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Australian 24 Hour Solo National Championships - CN
Innabaanya, Australia, April 7-8, 2007
Bell and Van Der Spiegel win national titles
World champion Gordon drops out due to stomach bug
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Andrew Bell and Katherine Van der Spiegel were awarded the green and gold Australian national championships jerseys by Mountain Biking Australia President Gillian Duncan after both won their titles in the 24 hour Solo championship race at Innabaanya Guide Camp in the Mt Majura pine forest near Canberra. Both winners will receive airfare and a paid race entry fee for the 24 Hours of Adrenaline World Solo Championships in Monterey, California, in October.
Bell, who finished second last year, defeated 70 other riders in the men's race during the Easter weekend competition on the 8.2 km track. The 32-year-old logged 49 laps and finished one lap ahead of John Claxton. Daniel Mackay came in third at 46 laps.
Bell's said of his victory, "It's the best thing ever – I've been working towards this for three years and it was a bonus to win the national championships and represent Australia at the world championships,” Bell said to Mountain Bike Australia according to their website.
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"The Mt Majura track was the most demanding that I have ever ridden and I was so surprised to finish third with so many big name riders in the championships – I couldn’t have done it without my support crew,” said bronze medalist Mackay.
Last year's 24 Hours of Adrenaline World Solo Champion, Craig Gordon, was forced to drop out after only 16 laps due to a stomach bug.
35-year-old Katherine Van der Spiegel, took her win with 42 laps, and her lead was strong throughout. "It's the second time that I have won the race – I paced myself through the night and managed to hold on," Van der Spiegel said to Mountain Bike Australia.
Van der Speigel was followed by Alexandra Kiendl in second (with 39 laps) and Celia Thompson in third (with 37 laps).
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Gregory Nelson
- Bright light and a smooth track take riders through the pines.
- A sweep rider passes over the course.
- Andrew Bell won the men's overall.
- Andrew Bell from the side.
- Andrew Bell pedals through a turn.
- John Claxton passes through the woods.
- Megan Dimozantos is followed by a sweep rider on the course.
- Andrew Bell makes it look so easy.
- After leading for the first 20 laps, John Claxton stands up for a little extra umph.
- Alexandra Kiendl pedals through the woods.
- Women's winner Katrien Van Der Spiegel.
- Katrien Van Der Spiegel looks a little dazed. Wouldn't you after racing all night?
- A very welcome site: Katrien Van Der Spiegel takes the women's victory as she crosses the finish line!
- Alexandra Kiendl takes the turn.
- Women's winner Katrien Van Der Spiegel at twilight.
- Men's winner John Claxton rides into darkness.
- Craig Gordon didn't make it through the night.
- Joel Donney, 18-24 category winner, negotiates a bridge at night.
- Craig Gordon was last year's winner.
- It's a lonely time out there at night.
Results
