Race favourites deliver on day 1 of the New Zealand Community Trust NZ Secondary Schools Mountain Bike Championships

The pre race favourites lived up to expectation at the NZSS Cross Country Championships today in Levin.

Racing in their respective age groups, riders took to the hilly course on a combination of open farmland and forest trails.

Tom Bradshaw (Wellington College) and Anton Cooper (Christchurch Boys High School) lived up to their favourite tags both having good wins in the Under 15 and Under 14 boys events. As did, Oceania and National Under 19 Champion, Samara Sheppard (Onslow College).

Sheppard was too good for her competition taking out the Under 19 Girls title from fellow nationally ranked riders Adrienne Hooper (Mt Albert Grammar School) and Sasha Smith (Macleans College).

In the Under 19 Boys, Tauranga Boys’ College rider Ash Hough ruined Rotorua Lakes High School chance of a clean sweep on the podium as he crossed the finish line nearly 2 mintues in front of current Under 19 National Champion Dirk Peters (Rotorua Lakes HS), Scott Green (Rotorua Lakes HS) 3rd and Patrick Avery (Rotorua Lakes HS) in 4th.

It was also a great day for Dunstan High School with up and coming Mountain Bike and Road Cyclist Sophie Williamson comfortably winning the Under 14 girls and Sarah McDonald taking out the Under 16 Girls events.

Racing on day 2 will commence from 8.30am with the Uphill followed by the spectator favourite, the downhill.

 

Results NZCT NZSS MTB Championships, Levin:

Under 19 Boys

Ash Hough (Tauranga Boys College) 49:46 1, Dirk Peters (Rotorua Lakes High School) 51:28 2, Scott Green (Rotorua Lakes High School) 51:54 3

 

Under 19 Girls

Samara Sheppard (Onslow College) 54:03 1, Adrienne Hooper (Mt Albert Grammar School) 56:06 2, Sasha Smith (Macleans College) 56:44 3

 

Under 16 Boys

Jeffrey McDowell (John Paul College) 44:24 1, Cameron Hollamby (Taupo-nui-a-Tia College) 45:26 2, Logan Horn (Lincoln High School) 45:28 3

 

Under 16 & 15 Girls

Sarah McDonald (Dunstan High School) 35:34 1, Alexa Peters (Rotorua Lakes High School) 37:21 2, Charlotte Clouston (Kaipara College) 37:21 3

 

Under 15 Boys

Tom Bradshaw (Wellington College) 38:54 1, Matthew Waghorn (Feilding High School) 41:48 2, Jeremy Hamer (Avondale College) 42:32 3

 

Under 14 Boys

Anton Cooper (Christchurch Boys High School) 27:53 1, Nick Cameron (Taupo-nui-a-Tia College) 27:54 2, Nigel McDowell (John Paul College) 28:47 3

 

Under 14 Girls

Sophie Williamson (Dunstan High School) 24:15 1, Sammy Lane (Diocesan School for Girls) 25:28 2, Keryn Knight (Feilding High School) 27:58 3

 

Full results can be viewed on the BikeNZ website www.bikenz.org.nz