Young racer Alfie made history at Pendine Sands after setting four new junior land speed records during a challenging weekend of beach racing.
Used to competing on tarmac circuits, Alfie adapted quickly to the unfamiliar sandy terrain aboard his 70cc motorbike. Despite difficult weather conditions eventually forcing organisers to cancel Sunday’s event for safety reasons, the young rider still delivered an impressive performance across the weekend.
According to his father, Karl Barraclough, worsening wet sand conditions made racing unsafe by Sunday afternoon, but riders were still able to enjoy strong sessions on Saturday and earlier in the weekend.
Competing in the junior category, Alfie broke records in the standing start 500 metres, 1 kilometre, quarter mile, and half mile classes. His highest recorded speed reached an impressive 58.614mph over the half-mile distance.
Karl explained that Alfie approached his early runs carefully while learning how the bike behaved on sand, but quickly grew in confidence and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. In fact, the young racer is already looking ahead to returning next year.
The weekend also brought unexpected attention for the family, with Alfie becoming something of a crowd favourite among spectators and locals. Fans asked for autographs, photos, and even waited to greet him when he arrived at the event.
His growing popularity is partly due to his achievements in drag racing and television appearances, but his latest success has now made him the youngest rider ever to set a speed record on sand.
The four new achievements increase Alfie’s total number of land speed records to 27, adding to the 23 he had already secured on tarmac across various distances, speeds, and motorcycle categories.
For Alfie’s family, racing successfully at the legendary Pendine Sands circuit made the occasion even more special — and they hope it is only the beginning of his sand-racing journey.
