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New Zealand National Series - 2
Dunedin, New Zealand, January 20-21, 2007
Main Page Results Overall standings Next Race
Race 1 - January 20: Downhill
French in front while Hagen returns to form
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In the Elite Men's race Frenchman Fabien Pedemanaud posted a time of 3.22.86 minutes to take first place, having placed second in the seeding run behind UK rider Alex Stock. Stock crashed during the race run and was out of podium contention. In second place, current Junior World Champion Cameron Cole (Hamilton) and his runner up, Sam Blenkinsop finished in third.
Scarlett Hagen took out her third straight Elite Women's race today in Dunedin in Round 3 of the NZCT National Mountain Bike Series Downhill competition, claiming the first all important UCI points and prize money offered this year and taking a commanding lead in the National Series. Tauranga's Vanessa Quin followed 9 seconds adrift with Thor team rider Olivia Johnston (Christchurch) in third.
Having been injured for most of 2006, Hagen appears to be back in the form which won her the 2004 Junior World Championship. "My elbow's feeling so much stronger and I definitely feel more in control on the bike," the Queenstown rider said following her race.
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UCI points have gained further meaning this season with the UCI setting a minimum number (20) for riders to accumulate for qualification in World Cup races. Riders will have further opportunities to win points at next week's National Championships in Nelson, and the final round of the Series in Levin (24 February).
Over 140 riders rode on the downhill track which was revised following bushfires in October 2006 on Signal Hill which claimed part of the original track. Local club Mountain Biking Otago and a number of key volunteers worked many hours over the following months to produce a variable track which had native single track and tight technical aspects. As with last weekend, riders had been looking forward to racing the course, however a consistent morning rain resulted in an extremely muddy and challenging track producing multiple spills and slides.
Tomorrow see's Round 2 of the 'cross Country competition of the NZCT National Mountain Bike Series in Dunedin's Bethunes Gully on a slightly amended course from 2006.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Olly Hagen
- An unknown rider negotiates the downhill course.
- Scarlett Hagen of Queenstown took her third straight victory in the elite women's category.
- Zack Williams
Results
Elite Men 1 Fabien Pedemanaud (France) 3.23 2 Cameron Cole (Hamilton) Animal, NZRide, Fox 0.05 3 Samuel Blenkinsop (Wanganui) 0.08 Elite Women 1 Scarlett Hagen (Queenstown) 4.40 2 Vanessa Quin (Tauranga) 0.10 3 Olivia Johnston (Christchurch) Thor Clothing 0.27 Junior Men 1 David Scandrett (Christchurch) 3.49 2 Tom Oskam (Wanganui) 0.01 3 Peter Cooper (Blenheim) Animal, NZRide, Fox 0.01 U17 Men 1 Vaughan Woolhouse (Napier) Iron Horse Bikes 3.47 2 Brook Macdonald (Napier) Animal, NZRide, Fox 0.25 3 Sam Baker (Auckland) Iron Horse Bikes 0.25 Senior Men 1 Hayden McGregor (Tauranga) 3.57 2 Leighton Neal (Blenheim) 0.04 3 James McConachie (Christchurch) 0.08 Master Men 1 1 Christian Meuli (Queenstown) 4.27 2 Arran Tandy (Nelson) 0.06 3 Matt Callaghan (Lower Hutt) 0.16 Master Men 2 1 Shane Baker (Auckland) 4.51 2 David Vieglais (Wellington) 1.34 Hardtail Men 1 Michael Weatherson (Dunedin) 5.44 2 Andrew Smith (Dunedin) 0.01 3 Jacob Leach (Dunedin) 0.15 Junior Women 1 Holly Kernohan-Smith (Christchurch) 6.19 2 Shannan Miller (Invercargill) 5.20 3 Katherine Jones (Nelson) 11.31 Novice Boys 1 Lachie Watson (Wanganui) 5.01 2 Zach Baker (Auckland) 0.03 3 George Diver (Christchurch) 0.49
