MTB

Mountain bikers chase national honours at Cardrona

By Sports Media NZ

The country’s best mountain bikers head south for the first of two big weekends of action.

They will contest the Altherm Window Systems New Zealand Championships for both cross country and downhill at the Cardrona Bike Park near Wanaka over the weekend.

The following weekend Kiwi riders take on the best from over the Tasman when they host the Oceania championships in Queenstown, again for both cross country and downhill riders.

World under-23 champion Anton Cooper will defend his national elite title where he will again come up against 2014 champion Sam Gaze, with the young fulltime professionals both chasing a likely one spot for the Rio Olympics.

The national championship is a selection event towards Rio before the pair make their elite debuts in the UCI World Cup in April, with two rounds offering important qualifying ranking points before selection.
Queenstown’s Kate Fluker will be the hot favourite in the elite women with interest in the return to top level competition of Wellington’s Samara Sheppard, a former under-23 World Cup winner, and rising star Amber Johnston (Rotorua).


Anton Cooper in action in last year’s national championships in Rotorua. Photo © Fotoengineers

Riders will contest the revamped course at the Cardrona Alpine Park with a 4km loop with 226m of elevation per lap.

The elite, under-23 and under-19 categories will compete on Saturday at 1.30pm with the U15,
U17, Senior, Masters from 10am.

Sunday belongs to the gravity riders down a spectacular course at Cardrona, with many coming off the back of last weekend’s Crankworx in Rotorua, where national champion George Brannigan was the best of the Kiwis in runner-up spot ahead.

Practice for all classes is from 8am, with timed seeding run from 11am and racing from 1pm.
The national championships are organised by the Lake Wanaka Mountain Bike Club.

Details: www.mtbnationals.co.nz
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