Racing at Poole, Dorset on Saturday, Becky took 2nd place in the British U-13 Individual Championship Final. In doing so, she broke 53 years of male domination of the sport of cycle speedway, by becoming the first female rider ever to finish in the top three of a British Individual Cycle Speedway Final, at any category. She won three of her five races, and finished second in her other two when starting from the unfavourable outside start, to finish with 18 points. Carl Jarvis of Leicester took the title, with 19 points. He had the inside starting position against Becky and won what turned out to be the decisive race. Lee Richardson of Ipswich also finished with 18 points, and he lined up on the inside start for a 2nd place run-off against Becky. However, Astley & Tyldesley's history maker made a great start and pulled away to win and take the silver medal.

Becky, a pupil at Fred Longworth High School, Tyldesley, started racing cycle speedway as a 10 year old, in April 2001 at the Gin Pit circuit. She looked the part from the outset and has steadily improved her racing. Last year, she won the Northern U-13 Grand Prix series, and in August this year, she won the Manchester League U-13 Individual title and the Manchester League U-13 Grand Prix series. Becky also smashed the all time record for an U-13 racer at the Gin Pit circuit by a full second in a recent training session.

So, Becky Heslop has gained a permanent place in the cycle speedway record books, ensuring that the club's sponsor, her father Roy, gets a unique return on his investment in the Astley & Tyldesley Miners' Welfare / CTA Direct Cycle Speedway Club.