New Zealand National Championships - NE

Nelson, New Zealand, January 27-28, 2007

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Race 1 - January 27: Downhill, 2.5 km

Bennett, Hagen win national downhill champs

Kieran Bennett rode the fastest time of the day to win the New Zealand Downhill Elite Men's Championship in Nelson on Saturday with a scorching time of 4.02.16 down the 2.5 km course. Bennett, who was third on the same course at the 2006 championships, blitzed the field and pushed current Junior Downhill World Champion Cameron Cole into second. Defending champion Nathan Rankin couldn't add a sixth New Zealand championship to his tally this year, finishing in third place.

Bennett, riding on his home course, was seeded third fastest going into the race after a slower seeding run but improved on his time by more than five seconds to claim the victory in front of a large and parochial crowd. Bennett will now wear the New Zealand National Champion jersey at March's Oceania Championships in Australia and then in Europe for the World Cup circuit later in the year.

Scarlett Hagen dominated the Elite Women's race in a depleted field due to multiple injuries among competitors. Hagen's impressive time of 4.50 was 30 seconds ahead of the silver medalist Amy Laird, from Christchurch. Former world champion Vanessa Quin did not race after injuring herself in the morning's seeding run.

Hagen then went on to win the New Zealand Women's Four Cross championship, while Rotorua's Des Curry's won the Men' s Four Cross title.

Results

Elite Men
 
1 Kieran Bennett (Nelson)                4.02
2 Cameron Cole (Hamilton)                0.04
3 Nathan Rankin (Levin)                  0.06
 
Elite Women
 
1 Scarlett Hagen (Queenstown)            4.50
2 Amy Laird (Christchurch)               0.29
3 Olivia Johnston (Christchurch)         0.31
 
Under 19 Men
 
1 Matthew Scoles (Alexandra)             4.07
2 Joseph Nation (Christchurch)           0.07
3 David Scandrett (Christchurch)         0.07
 
Uunder 17 Men
 
1 Vaughan Woolhouse (Napier)             4.18
2 Aari Barrett (HavelockNorth)           0.06
3 Ethan Helliwell (Nelson)               0.10
 
Senior Men
 
1 Hayden McGregor (Tauranga)             4.20
2 Sam Reed (Marlborough)                 0.03
3 James Rennie (PalmerstonNorth)         0.05
 
Master 1 Men
 
1 Campbell Wilson (LowerHutt)            4.39
2 Arran Tandy (Nelson)                   0.02
3 Jarrad Winter (Nelson)                 0.03
 
Master 2 Men
 
1 Shane Baker (Auckland)                 5.02
2 David Vieglais (Wellington)            0.04
3 Mark Stirling (Nelson)                 0.09
 
Hardtail Men
 
1 Hayden Mortimer (Nelson)               4.59
2 Cam Johnston (Alexandra)               0.42
 
Senior Women
 
1 Keli Finch (Nelson)                    5.51
2 Amanda Pearce (Nelson)                 0.13
3 Hayley Robertson (UpperHutt)           0.26
 
Junior Women
 
1 Holly Kernohan-Smith (Christchurch)    5.59
2 Shannon Miller (Invercargill)          3.46
3 Katherine Jones (Nelson)               5.42
 
Under 15 Boys
 
1 Lachie Watson (Wanganui)               4.51
2 Zach Baker (Auckland)                  0.19
3 George Diver (Christchurch)            0.21
 
Under15GIRLS
 
1 Charlotte Clouston (Waimauku)          8.24