Australian National MTB Championships - CN

Canberra, Australia, January 23-26, 2009

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Race 7 - January 25: Cross country: Elite/U23/U19 women

Fry surprises herself by winning title

Rowena Fry celebrates her win
Photo ©: Evan Jeffery

In the elite women's cross country, Launceston's Rowena Fry claimed her first national title. The 26-year-old faced stiff competition and was unable to break away from Bendigo's Jo Wall until the fourth and final lap.

"I'm really stoked," said a surprised Fry. "I was going to be happy with a top five. I've been dreaming about it for a year and a half now."

After recent return to training following a bout with chronic fatigue syndrome, Fry surprised herself with a national jersey in her first race back.

"I haven't raced for quite a long time so I didn't know what to expect," she said. "I got the break a couple of times. In the last lap, I managed to get the break and hang onto it."

Wall finished just 35 seconds behind Fry to claim second. Brisbane's Jodie Willett placed third at 1'54 with Zoe King and Tory Thomas in fourth and fifth places respectively.

Gracie Elvin was the top finishing under 23 racer, in eighth place overall.

Photography

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Evan Jeffery / www.evanjeffery.com.au

KOM riders warm up before the big effort.
Launceston's Rowena Fry rides a conservative race from back in the field.
TORQ rider Jo Wall rides the best race of her career to finish in second.
Canberra star Rebecca Henderson rides a great race to take the U19 win.
Zoe King looks good on the hammerhead section.
Rowena Fry cramps after crossing the line.
Rowena Fry relaxes during an interview after the race.
Jo Wall thinks of what could have been.
Tory Thomas chases a wheel on the climb.
Rowena Fry over the back of the bike coming into the hammer head.
Nikki Fisher is chased into the hammer head.
Grace Elvin races on her way to taking the U23 title.
Jo Wall had Rowena Fry'ss measure in the third lap of the race.
There was action a plenty in Canberra over the Australia day weekend.
Rowena Fry celebrates her win on her comeback to mountain biking.

Images by Dave Bateman Photography / www.davebatemanphoto.com

Tory Thomas (TORQ) rides the technical downhill in the elite women's race.
Rebecca Henderson (Mongoose) climbs in the U23 women's race.
A TIS rider on of many berms at Stromlo Forest Park.
Eventual women's victor Rowena Fry from Tasmania rides past Stromlo regeneration.
Zoe King (KOM) shows the strain.
Zoe King eventually would finish third.
Rosemary Barnes of Redshift Racing knows Stromlo well.

Results

Elite and Under 23 women

1 Rowena Fry (Aus)                                                          1.53.01
2 Jo Wall (Aus) Torq Nutrition                                                 0.35
3 Jodie Willett (Aus) eDiscovery Tools, Scody                                  1.54
4 Zoe King (Aus) Cannondale, King of the Mountain Cyclery                      2.57
5 Tory Thomas (Aus) Torq Nutrition                                             4.07
6 Joanna Harrington (Aus)                                                      5.40
7 Niki Fisher (Aus) Giant                                                      6.10
8 Gracie Elvin (Aus) *                                                         6.59
9 Nicola Leary (Aus)                                                           8.27
10 Jo Bennett (Aus) Merida Flight Centre                                       8.44
11 Therese Rhodes (Aus) Ulitimate Ride Bike Shop *                            11.58
12 Trudy Nicholas (Aus)                                                       12.10
13 Rosemary Barnes (Aus)                                                      16.33
14 Sarah Holmes (Aus) *                                                       16.55
15 Bianca Mauch (Aus) TLC Cycles SRAM                                         18.59
16 Kelly Bartlett (Aus)                                                       19.27
17 Melinda Jackson (Aus) *                                                    19.52
18 Jody Bush (Aus)                                                            20.28
19 Philippa Rostan (Aus)                                                      20.59
20 Katherine O'Shea (Aus) Torq Nutrition                                      25.04
21 Anna Beck (Aus) KOM RLC Sport Scud                                         26.48
22 Kath Bicknell (Aus) Salsa Cycles, Nzo, Onya Bike                           30.41
DNF Kylie Webb (Aus) Lonsdale St Cyclery                                           
DNF Fiona Macdermid (GBr)                                                          
DNF Jenni King (Aus) Croydon Cycleworks                                            
DNS Erica Gurner (Aus)                                                             
DNS Jessica Douglas (Aus) Torquay Cycling Factory                                  
DNS Rebecca Hill (Aus)                                                             
DNS Lee Schultz (Aus) Hampton Bicycles                                             

* indicates U23 

U19 women

1 Rebecca Henderson (Aus) Mongoose Bikes SRAM                               1.30.03
2 Gillian Burgess (Aus)                                                       13.20
3 Sarah Kate McDonald (NZl) PlaceMakers                                       13.26
4 Shelly Flood (Aus) Ay up                                                    16.04
5 Natasha Bonney (Aus)                                                        46.47
DNF Jesse Loe (NZl) Scott Cycles, Taupo NZ