BMX: Local riders take out champs titles

The BMX National Championships were held in Christchurch over Easter. Pictured is New Plymouth's Matt Cameron who won the men's elite title. Photo / Supplied

Three Rotorua riders have won national titles at the BMX National Championships in Christchurch.

The Rotorua BMX Club took down a group of 42 riders to the national champs over Easter weekend.

Rotorua's Jeanette Davies, Dave Mohi and Megan Williams all won their age group divisions.

Megan, 10, won the girls' 11-years division ahead of fellow Rotorua rider Jenna Hastings, 11, who finished second. It was a top effort from the pair who were up against a field of 20 riders.

Davies finished first in the female 30-39 age group, in the cruiser division. The cruiser division features bikes with 24-inch wheels, rather than the more common 20-inch wheels.

Mohi won two titles in the men's 40-49 age division and the cruiser 45-49 men's division.

There were plenty of other top five finishes from Rotorua riders, which helped the club secure the inter-club Pocock Trophy.

Rotorua BMX Club president Melanie Short said they were a strong club nationally.

"We do have some great riders in our club and it shows in the results, and basically our club members train so hard. There is opportunities to be at the club four times a week."

She said it was always busy on the club days as members turned out in good numbers to train on the local track.

Short said while there were some top results, other riders did not finish where they would have hoped. She said BMX was the kind of sport where things can go wrong on the day.

"BMX is a tough sport ... it is sometimes out of your control and it is about recognising that is what BMX is about. It is an on the day [sport]. You can be dominating all season but it all matters what happens on the day."

Rotorua won the Pocock Trophy which is contested between each club attending the nationals.

Each club choose six of their riders, who must be in different divisions, and their points count towards the trophy.

On Friday, the elite racing was staged with Matt Cameron (New Plymouth) and Rebecca Petch (Te Awamutu) winning the elite titles.

Kawerau Olympian Sarah Walker, who is a life member of the Rotorua BMX Club, was planning on making her long-awaited comeback from injury at the nationals, but had to miss racing on Friday because of a niggling knee injury.

Two of the Rotorua BMX Club's most promising young riders, Lachlan Stevens-McNab and Jenna Hastings, were also selected for the New Zealand Mighty 11s test team, to race against Australia in June.

- Rotorua BMX Club results (top-five finishes):

7-year girls: Hayley Hanna 4th; 8-year girls: Bella Birchall 2nd, Kate Hastings 3rd; 10-year girls: Caitlin Flavell 4th; 10-year boys: Reeve Hildreth 4th; 11-year girls: Megan Williams 1st, Jenna Hastings 2nd; 11-year boys: Daniel Butterworth 4th; 14-year boys: Tuhoto-Ariki Pene 5th; 40-49 men: Dave Mohi 1st. Cruiser division (24-inch wheels): 8-10 boys: Reeve Hildreth 4th; 30-39 women: Jeanette Davies 1st; 45-49 men: Dave Mohi 1st.