Willers, Walker dominate Oceania Continental BMX finals

New Zealand BMX stars Sarah Walker and Marc Willers made it a double-double celebration when they took out the finals of the international meet at Pukekohe yesterday.

After winning the finals of the UCI Oceania Continental Championship yesterday, the pair completed a successful weekend in winning today’s professional event involving leading riders from Australia and the USA at the Supercross track in Puni, near Pukekohe.

The 22-year-old Walker was without peer again today, winning all three motos and the final in emphatic fashion to complete and unbeaten weekend in her first competitive racing for five months.

She was slick out of the gate in all races and showed real aggression to grab the key line into the all-important first turn and she dominated the racing from that point with superior bike-craft.

“I tried to be aggressive and really concentrate on my own race and on my own game plan,” Walker said. “While I have practiced hard on and off the bike, you don’t know how you will go until you get out and race.

“So it’s good to know that things are on track. I’ve worked hard as well on my approach and not to be influenced by what the riders are doing around me. I am getting better at that.

“Now I am looking forward to the first World Cup Supercross in South Arica. This weekend has been a good boost for my confidence.”

The 25-year-old Willers, rated among the top five riders in the world this year by American coach Mike King, showed his class in winning today.

After winning all three motos, Willers was drawn between leading Americans Nic Long and Dave Herman and kiwi rival Kurt Pickard, who beat the Cambridge rider at the nationals on the same track last year.

Pickard (Tauranga), making a return to the sport after being dropped from the BikeNZ High Performance squad last year, showed his undoubted potential when he out-jumped Willers out of the gate to take the lead into the first bend. Willers was awesome over the big air on the moveable jump on the second straight, cut under Pickard on the last bend and was superb over the rhythm section to nab the win.

“I am happy to come home and get the two wins. It’s been a good start to the season and now I head back tonight to prepare for the next round of the American championship and then on to South Africa,” said Willers who is based in Southern California.

“It was a great final and I had to work hard to get it. It was pleasing to know that I can win from in front and from behind. I am in good space right now. I know there’s a long way to go and a lot of hard work to come but this is a good boost.”

Pickard, who has been added to the squad to compete in South Africa, impressed in finishing second ahead of American Corben Sharrah.

Local Pukekohe rider Trent Woodcock-Takarua topped the qualifiers and took out the final in impressive fashion to win the junior men’s division from yesterday’s winner Daniel Franks (Christchuch) and Nic Fox (Gisborne).

Results:

Elite  men final: Marc Willers (NZL) 1, Kurt Pickard (NZL) 2, Corben Sharrah (USA) 3, Kurt James (NZL) 4, Nic Long (USA) 5, Josh Callan 6, Josh Meyers (USA) 7, David Herman (USA) 8.

Elite women final: Sarah Walker (NZL) 1, Melinda McLeod (AUS, Junior) 2, Nicole Callisto (AUS) 3, Caroline Buchanan (AUS) 4, Victoria Hill (NZL) 5, Holly Woodcock-Takarua 6, Nicole Wright (NZL, Junior) 7.

Junior men: Trent Woodcock-Takarua 1, Daniel Franks (NZL) 2, Nic Fox (NZL) 3, Trent Jones (NZL) 4, Grad Gates (AUS) 5, Andrew Bias (NZO) 6, Cody Stevens (NZL) 7, Darryn Goodwin (AUS) 8.