This year was for Ben Shaw meant to be about finding his feet.
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Stepping up to the under 15s division, the 12-year-old was looking at it more for good experience in readiness for next year when he would be the top age.
But, as he has continually done since he first started racing in the dirt masters at the local twilight meetings, the Tamworth teenager has risen to the challenge.
In the two national events he has competed in he has finished on the podium
Most recently he won bronze in both the XCC (short course) and XCO (cross country) at the AusCycling Mountain Bike National Championships, which wrapped up on Sunday.
Cementing his reputation as one of the best young talents in the country, Ben said his results exceeded his expectations.
Being under-age he'd been hoping to finish top five.
In saying that, his two thirds in the opening weekend of the National Series a few weeks before had given him the belief that he could medal.
"I think Stromlo was a really good set up for nationals," Ben's dad Chris said.
"Those two races there sort of helped him get in some really good shape for the nationals."
It was a repeat of the podium from Canberra in Thredbo, with Monty Manion and Oliver Grande taking the gold and silver in both events.
"Those two guys particularly are very strong and they're in the second year of their under 15s," Chris said.
"We sort of knew that those guys were good and Ben just wanted to try and go with them."
He was just over a minute behind Manion in both, and not "too far off" second in the cross-country after a late charge.
"There was Monty, Oliver and this other kid that went out with them, and I was coming fourth for some of the race," Ben said.
"When we got to the top of the hill I put an attack in and got around him and that got me third."
It was a bit of a rollercoaster start to the championships with Ben suffering what Chris described as a mild asthma attack after finishing the first lap of the cross-country relay (XCR).
"It's just because of the altitude," he said.
"It's a lot different, just sort of takes your breath away a little bit more."
The first time Ben has experienced that racing before once he adjusted to it, he was fine.
Teaming up with good mate Jock Barwick and Hunter rider Matilda Hanlon they went on to win silver, which was a great result having the disadvantage of one less rider after some "confusion" about the numbers.
Originally four to a team, the were then told it was three only for organisers to just before the start of the race change it back to four.
Ben said the results have given him a lot of confidence looking towards next year, and in the more immediate the next round of the National Series, which will be held at Nerang on the first weekend in March.
Last year he won up there.
Two weeks later he will be back up to Queensland for what will be his first Oceania Championships.
Barwick also competed in the under 15s and finished fifth in the XCO and sixth in the XCC.
