New Zealand National MTB Series - DH #1 - NE

Treble Cone, Wanaka, New Zealand, January 7, 2006

Results Photography Last year's results

Blenkinsop claims Elite Men's victory on debut

Samuel Blenkinsop thanks his sponsors
Photo ©: Bike NZ

The 2007 NZCT National Mountain Bike National Series kicked off with Wanganui's Samuel Blenkinsop following up his second placing in the world championships U19 category with a convincing Elite Men's win in sunny conditions at round one of the Downhill held in Wanaka.

On the eve of announcing his new pro-team deal for the 2007 World Cup season, which kicks off in May, Blenkinsop had an emphatic pair of results in both the seeding run and the finals. The young Kiwi claimed the victory ahead of some well know international pros such as Fabien Pedemanaud (Fra), Justin Havukainen (Aus) and 2006 Junior World Champion Cameron Cole.

"I love racing down here in the mountains because the courses are so much steeper and therefore so much faster, they really suit my riding style," explained Blenkinsop, after his first offical event in the Elite Men's category. "An added bonus is the chairlifts which all the riders appreciate. I always go hard in my seeding run because you never know what will happen in your race run, and this helps me push a little harder in the finals."

New Zealand's top riders were back in form in the first major competition following the 2006 Worlds in Rotorua with Blenkinsop starting the day as he was to finish posting the fastest seeding time of 3.44.08, then took off two seconds to win by .01 second from Pedemanaud. Wanganui's Glenn Haden came in third with a 3.44.63.

"Thanks a lot to Wide Open for supporting me at this event, and I'm looking forward to the announcement of my team ride, for the World Cup, in the next week or two," added Blenkinsop. "For now though I'm getting focused for next weekend's race, Round 2 in Queenstown on another awesome mountain, Coronet Peak".

Queenstown's Scarlette Hagen took the Elite Women's title with a 4.08.10 in the race run to finish first in one of the largest, and strongest Elite Women's fields the series has seen for a number of years. Tauranga's Vanessa Quin was in second place (4.09.99 min) and 2006 National Champion Jennifer Makgill (Auckland) in 4.10.33 min).

The record 195 riders for the Treble Cone round was boosted by a number of internationals and the 73 riders who registered on practice day having been taking advantage of the ski fields opening for the summer mountain bike season.

Matthew Scoles was the fastest for the day in the junior categories in the Under 19 category which would have placed him sixth in the Elite Men's category, showing New Zealand Mountain Biking has plenty to look forward to. A large contingent of the Under 19 and Under 17's posted times which rivaled those of not only the Senior men, but also the Elite Men proving there is depth in the country.

Next week the series moves to Coronet Peak in Queenstown and will include the first round of the Cross Country.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Bike NZ

Samuel Blenkinsop thanks his sponsors following his firs Elite Men's victory

Results

Elite Men
 
1 Samuel Blenkinsop (Wanganui)           3.42
2 Fabien Pedemanaud (France)             0.02
3 Glenn Haden (Wanganui)                 0.03
4 Nathan Rankin (Levin)                  0.04
5 Alex Stock (UK)                        0.05
6 Des Curry (Rotorua)                    0.06
7 Cameron Cole (Hamilton)                0.07
8 Mike Skinner (Auckland)                0.08
9 Justin Havukainen (Queenstown)         
10 Reon Boe (Levin)                      
11 Kieran Bennett (Nelson)               
12 Hayden Lee (Tauranga)                 
13 Michael Davis (Auckland)              0.10
14 Tom Holland (Rotorua)                 0.11
15 Tim Mackersy (Dunedin)                0.13
16 Joe Barnes (Scotland)                 
17 James Dodds (Rotorua)                 
18 Daniel Sims (Auckland)                0.14
19 Joseph Allen (Christchurch)           0.20
20 Daniel Aitken (Wanaka)                0.22
21 Paul Angus (Queenstown)               0.23
22 Curtis Zaniora (USA)                  0.24
23 Jeffery Bryson (Wellington)           0.25
24 Sean Kennedy (Christchurch)           1.43
DNS Byron Scott (Auckland)                   
DNS James Baron (Auckland)                   
 
