Cycling: Walker, Pickard pick up BMX titles

World number one Sarah Walker cruised to victory today. Photo / Getty Images

It was an even dozen for world No 1 Sarah Walker who cruised to victory at the New Zealand BMX championships in Auckland today.

Walker was unbeaten throughout her three qualifying rides and eased to victory in the final to chalk up her 12th national title.

Tauranga 20-year-old Kurt Pickard also retained his elite men's title, while Pukekohe's Trent Woodcock-Takurua took out the elite junior honours.

More than 850 riders are competing in the two-day championships, with all age groups qualifying for quarterfinals, semifinals and finals tomorrow, with the elites competing in a Superclass competition.

While never threatened throughout, Walker said she treated it like any other race.

"I had a few things I wanted to focus on this weekend," Walker said.

"To be honest I was a bit worried when it rained yesterday which made the start ramp slippery and the track was slippery.

"But today was great. I wanted to put down a good performance. I wanted to focus on the gate, focus on getting it solid and on the process I have been working on in training at the World Cup in South Africa and all my racing.

"I treated it as if it was a World Cup against the best in the world. I just wanted to keep it simple and keep my mind on the job. I was happy with that."

She finished clear of Victoria Hill, of New Plymouth, with Papakura's Nicole Wright third.

Pickard, who beat New Zealand's top rider Marc Willers at the national championships last year, showed his continued promise after returning to the sport at the top level in the last month.

After making the semifinals at the recent World Cup in South Africa, Pickard proved in a class of his own today, winning two of his three motos and cruising home in the other before winning the final in impressive fashion.

"I did what I needed to do so I am stoked," Pickard said.

"I was quite pleased with my form today coming back from South Africa which was my first Supercross with the big boys. A top 16 finish, I was real happy with that.

"For me it is all about race experience, getting to the start line as much as possible and then get some results. It is all about being mentally prepared. That's the name of the game."

Leading results:-

Elite women, qualifying: Sarah Walker (Rotorua) 3 points 1, Victoria Hill (New Plymouth) 2, Holly Woodcock-Takurua and Nicole Eady (Whangarei) 6 equal 3. Final: Walker 1, Hill 2, Nicole Wright (Papakura) 3.

Elite men, qualifying: Matthew Cameron New Plymouth) 5 1, Kurt James (Cambridge) 6 2, Matthew Davies (Christchurch City) and Adam Cocker (East City) 7 equal 3. Final: Kurt Pickard (Tauranga) 1, Cameron 2, Cocker 3.

Junior elite men, qualifying: Trent Woodcock-Takurua (Sunset Coast) 3 1,Trent Jones (Kaiapoi) 4 2, Nic Fox (Gisborne) 7 3. Final: Woodcock-Takurua 1, Bradley Gates (Waitakere) 2, Fox 3.

- NZPA