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2003 BMX World Championships - CDM
Perth, Australia, July 23-27, 2003
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Day 1 - Friday July 25: World Challenge Cruiser
Australia, Netherlands, Germany, USA, Canada & Czech Republic take cruiser golds
By Tracey Tilsed in Perth
Day one of the 2003 UCI BMX World Championships was action packed, full of plenty of thrills and spillls. While a lot of the racers got plenty of air between their bikes and the track, there where a number of riders who came crashing back to earth, some serious enough to require medical assistance on the track. Most of the crashes occurred on the third berm or on the first big double out of the gates, dashing the dreams of many of the world champion hopefuls.
There was non-stop action when the Cruiser Challenge ("amateur") classes took to the track. Ten category titles were up for grabs and with so much at stake, riders put their bikes and bodies on the line in the motos.
The motos were fast and furious (3 motos consisting of 66 races each) with all riders hoping to finish in the top four in their group, in order to claim a spot in the quarter finals. Qualifying riders then competed in the quarter finals, with the successful riders progressing to a semi-final berth. As the competition progressed, the action became more spectacular, and the spills more severe, leaving riders with bruises, bumps and possibly with broken bones.
In the 45 and over Cruiser final, Bert Volkers from the Netherlands led the field out of the blocks and never looked troubled as he crossed the finish line in first place. Fellow countryman, Jan Van De Bungelaar finished second, with New Zealand's Brian Ellis finishing in third position.
It was another title to the Netherlands when Teun Stam won the 40-44 Cruiser class, defending the title he won in the 2002 World Championships. Stam cleared out from the pack, leaving the rest of the field in his tracks. Australia's Dave Nicholls finished second and Scott Janssen finished third.
In the 30-34 Cruiser final, Australia's Brett Scruse notched up the first title for the host country, leading the race from the drop of the gate. A major spill on the third berm saw a number of competitors crash to the dirt, leaving New Zealander Richard McLachlan unable to complete the course. Switzerland's Szilard Szurdok placed second, while David Alavoine (France) finished third.
Josh Callan from Australia claimed the 12 and under Cruiser title when he crossed the line ahead of the rest of the field, leaving Kurt Pickard from New Zealand in second place, with Facundo Narpe from Argentina in third.
In the 13 & 14 Cruiser final, it was USA one-two-three. Joey Bradford claimed the world title, with Cesar Bruna runner-up, and Dustin Volger third.
The 18 and under Women's Cruiser final produced a reverse of last year's results, when Samantha Cools from Canada finished ahead of USA's Kimberly Hayashi. Australia's Melissa Mankowski, who finished third, collided with fellow Australian Renee Junga on the third berm. Junga finished eighth.
Jana Horakova won the 19 and over Women Cruiser class. The rider from the Czech Republic finished ahead of Belgium's Ellen Bollansee and Vilma Rimsaite from Lithuania.
In the final event of the Cruiser Challenge, Australia's Peter Trenwith shot out of the gate, closely followed by Gertjan De Haan from the Netherlands. De Haan had an unfortunate crash on the third berm, and ended up finishing eighth. Australia's Chris Cabassi finished in second place, with the Brazilian rider Maurici Custodio in third spot.
Results
45 and over Cruiser 1 Bert Volkers (Netherlands) 2 Jan Van De Bungelaar (Netherlands) 3 Brian Ellis (New Zealand) 4 Zdenek Merta (Czech Republic) 5 Bill Behan (Australia) 6 Tony Cibiras (Australia) 7 Kym Williams (Australia) 8 Fransisco Acevedo (Chile) 40-44 Cruiser 1 Teun Stam (Netherlands) 2 Dave Nicholls (Australia) 3 Scott Janssen (Australia) 4 Darren May (Australia) 5 Lance Mahuika (Australia) 6 David Nicholls (Australia) 7 Todd Williams (Australia) 8 David Sharples (Australia) 35-39 Cruiser 1 Alexander Rockenberg (Germany) 2 Scott Sharples (Australia) 3 Trevor Stamford (Great Britain) 4 Stuart Mcdougall (Australia) 5 Wilco Cosinjse (Netherlands) 6 Brian Kelly (Australia) 7 Jeff Ingram (Canada) 8 Anthony Hancox (Australia) 30-34 Cruiser 1 Brett Scruse (Australia) 2 Szilard Szurdok (Switzerland) 3 David Alavoine (France) 4 Bob Van Westerop (Netherlands) 5 Derek Price (Australia) 6 Dale Healey (New Zealand) 7 Adrian Kilpatrick (New Zealand) 8 Richard Mclachlan NZL DNF 12 and under Cruiser 1 Joshua Callan (Australia) 2 Kurt Pickard (New Zealand) 3 Facundo Martin (Argentina) 4 Michael Chasteauneuf (Australia) 5 Blake Collins (Australia) 6 Alex Wohler (Australia) 7 Tory Nyhaug (Canada) 8 Matthew Sun (Australia) 13 & 14 Cruiser 1 Joey Bradford (USA) 2 Cesar Bruna (USA) 3 Dustin Volger (USA) 4 Scott Hosking (New Zealand) 5 Liam Phillips (Great Britain) 6 Ashley Pemberton (Australia) 7 Steven Janssen (Australia) 8 Yvan Lapraz (Switzerland) 15 & 16 Cruiser 1 Leigh Darrell (Australia) 2 Ewoud Stam (Netherlands) 3 Patrick Lebel (Canada) 4 Joel Burke (New Zealand) 5 Micael Cesar (Switzerland) 6 Kane Gill (Great Britain) 7 Tom Palmer (Great Britain) 8 Ramiro Martin Marino (Argentina) 18 and Under Women Cruiser 1 Samantha Cools (Canada) 2 Kimberly Hayashi (USA) 3 Melissa Mankowski (Australia) 4 Sarah Walker (New Zealand) 5 Alice Rika (New Zealand) 6 Melissa Hartley (USA) 7 Nikki Harper (Australia) 8 Renee Junga (Australia) 19 and Over Women Cruiser 1 Jana Horakova (Czech Republic) 2 Ellen Bollansee (Belgium) 3 Vilma Rimsaite (Lithuania) 4 Rebecca Wichman (Netherlands) 5 Tatjana Schocher (Switzerland) 6 Malene Madsen (Denmark) 7 Aneta Hladikova (Czech Republic) 8 Tanya Bailey (Australia) 17-29 Cruiser 1 Peter Trenwith (Australia) 2 Chris Cabassi (Australia) 3 Maurici Custodio (Brazil) 4 Aaron Lumsden (Australia) 5 Peter Bollansee (Belgium) 6 Leigh Huitema (Australia) 7 Nathan Barker (Australia) 8 Gertjan De Haan (Netherlands)
