Rotorua mountainbikers showed their class at the weekend with some impressive wins at this year's Oceania Mountainbiking Championships.
Close to 200 competitors, the largest field of entrants in the 2012 season took on the Whaka Downhill yesterday with seeding indicating a strong Australian challenge, particularly in the Junior U19 men's race.
Local hopes in the junior race rested with Louis Hamilton and Jake Robinson but they were beaten by Australian Brent Smith (3:16:41) by the slimmest of margins, earning him his first Oceania Championship title. Robinson was second (3:16:73) with Hamilton third (3:17:27)
In the women's elite race Lower Hutt's Sarah Atkin added the Oceania title to her stellar 2012 season in a time of 3:50:91, ahead of disappointed local Gabby Molloy (3:51:77) who lost time with a mid-course crash. Auckland's Sophie-Marie Bethell (4:10: 65) came third.
In the elite men's race Kawerau's Matt Walker set the benchmark time (3:09:18) but was beaten by Alexandra's Matt Scoles (3:07:20) with New Plymouth rider Wyn Masters taking third (3:10:03).
Australian Sid Taberlay won the men's cross country eliminator in the knock-out format race on a tough circuit. He was beaten for outright honours by Switzerland's Patrick Luthi who was ineligible for the title as he has Swiss residency. Kiwis Brad Hudson and Mathew Waghorn came second and third respectively.
Tauranga's Vanessa Quin, 2004 World Downhill Champion, made a successful return to racing with a win in the women's race with New Zealander Raewyn Morrison taking second and Australian Katherine O'Shea third.
In the Super D on Friday Rotorua riders took five of the seven titles - Samuel Shaw, Peter Calnan, Connor Hamilton, Amanda Davies and Sarah Beadel all winning their division.
Locals also dominated on Saturday in the cross-country with Dirk Peters, Nigel McDowell, Amber Johnston, John Gray, Garth Weinberg, Monique Avery and Sarah Beadel all winning their divisions.
Whakatane's Karen Hanlen won the elite women's race in 1h 29m 36s, ahead of Wellington's Rosara Joseph and Australian Jenni King. The first Rotorua woman home was Katherine O'Neill who was fourth.
In the elite men the top three spots were taken out by Australians Daniel McConnell, Lachlan Norris and Paul van der Ploeg with Rotorua's Carl Jones in fourth.
Rotorua's Dirk Peters grabbed his first Oceania title in the Under-23 men's event (1h 18m 36s), followed by Aussie Cameron Ivory and Christchurch's Brad Hudson. Taking his first Oceania title in the U19 men's race was Rotorua's Nigel McDowell, 38 seconds faster than Nelson's Tom Filmer and Australia's Ben Bradley. Also impressive was Amber Johnston in the U19 women's race, more than two minutes ahead of nearest rivals, Dunedin's Samantha Hope and Whakatane's Toshiko Knight.
In the senior men's race John Gray was first in 1h 10m 31s, ahead of Australia's Greg Doerksen and Wellington's Matthew Page.
Rotorua legend Garth Weinberg owned the Masters 40-50 category, winning in 1h 9m 12s, ahead of Ohope's Rex Humpherson and Rotorua's Michael Spanbroek.
After a long lay-off through injury Monique Avery showed class to win the senior women's division ahead of Timaru's Emma Prestidge while local Sarah Beadel was first in the master women's division in 1h 8m 59s.