BRAINTREE Bullets BMX Club were back in action at the HSBC National BMX Series' opening rounds at the National Cycling Centre in Manchester.

The Bullets fielded 41 entries as they commenced their campaign to regain their National club champion status.

A number of Bullets took class wins and Cameron Parrish got the ball rolling as he won his first National Series final on the first day of competition in the nine to 12 cruiser class.

Parrish backed it up on the second day's racing as he made it two wins out of two to start the season.

Oli Cutmore also doubled up the wins in the 17 to 29s cruiser class, with club-mate Shane Redgewell just a couple of places back on both days in third. Cutmore also competed in the prestigious Superclass among the best racers in the country and worked his way through to the finals, finishing eighth on the first day and sixth on the second.

Another rider taking his first ever national final win was Charlie O’Grady in the 16s.

O'Grady sat out most of the 2016 season through injury, but the Tabor Academy pupil settled himself in with a third-place finish on the first day, before stepping up his game on day two as he worked his way through the field to claim victory.

In the nine to ten girls, Freia Challis was looking to retain her national title and got things underway with a solid second place on day one.

Fired up by the challenge, Challis stomped her authority on the class on the second day as she kept a clean sheet on her way to the win.

Her elder brother, Hayden, also had a great weekend's racing as he took second and third place finishes in the 15 to 16 cruiser class.

Just missing out on a class win was Adam Gilbert in the 12s.

He led the final on day two only to be pipped on the line to finish second, having taken fourth on the first day.

Club coach Julian Allen claimed a pair of third-place finishes in the 40 to 44 cruiser class with some great cornering moves, while Seb Pantlin, in the 14s, and Kelsey Dixon, in the over-17 ladies, also made it to the podium positions.

Five other Bullets also made their first finals at national level.

Charlie Long took a sixth and seventh in the six and unders, Heath Thomas rode to seventh and eighth in the sevens, Teresa Challis made her way to sixth and eighth in the over-30 ladies, while Dave Pattle rode in the finals of the newly-formed over-50 class.

Josh Cates took to the gate in the 11s but unfortunately took a tumble in the first corner.

The club will be commencing their summer race series at the Deanery Hill track in May and hosting the opening round of the East Anglian Summer series on April 9.

For more information about the clubs coaching and racing please contact joolsxlr8@btinternet.com or visit www.braintreebmx.com