Men - Overall 49 laps 1 Andrew Bell 24.00.20 48 laps 2 John Claxton 24.00.23 46 laps 3 Daniel Mackay 24.03.37 45 laps 4 Joel Donney 24.41.30 44 laps 5 Graeme Allbon 24.00.25 6 Brendan Den 24.15.28 43 laps 7 Rob Preston 24.03.34 8 Craig Peacock 24.09.14 42 laps 9 Chris Osborne 24.16.38 40 laps 10 Neil Dall 24.27.06 39 laps 11 Phillip Haughton 24.05.54 38 laps 12 Garry James 24.00.46 35 laps 13 Morgan Pilley 24.00.30 33 laps 14 Ben Randall 24.01.00 15 Richard Peil 24.02.43 16 Brad Mertens (Sydney Single Speed Society) 24.14.02 32 laps 17 Trent Hewitt 24.01.49 18 Warrick Hancock 24.03.05 19 Craig Armour 24.09.38 31 laps 20 Kevin Wells 24.00.26 30 laps 21 Chris Schulz 24.46.51 29 laps 22 Ben Egger 24.28.39 28 laps 23 Michael Free 24.00.43 24 Klaus Heil 24.01.51 25 Dave McGregor 24.39.10 27 laps 26 Samuel Warmington 24.14.05 26 laps 27 David Power 24.15.32 25 laps 28 Chris Millman 24.00.58 29 Paul Floro 24.31.28 24 laps 30 Russell Hatton 24.00.34 31 Arran Pearson 24.04.31 32 Ryan Dixon 24.19.33 23 laps 33 Richard Smyth 24.00.34 34 Hieu Nguyen 35 Paul Ryan 24.04.03 36 Trevor Page 24.04.28 37 Rhys Cutifani 24.00.55 22 laps 38 David Firth 24.02.12 21 laps 39 Glenn Apps 24.04.05 20 laps 40 Jason Peterson 24.13.56 19 laps 41 Jack Spahr 24.14.59 16 laps 42 Jason Dreggs 24.11.35 15 laps 43 Sasha Pesic 24.00.28 14 laps 44 Justin Bagge 45 Luke Graydon DNF Mark Fenner DNF Saul Britton DNF Tristan Bennett DNF Nicholas Lee DNF Craig Gordon DNF Matt Free DNF Mark Walker Women - Overall 42 laps 1 Katrien Van Der Spiegel 24.06.57 39 laps 2 Alexandra Kiendl 24.18.39 37 laps 3 Celia Thompson 24.04.51 35 laps 4 Claire Graydon 24.18.19 30 laps 5 Emily Dirksen 24.24.40 27 laps 6 Lauren Tanzen 24.00.34 25 laps 7 Philippa Rostan 24.13.46 22 laps 8 Megan Dimozantos 24.07.52 18 laps 9 Karen Foat 24.00.34 11 laps 10 Avril Baker 24.11.24 10 laps 11 Jenny Firman 24.01.03 5 laps 12 Amanda Graydon 24.15.16 Men 18-24 45 laps 1 Joel Donney 24.41.30 39 laps 2 Phillip Haughton 24.05.54 35 laps 3 Morgan Pilley 24.00.30 22 laps 4 Rhys Cutifani 24.00.55 14 laps 5 Luke Graydon 24.18.22 Women 18-24 35 laps 1 Claire Graydon 24.18.19 11 laps 2 Avril Baker 24.11.24 Men 25-29 46 laps 1 Daniel Mackay 24.03.37 43 laps 2 Rob Preston 24.03.34 33 laps 3 Ben Randall 24.01.00 32 laps 4 Warrick Hancock 24.03.05 5 Craig Armour 24.09.38 29 laps 6 Ben Egger 24.28.39 24 laps 7 Ryan Dixon 24.19.33 23 laps 8 Trevor Page 24.04.28 DNF Tristan Bennett SS 11.15.58 DNF Nicholas Lee 14.43.13 Women 25-29 25 laps 1 Philippa Rostan 24.13.46 22 laps 2 Megan Dimozantos 24.07.52 18 laps 3 Karen Foat 24.00.34 Men 30-34 49 laps 1 Andrew Bell 24.00.20 48 laps 2 John Claxton 24.00.23 42 laps 3 Chris Osborne 24.16.38 33 laps 4 Brad Mertens (Sydney Single Speed Society) 24.14.02 32 laps 5 Trent Hewitt 24.01.49 31 laps 6 Kevin Wells 24.00.26 27 laps 7 Samuel Warmington 24.14.05 26 laps 8 David Power 24.15.32 25 laps 9 Paul Floro 24.31.28 24 laps 10 Arran Pearson 24.04.31 23 laps 11 Richard Smyth 24.00.34 12 Hieu Nguyen 22 laps 13 David Firth 24.02.12 20 laps 14 Jason Peterson SS (Sydney Single Speed Society) 24.13.56 15 laps 15 Sasha Pesic 24.00.28 14 laps 16 Justin Bagge SS 24.01.46 12 laps DNF Matt Free 8.01.48 Women 30-34 39 laps 1 Alexandra Kiendl 24.18.39 Men 35-39 44 laps 1 Brendan Den SS 24.15.28 30 laps 2 Chris Schulz 24.46.51 28 laps 3 Michael Free 24.00.43 25 laps 4 Chris Millman 24.00.58 21 laps 5 Glenn Apps 24.04.05 16 laps 6 Jason Dreggs 24.11.35 DNF Mark Fenner 18.17.34 DNF Saul Britton 10.09.29 DNF Craig Gordon 6.50.45 Women 35-39 42 laps 1 Katrien Van Der Spiegel 24.06.57 37 laps 2 Celia Thompson 24.04.51 30 laps 3 Emily Dirksen 24.24.40 27 laps 4 Lauren Tanzen 24.00.34 Men 40-44 44 laps 1 Graeme Allbon 24.00.25 33 laps 2 Richard Peil 24.02.43 24 laps 3 Russell Hatton 24.00.34 23 laps 4 Paul Ryan 24.04.03 Men 45-49 43 laps 1 Craig Peacock 24.09.14 40 laps 2 Neil Dall 24.27.06 38 laps 3 Garry James 24.00.46 28 laps 4 Klaus Heil 24.01.51 Women 45-49 10 laps 1 Jenny Firman 24.01.03 Men 50+ 28 laps 1 Dave McGregor 24.39.10 19 laps 2 Jack Spahr 24.14.59 DNF Mark Walker Women 50+ 5 laps 1 Amanda Graydon 24.15.16 Men Under 18 27 laps 1 Scott Chancellor 24.03.21 26 laps 2 Mark Tupalski 24.11.32 19 laps 3 Anton Pluschke 24.06.26 DNF Andrew Adams 3.24.11