Elite Women
 
1 Scarlett Hagen (Queenstown)            4.08
2 Vanessa Quin (Tauranga)                0.02
3 Jennifer Makgill (Auckland)            
4 Lauren Campbell (Queenstown)           0.16
5 Harriet Harper (Christchurch)          0.18
6 Misty Lee (Auckland)                   0.19
7 Amy Laird (Christchurch)               0.26
8 Hannah Latta (Wellington)              0.28
9 Olivia Johnston (Christchurch)         0.29
 
Junior Men
 
1 Matthew Scoles (Alexandra)             3.48
2 Joel Daniels (Wanganui)                0.05
3 Peter Cooper (Blenheim)                0.06
4 Joseph Nation (Christchurch)           
5 Reuben Joel (Wellington)               
6 David Scandrett (Christchurch)         0.08
7 Troy Murdoch (Oamaru)                  0.10
8 Braedan Trompetter (Dobson)            0.11
9 Ian Thurlow (Hastings)                 0.14
10 Daniel Meilink (Wellington)           0.15
11 Edward Masters (New Plymouth)         0.18
12 Reuben Miller (Nelson)                0.19
13 Andrew Higgins (Nelson)               0.23
14 John Shearer (Christchurch)           
15 James Shirley (North Canterbury)      
16 Michael Langford (Porirua)            0.27
17 Brock Cooley (Wellington)             
18 Dave du Plessis (Nelson)              0.28
19 Ant Jackson (Dunedin)                 0.33
20 Paul Gray (Rotorua)                   0.34
21 Grant Hosking (Dunedin)               0.49
22 Hamish Russell (Queenstown)           0.51
23 William Mathieson (Christchurch)      0.59
24 Warwick Barratt (Wellington)          1.00
25 Lars Vind Thomsen (Christchurch)      1.03
26 Michael Armstrong (Christchurch)      1.04
27 Ricky Clift (Wellington)              1.07
28 Tom Oskam (Wanganui)                  4.10
DNS Scott Bedford (Taranaki)                 
DNS Antony Snodgrass (Hamilton)              
 
U17 Men
 
1 Vaughan Woolhouse (Napier)             3.54
2 Aari Barrett (Havelock North)          0.03
3 Brook Macdonald (Napier)               0.07
4 James Gilmour (Christchurch)           0.08
5 Richard Leacock (Wellington)           0.10
6 Ethan Helliwell (Nelson)               
7 Sam Baker (Auckland)                   
8 Rupert Chapman (Christchurch)          0.14
9 Michael Vink (Christchurch)            0.18
10 James Hoggan (Christchurch)           
11 Freddie King (Christchurch)           0.19
12 Josh Miller (Nelson)                  0.20
13 Phillip Berryman (Christchurch)       
14 Nick McConachie (Christchurch)        0.30
15 Adrian Retief (Auckland)              
16 Nathan Petrie (Christchurch)          
17 Laurence McBreen-Smith                0.31
18 Cameron Bruce (Rotorua)               0.34
19 Thomas Matthews (Christchurch)        0.38
20 Jonathon Speedy (Auckland)            0.39
21 Devon Mills                           0.47
22 Will Elliot (Christchurch)            
23 Michael Mckee (Oamaru)                
24 Kirk Leighton (Dunedin)               0.48
25 Will Kemp (Dunedin)                   0.51
26 Jonathan Bailey (Queenstown)          0.52
27 Nicholas Fisher (Christchurch)        0.53
28 Ambrose Kelly (Queenstown)            0.59
29 Callum Dunn (Christchurch)            1.01
30 Logan Riley (Auckland)                1.11
31 Nick Coules (Christchurch)            1.58
DNF Thomas Hillstead (Christchurch)          
DNS Senn Steel (Central Otago)               
 
