2011 Mountainbike National Championships Wrap

*2011 Mountainbike National Championships Wrap - Final Day Wrap from Dunedin

*The six event 2011 RaboDirect Mountainbike National Championships programme
finished today with the Short Track Cross Country and Downhill races, both
at Signal Hill, Dunedin.

*Short Track Cross Country*

One of the most popular of the three supporting events at the Champs, the
STXC or dirt criterium drew a fantastic mens field eager to duke it out on
the 800m circuit in front of a raucous crowd of downhill racers and
spectators.

Eleven racers took on the 20 minute, multi-lap sprint challenge, a field
containing a mix of Under 17, Under 19 Juniors and seasoned Elite
competitors. Tokoroa's Mike Northcott controlled the race from the front in
the early stages, but the charging first year Under 19 Junior Anton Cooper
(Christchurch) seemed to be biding his time, before finally attacking 15
minutes in. Cooper had the legs and the lungs to ride away from Northcott
and the rest of the mens field to claim an utterly convincing title - his
second National Championship win in two days. Hillclimb champion Tom Filmer
(Nelson) gamely hung on for third place, behind an exhausted Northcott.

*Downhill*

Slippery conditions which had caused major issues for racers during practice
sessions had finally eased off by race day morning - the Signal Hill course
drying just enough to take the unpredictable factor out of the picture.

Seeding showed no real surprises, with form riders all at the top of the age
group and Elite start lists for the 2pm race start.

Tension built through the age group categories in the lead-up to the Elite
race as championship titles started to be delivered. A notable result going
to Under 17 Mens winner Tom Burns, who seeded first and converted that
advantage into a championship win. The Dunedin local finding enough pace to
win by a staggering 10 seconds. The Under 19 Mens title was another that was
highly sought after. Top seed Reuben Olorenshaw (Nelson) had a huge
advantage up his sleeve going into the 2pm race, and while he didn't have
his usual clean and composed result in terms of his final run, was still
able to push hard enough to claim the win. The Nelson flier has now
collected National Championship titles as an Under 15, Under 17 and now
Under 19 rider - unprecedented in NZ's downhill results history.

Defending National Champion Harriet Harper (Santa Cruz, Nelson) won the
Elite Womens race convincingly in Dunedin and in a time that had many of her
male peers envious.

In the feature Elite Mens race, Nathan Rankin (Monster Energy, Levin) had
seeded poorly but put together a race run that looked to be competitive
enough to take the title. Rankins time held until 6th seed George Brannigan
(Ancillotti, Havelock North) peeled nearly two seconds out of him to take
the leaders hotseat. Five riders were still capable of going quicker than
Brannigan - Rupert Chapman (Christchurch) couldn't improve on his 5th seed
time; Mathew Scoles (Cingolani-Protone, Alexandra) went four seconds quicker
than his seeding time but this was only good enough for 8th; Justin Leov
(Trek World Racing, Dunedin) also improved but not enough; former Elite
World Champion Gee Atherton (Commencal, Great Britain) crashed heavily in
the top part of the course and couldn't finish, so the final starter and
fastest seed Cameron Cole was the only rider who had a shot at beating
Brannigan for the title. 2006 Junior World Champion Cole was composed,
lightening fast and up to the task, stopping the clock at 2:58.13 - the only
rider to race a sub 3 minute run to take the prized Elite National
Championship title.

Harper and Cole will now proudly wear the stunning new Downhill National
Champions jersey while racing overseas this year - displaying the NZ flag on
their full right sleeves from shoulder to cuff as recognition of their
titles.

Cole's race run completed a busy domestic competitive race season for New
Zealand's top mountainbikers, with many moving north to begin 2011 World Cup
campaigns after competing at the Oceania Mountainbike Championships March
17-20 in Shepparton, Australia.

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