MTB

Gaze, Fluker claim national honours as they chase Olympic nomination

By Sports Media NZ

Waikato’s Sam Gaze has taken out the Altherm Window Systems New Zealand Mountain Bike Championships for cross-country at the Cardrona Bike Park near Wanaka.

The Specialized professional, who broke clear on the second lap,won emphatically after rival and under-23 world champion Anton Cooper punctured and stopped to change his front wheel.

The championship was the first of the key 2016 selection races as the pair chase nomination for the likely one place available for a New Zealand cross-country rider for the Rio Olympics.

Glasgow Commonwealth Games representative Kate Fluker from Queenstown overcame a first lap puncture to storm back to retain her elite women’s title

Rain made for slippery conditions especially for the morning age group races but cleared for the elite races in the afternoon, although riders ventured into the mist at altitude on the Cardrona mountains.
Much was expected from Gaze and Cooper with close-fought duels in the last two national championships where the honours were shared, and at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games where Cooper led a Kiwi one-two finish.

Gaze had returned from a five-week training stint in South Africa while Cooper spent the last month training in the Central Otago mountain trails.

They broke away from the field on the first of five 4km laps before Gaze pushed hard to open a gap on the second lap, gaining a one minute advantage. That gap stretched to three minutes after Cooper suffered a slow puncture and was forced to change the front wheel.


Gaze. Photo © Barking Cat Photography

“I can’t remember hitting anything but got the puncture and took the precaution to change my front wheel which cost me over a minute,” said Cooper. “But for sure the race was probably done for me by then anyway. Sam attacked hard on the second lap and I couldn’t go with that.

“It was my first race for six months so I will now regroup and look forward to next week.”

Gaze, 20, was then able to settle into a strong pace, the fastest rider on each lap as he pushed to his second national championship title in 1:19:53 with Cooper second more than three minutes back with a further 90 seconds to North Canterbury’s Ben Oliver, who enjoyed a strong ride.

“I really wanted a result today that reflected the training that I’ve done and I am really happy to do that today,” said Gaze.

“I was nervous coming into this first big goal of the season. It’s unfortunate that Anton did not have the best legs today because I really wanted a big battle with both of us at our best but I will take the win how it comes.

“I felt great today but now I have to put it behind me and focus on the Oceania championships next weekend which is the next selection race. I am honoured to be able to wear the national championship colours when I race around the world this year.”

Fluker made life challenging when she punctured on the first lap when she mistimed a jump, and was forced to make a wheel change.

She trailled Samara Sheppard and Kim Hurst by two and a half minutes after the first lap, before closing to 35 seconds behind at the end of lap two and claimed the lead on the third lap.

Fluker went on to win in 1:22.59, nearly two minutes ahead of Hurst with Sheppard a further three minutes back.

The Queenstown rider, setting herself for potential selection to the Rio Olympics, said she drew inspiration from close friend and mountain bike icon Kelly McGarry, who died recently.


Fluker. Photo © Barking Cat Photography

“Kelly was my motivation for the day. I actually enjoyed the pain of fighting back because I feel very lucky to be able to do this sport. It was all for him,” Fluker said.

“I am really stoked that I stuck to my plan through the off-season. I came into this race feeling so good and I hope it is a sign of things to come.”

Wellington’s Eden Cruise impressed in winning the under-19 honours as a rider for the future, while at the other end of the spectrum multisport and mountain bike legend Steve Gurney took out the men’s 50 plus age group honours.

Attention turns to the gravity riders who compete in the downhill competition on Sunday on a spectacular course at the Cardrona Bike Park.

Results:
Elite women overall (4 laps): Kate Fluker (Queenstown) 1:22.59, 1; Kim Hurst (Wellington) 1:24.47, 2; Samara Sheppard (Wellington) 1:27.33, 3; Myra Timena Moller (Cook Islands) 1:32.58, 4; Melissa Newell (Wanaka) 1:36.08, 5.
Under-17 (2 laps): Phoebe Young (Queenstown) 50:21, 1; Courtney Ross (Christchurch) 55:00, 2.
Under-15 (2 laps): Scarlett Buissink (Counties Manukau) 1:11.24, 1.
Elite men overall (5 laps): Sam Gaze (Cambridge, Specialized Factory Team) 1:19.53, 1; Anton Cooper (Woodend, Cannondale Factory Team) 1:23.27, 2; Ben Oliver (North Canterbury) 1:24.54, 3; Jack Compton (Wellington) 1:25.20, 4; Gareth Cannon (Manawatu) 1:27.45, 5.
Under-19 (4 laps): Eden Cruise (Wellington) 1:12.36, 1; Jack Wilson (Tauranga) 1:13.34, 2; Cameron Richards (Christchurch) 1:15.07, 3; Taylor Johnson (Rotorua) 1:16.06, 4; Daniel Holt-Pedersen (Auckland)1:16.48, 5.
Under-17: Cameron Jones (Nelson) 51:36, 1; Hamish Dodd (Rotorua) 54:45, 2; Julius Staufenberg (Queenstown) 55:38, 3.
Under-15 (2 laps): Adam Francis (Manawatu) 36:46, 1; Ethan Rose (Christchurch) 38:19, 2; Angus Riordan (Tauranga) 39:25, 3.
Age-group overall: Steve Bale (Wellington) 1:17.28 Glenn Haden (Wanganui) 1:18.09, 2; Eryn Culter (Queenstown) 1:19.08, 3; Nicholas Noble (Queenstown) 1:21.58, 4; Steve Gurney (Christchurch) 1:22;54, 5.