SAND POINT, IDAHO — Three North Kitsap athletes, three top-three finishes.

It wasn’t a bad weekend for local mountain bikers in Sand Point, Idaho two weeks ago.

Three athletes were there to take part in the final race of the Washington, Idaho, Montana (WIM) Mountain Bike Series. Kacey Chamberlin, who competes in the 18-and-under expert division of cross country, took third place in his event. Alex Olson, who competes in the 16-and-under division of cross country, took first place in his event. And Hans Eldridge, who competes in the junior 18-and-under division of downhill, took first place in his.

For Chamberlin, the win meant clinching the overall WIM series championship. It wasn’t an easy victory.

“It was a really good race, one of the hardest of the year,” he said. “It was 96 degrees or so.”

Chamberlin raced on a 24-mile course, which including several hundred feet of climbing. On top of a mountain, Chamberlin discovered that there was less oxygen than he was used to, but gutted out a third-place victory to take the WIM series by nearly 40 points.

Olson had the same hill to climb.

“I just powered up the hill early and got an advantage before the single track started,” said Olson.

Like Chamberlin, Olson also won the series for his division.

Eldridge did not have that opportunity — he missed one of the series’ five races, making him ineligible — but was pleased all the same by his performance on the six-mile downhill track.

“It was smooth, it flowered really well,” said Eldridge, who completed the course in seven minutes, 29 seconds.

The closest competitor was 25 seconds behind.

Eldridge said, “I wish I could have taken first (in the series) because I was more consistent than the guy who won. But I felt really good about my performance.”

Eldridge said, “When we raced I beat him by a lot.”

Eldridge, like the other two racers, plans to continue. He has already started another series in Snoqualmie, and took first place in the season’s first race.