Cooper and Hextall win Around Brunner

Sequoia Cooper from the H & J’s Outdoor World team and Benchmark Home’s Leon Hextall both had their best road race results winning the elite woman’s and men’s titles at Around Brunner in Greymouth today.

Hextall was in a an early break of six that stayed away for the entire race, making his winning move 10 kilometres from the finish line to ride away solo to win in three hours 16 minutes, 20 seconds ahead of Brehan Cairns from Invercargill (H & J’s Smith Outdoor World), Christchurch based Marc Prutton (Homestyle Test Team) and SUBWAY® Pro Cycling’s Dillion Bennett, also from Invercargill.

Fresh winning the Canterbury Under 23 Road Race title last Sunday Hextall said it was the “biggest result” of his career.

“”Once I was in the break I knew it was the winning move. The wet conditions were great, it kept the pace down. I tried to make it hurt in the hills and then made my move with 10 kilometres left – it’s good to see a break winning a race rather than it coming down to a sprint finish.”

Cairns just edged out Prutton in a photo finish for second, with just millimetres separating the two riders.

Cooper, an Otago Physiotherapy student, said her win in the elite women’s race was “a complete surprise” after being focused on a track programme as part of the Bike NZ’s national wider track training group.

“It’s my first win on the road in years and was my first big road race of the season after being focused on the track. I really enjoyed the wet conditions.”

Cooper called on all her track sprinting experience to win a tight sprint finish from Kathryn Jones of Dunedin, New Zealand junior representative, Sophie Williamson (H & J Smiths Outdoor World) - who was riding her first senior road race - last year’s winner Karen Fulton (Fresh Choice) and Sarah Smallman (Team Thule). Cooper’s winning time was three hours and 19 minutes.

Wayne Smythe (John Bulls Cycle Team) was an impressive men’s winner of the recreational event, riding clear with over 50 kilometres to go, to win by over three minutes with a time of three hours and twenty six minutes.

The female recreational event was won by Kylie Rochford (Christchurch) in three hours and twenty nine minutes.

Ends

Results (provisional)

Elite woman
1 #0021 Sequoia Cooper Dunedin 03:19:12 -
2 #0003 Kathryn Jones Tainui, Dunedin 03:19:12 +00:00:00
3 #0015 Sophie Williamson alexandra 03:19:13 +00:00:00
4 #0045 Karen Fulton Hope, Nelson 03:19:13 +00:00:00
5 #0008 Sarah Smallman Christchurch 03:19:13 +00:00:01
6 #0006 Aimee Burns Christchurch 03:20:13 +00:01:01
7 #0005 Julia Grant Yaldhurst, Christchurch 03:32:39 +00:13:26
8 #0022 Nicole King Snows hill, Nelson 03:34:34 +00:15:22
9 #0031 Emma Louise Ferguson Riccarton, Christchurch 03:34:44 +00:15:32
10 #0004 Sia Svendsen Christchurch 03:34:48 +00:15:35

Elite men
1 #0057 leon hextall christchurch 03:16:52 -
2 #0014 brehan cairns invercargill 03:17:12 +00:00:20
3 #0035 marc prutton christchurch 03:17:12 +00:00:20
4 #0010 Dillion Bennett Christchurch 03:17:13 +00:00:21
5 #0043 Bradley Tuhi Cashmere, Christchurch 03:19:00 +00:02:08
6 #0039 ben longworth christchurch 03:19:00 +00:02:08
7 #0009 Ian Smallman Christchurch 03:19:00 +00:02:08
8 #0046 Dean Fulton Nelson 03:19:00 +00:02:08
9 #0048 mike smart christchurch 03:19:01 +00:02:09
10 #0051 ben robertson christchurch 03:19:11 +00:02:18

Recreational event

FEMALE
1 #1278 Kylie Rochford Merivale, Christchurch 03:29:14 -
2 #1299 Sharlotte Lucas Hokitika 03:29:16 +00:00:01
3 #1246 Anne Kerr Christchurch 03:29:28 +00:00:14
4 #1412 Victoria Shelling brightwater, nelson 03:40:47 +00:11:33
5 #1263 Pippa Goodwin Highfield, Timaru 03:44:59 +00:15:45
6 #1207 Andrea Atkinson waimate 03:45:00 +00:15:46
7 #1243 Jackie Drury Aotea, Porirua 03:46:28 +00:17:14
8 #1396 Tania Radman RD1 Richmond, Nelson 03:49:38 +00:20:24
9 #1199 Corina Wilson RD 1, REEFTON 03:51:48 +00:22:34
10

MALE
1 #1293 Wayne Smythe Avondale, Christchurch 03:26:43 -
2 #1318 David Cresswell Christchurch 03:29:13 +00:02:29
3 #1348 Craig Domo Domigan gleniti, Timaru 03:29:13 +00:02:29
4 #1264 Ryan Douglas Burnside, Christchurch 03:29:13 +00:02:30
5 #1255 Geoff Searle Burwood, Christchurch 03:29:13 +00:02:30
6 #1296 James Mander Woolston, Christchurch 03:29:13 +00:02:30
7 #1407 sam friend christchurch 03:29:13 +00:02:30
8 #1234 Scott Dayman Nelson 03:29:14 +00:02:30