Top of the world for former BASE student Reece

Becoming the World Champion in your chosen sport is what dreams are made of and that’s just what former @BordersCollege student Reece Wilson has gone and done.

Reece, from Gordon, was recently crowned as the elite men’s champion on the final day of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships, held in Leogang, Austria with a time of 3:51.243, posted early on in the competition.

Reece put all his experience of wet and miserable Scottish conditions to great effect as he blitzed the course with a clean run and, of course, the training from his time on the BASE course would have been vital in achieving this.

Upon learning of his victory, an emotional Reece said:

“I don’t know what went right this weekend, I was ready for it to be wet or dry… I just believed in myself. I needed a year off, I used it productively and I came here and I believed I could be the guy who could win. And now that I’m here, I can’t believe it! I’ve worked really hard, and yeh – here we are.”

Run in conjunction with the world-famous Dirt School, the BASE Mountain Biking course is a performance-based, three-year full-time academic programme that allows the students to ride their bikes and work on their technique two days a week while attaining a recognised HN level qualification. It creates an inclusive environment that has allowed over 100 young people to learn important life skills.

Over the years, the course has produced some of the finest talent in the world of mountain biking, and Reece has added to this tally with, no doubt, the greatest achievement yet.

The excellent reputation that Borders College and Dirt School have achieved over the last ten years, along with the economic benefits this course has brought to the Borders region is second to none, and Reece is a great example of the excellent work that goes on within the BASE programme.

Darren Burns, Curriculum Learning Manager for Sport and Outdoor Pursuits, commented:

“I am delighted for Reece and look forward to watching him achieve even more. He is a great role model for our current MTB students. Borders College and Dirt School staff can be proud of the contribution that they have played in his development. I am sure Reece will be enjoying his victory but will have one eye on getting back to training to ensure he can stay ahead of other riders, including Borders College FPs.”