CYCLING -MTB: Four Australians have claimed gold medals at the 2016 Oceania MTB Championships held in Queenstown over the Easter weekend.
Rebecca Henderson made it back to back gold medals in the Elite Women beating home local favourite Kate Fluker by just over a minute, while Peta Mullens also picked up some extra luggage by snatching bronze from another Kiwi Samara Sheppard.
Henderson’s dominance during the National season continued with the 2016 Oceania title adding to her Australian XCO Championship win only a week earlier in Bright, Victoria.
Karen Hill also scored a spot in the top 10.
In the Elite Men it would be the return battle between good mates Kiwi Anton Cooper and Dan McConnell for the spoils.
After playing cat and mouse for the majority of the 6 laps, 2014 Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist Cooper, broke away from the defending Oceania champion to take the gold in a time of 1:25:22.
McConnell crossing 18 seconds behind for silver.
Tasmania’s Scott Bowden put in a huge effort racing up a level to claim bronze, with fellow Aussies Brendan Johnston (5th) Cameron Ivory (6th) and Sebastian Jayne (7th).
In the Under 23’s Reece Tucknott and Holly Harris picked up Bronze in the men and women respectively, while Kian Lech-Mackinnon was top of the podium in the Junior Men.
In the Under 17 Men Matthew Dinham ensured his trip to Queenstown would be a golden one.
Zoe Cuthbert turned the tables on Australian Champion Katherine Hosking to claim the Oceania title in the Under 17 Women, Hosking took silver.
Mountain Bike Australia