Senior Men
 
1 Gaetan Reilhan (France)                3.49
2 Hayden McGregor (Tauranga)             0.03
3 Zac Williams (Dunedin)                 0.11
4 Jerym Soames (Hamilton)                
5 James Rennie (Palmerston North)        
6 Sam Reed (Marlborough)                 
7 James Pollard (Otago)                  
8 Sam Townshend (Christchurch)           
9 Brad Ineson (Christchurch)             
10 James Hampton                         0.12
11 Jeff Craig (Auckland)                 0.13
12 Craig Scott (Christchurch)                
13 Kurt Lancaster (Levin)                0.14
14 Josh Sage (Palmerston North)          0.15
15 Simon Smith (Queenstown)              
16 Ryan Scott (Christchurch)             0.17
17 Michael Scott (Palmerston North)      0.18
18 Ty Haley (Levin)                      0.19
19 Hadley Mackay (Wyndham)               0.20
20 Jonathan Skinner (Christchurch)       
21 Kai Crow (Auckland)                   0.21
22 George Jones (Queenstown)             0.23
23 James McConachie (Christchurch)       0.24
24 Louis Covell (Christchurch)           
25 Darius King (Wellington South)        0.25
26 Jono Church (Christchurch)            0.27
27 Adam Mantle (USA)                     0.28
28 Seb Kemp (Wanaka)                     
29 Caleb Warrender (Wellington)          0.29
30 Graeme Adriaens (Christchurch)        0.30
31 Luke De Jager (Levin)                 0.32
32 Dan McMullan (Wanaka)                 0.33
33 Jarrod Bang (Wellington)              
34 Tristan Muirhead (Wanaka)             
35 Jonathan Clark (Christchurch)         0.34
36 Josh Bradfield (Wanaka)               
37 Nicholas Daniel (Christchurch)        
38 Sam Gothorp (Wanaka)                  0.35
39 Victor Gin (Wellington)               0.36
40 Tim Mackenzie (Christchurch)          
41 Ben Wooster (Wanaka)                  0.37
42 Morgan Moore (Te Puke)                0.38
43 Luke McCombie (Wellington)            0.39
44 Nathan Ryder (Nelson)                 0.39
45 Peter Miller (Invercargill)           0.41
46 Shaun Kirton (Christchurch)           
47 Peter Futterup (Auckland)             0.42
48 Hugh Nimmo (Wanaka)                   0.45
49 Tim Spackman (Christchurch)           0.47
50 Tyrone Price (Christchurch)           0.53
51 Stephen Blissett (Invercargill)       0.54
52 Shaun McGrath (Christchurch)          0.55
53 Kurt Janssen (Wellington)             0.58
54 Andrew Bruce (Dunedin)                1.04
55 Rex Simson (Christchurch)             1.09
56 Brent Grey (Christchurch)             1.13
57 David Meijer (Auckland)               1.14
58 Steffan Pearce Loe (Christchurch)     
59 Scott Reilly (Wanaka)                 1.19
60 Richie Lambert (Queenstown)           1.20
61 Peter Jefcoate (Invercargill)         1.25
DNF Scott Pickett (Hawea)                    
DNS Mat Weir (Scotland)                      
 
Master 1 Men
 
1 Campbell Wilson (Lower Hutt)           4.11
2 Tim Ceci (Queenstown)                  0.02
3 Arran Tandy (Nelson)                   0.03
4 Aaron Fernandez (Auckland)             
5 Christian Meuli (Queenstown)           
6 Callum Smith (Wanaka)                  0.11
7 Stephen Foote (Cromwell)               0.19
8 Finn O'Connor (Dunedin)                0.32
9 Michael Carden (Auckland)              0.37
10 Phil Walter (Auckland)                0.55
11 Simon Williams (Wanaka)               1.01
12 Gareth Alley (Wellington)             1.09
13 Richard Mullins (Queenstown)          1.27
14 Bruce White (Christchurch)            1.32
15 Stewart Doherty (Porirua)             1.58
 
Master 2 Men
 
1 Shane Baker (Auckland)                 4.30
2 David Vieglais (Wellington)            0.05
3 Eddie Spearing (Wanaka)                
4 Dean Baker (Auckland)                  0.11
5 Greg Baker (Auckland)                  0.16
6 Ewan Straight (Wanaka)                 0.18
7 Peter Oskam (Wanganui)                 2.13
 
Hardtail Men
 
1 Adam Smith (Christchurch)              4.44
2 Cam Johnson (Alexandra)                0.07
3 David Wall (Christchurch)              0.20
 
Senior Women
 
1 Sarah Cairns (Queenstown)              7.02
 
Junior Women
 
1 Holly Kernohan-Smith (Christchurch)    5.22
2 Shannan Miller (Invercargill)          1.56
3 Katherine Jones (Nelson)               3.51
 
Novice Boys
 
1 George Diver (Christchurch)            4.29
2 Zach Baker (Auckland)                  0.02
3 Lachie Watson (Wanganui)               0.03
4 Simon Barratt (Wellington)             0.08
5 Cody Rees (Christchurch)               0.24
6 Keegan Lawrence (Wellington)           0.33
 
Sweeper
 
1 Rex Simpson (Christchurch)             4.47