hairy Coo as part of the Crieff and Strathearn Drovers’ Tryst walking festival.
The event has become a popular part of the mountain-biking circuit with three separate races giving riders of all ages and abilities the opportunity to enjoy the thrills of the Comrie Croft trails.
First up was the Wee Race, a fun and less technically demanding jaunt for adults which also incorporated the U16 and U14 categories in the Big Tree Campervan Youth MTB Series.
The youngsters went all out, racing hard to give the adults a run for their money.
The Bairns Race was next. Also part of the Big Tree Series, it saw riders as young as five years old test their skills on the tracks.
The Big Race rounded off the day with more experienced men and women tackling the harder trails in a full test of fitness, speed and skill.
And it was local lad Charlie Aldridge who seemed to fly round the four laps to come home first and lift the bespoke Hairy Coo trophy crafted by Jane Drysdale of Crieff’s Carnelian Crafts.
At only 15 years old, Charlie was taking on the adults in the Big Race for the first time but the U-16 Scottish Cross Country Mountain Biking Championship winner made it look easy as he raced round.
Afterwards, Simon Yearsley of Big Tree Campervans – sponsor of the Bairns and part of the Wee Race – said it was great to see so many entrants, particularly in the younger age groups.
He told the Herald: “Response in the number of entries in the U-16s races has been fantastic. And what we’ve also got is enthusiasm and that’s one of the keys to getting young people on bikes.
“This is a wonderful location and a great venue. I’ve watched the event grow over the years from a small happening to something that is quite major now on the mountain-biking circuit, and on the leisure and tourism circuit in Perthsire and in Scotland.”