Heavy rain forced the cancellation of the final runs in the national series downhill mountain bike round in Thredbo today. Heavy rain overnight and again throughout the day caused track conditions on the famous Cannonball run to deteriorate. Officials cancelled the final downhill runs for the elite at 1.30 pm (DST). With elite riders aware that their qualifying run could be the final run of the day many took advantage to get their best time.
World ranked Nathan Rennie (Gold Coast) won the elite men’s event in 6 min 47.21 seconds well clear of current series leader Amiel Cavalier. Cavalier rode a 6 min 55.52 sec keeping him in the series lead. Adelaide youngster, Will Rischbieth placed third with a creditable time of 7 min 3.23 sec.
Rennie was pleased to back up his win after the previous national round on the Gold Coast last month but claimed the wet conditions were close to the worst he had ridden within Australia.
“There were holes everywhere and they were just filled up with water,” said Rennie. “My aim was to just keep ticking it over and keep up the speed.”
“I ran full spikes instead of regular tyres so I think I made the right choice,” he claimed.
The elite women’s final run was also cancelled leaving the world bronze medallist, Tracey Hannah from Cairns, as the eventual winner with a time of 7 min 47.89 sec. Hannah also backed up her win in the previous national series. Newcastle’s Emma McNaughton placed second with junior sports award winner, Caroline Buchanan in third.
"It was a fairly fast run but I had a bit of a slide out, lost my footing and then I crashed again," Hannah explained.
Conditions were not ideal for the far North Queensland based rider. "It was cold after coming from Cairns with record high temperature and humidity near 100 percent," she said.
"Overseas they would have still run the race but I think it was a good decision though," said Hannah."Everything was wet and the track was beaten up."
On Friday night both Hannah and Buchanan were awarded the elite and junior women's cycling awards for mountain bike at the Australian Cyclist of the Year Awards in Adelaide however both were competing in Thredbo. Buchanan also won the BMX junior women's award as well as racing and winning the fourth round of the national four cross in Thredbo on the same evening. Hannah rode her first four cross event in two years and impressed spectators to finish in second place beating rising star, Brisbane's Sarsha Huntington.
Downhill riders now prepare for the National Championships in Canberra on the Australia Day weekend. The fourth and final round of the downhill national series will be in Mt Beauty on 3 February.
Brief results
Men Elite
1st Nathan Rennie (Gold Coast, Qld) 6.47.21
2nd Amiel Cavalier (Wollongong, NSW) 6.55.52
3rd Will Rischbieth (Stirling, SA) 7.03.23
Elite Women
1st Tracey Hannah (Cairns, Qld) 7.47.89
2nd Emma McNaughton (Newcastle, NSW) 8.48.04
3rd Caroline Buchanan (Canberra), ACT) 8.53.15
Under 19 men
1st Shaun O’Connor (Sydney, NSW) 7.11.57
2nd Matthew Vincent (Campbell, ACT) 7.12.53
3rd Dylan Prohm (Helensburgh, NSW) 7.15.01
Sharon Payne
Media Manager
Mountain Bike Australia
World ranked Nathan Rennie (Gold Coast) won the elite men’s event in 6 min 47.21 seconds well clear of current series leader Amiel Cavalier. Cavalier rode a 6 min 55.52 sec keeping him in the series lead. Adelaide youngster, Will Rischbieth placed third with a creditable time of 7 min 3.23 sec.
Rennie was pleased to back up his win after the previous national round on the Gold Coast last month but claimed the wet conditions were close to the worst he had ridden within Australia.
“There were holes everywhere and they were just filled up with water,” said Rennie. “My aim was to just keep ticking it over and keep up the speed.”
“I ran full spikes instead of regular tyres so I think I made the right choice,” he claimed.
The elite women’s final run was also cancelled leaving the world bronze medallist, Tracey Hannah from Cairns, as the eventual winner with a time of 7 min 47.89 sec. Hannah also backed up her win in the previous national series. Newcastle’s Emma McNaughton placed second with junior sports award winner, Caroline Buchanan in third.
"It was a fairly fast run but I had a bit of a slide out, lost my footing and then I crashed again," Hannah explained.
Conditions were not ideal for the far North Queensland based rider. "It was cold after coming from Cairns with record high temperature and humidity near 100 percent," she said.
"Overseas they would have still run the race but I think it was a good decision though," said Hannah."Everything was wet and the track was beaten up."
On Friday night both Hannah and Buchanan were awarded the elite and junior women's cycling awards for mountain bike at the Australian Cyclist of the Year Awards in Adelaide however both were competing in Thredbo. Buchanan also won the BMX junior women's award as well as racing and winning the fourth round of the national four cross in Thredbo on the same evening. Hannah rode her first four cross event in two years and impressed spectators to finish in second place beating rising star, Brisbane's Sarsha Huntington.
Downhill riders now prepare for the National Championships in Canberra on the Australia Day weekend. The fourth and final round of the downhill national series will be in Mt Beauty on 3 February.
Brief results
Men Elite
1st Nathan Rennie (Gold Coast, Qld) 6.47.21
2nd Amiel Cavalier (Wollongong, NSW) 6.55.52
3rd Will Rischbieth (Stirling, SA) 7.03.23
Elite Women
1st Tracey Hannah (Cairns, Qld) 7.47.89
2nd Emma McNaughton (Newcastle, NSW) 8.48.04
3rd Caroline Buchanan (Canberra), ACT) 8.53.15
Under 19 men
1st Shaun O’Connor (Sydney, NSW) 7.11.57
2nd Matthew Vincent (Campbell, ACT) 7.12.53
3rd Dylan Prohm (Helensburgh, NSW) 7.15.01
Sharon Payne
Media Manager
Mountain Bike Australia
