Bicycle Motocross New Zealand
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BMX New Zealand Inc. P O Box 12-199 Chartwell Hamilton New Zealand 3248 22.08.2014 NEWSLETTER NO. 4 Welcome to the fourth edition of the National BMXNZ Newsletter. These are put together every three months and we would encourage clubs to submit stories, news and race reports in here to keep the NZ BMX community up to date with our news and events - no story is too big or too small. This is a newsletter with real people stories for our members. This newsletter is dominated by the Worlds results, all of which we are hugely proud of. Thanks to all of those that contributed especially those who sent in stories while still in Europe! Thanks to BikeNZ,Adam Coker, Sue Walker, Bayleigh Rees, Julia McLean, Anna & Dion Ernest, Joe Calkin, Stuff, Waikato Times, Sharon Cheesman,Matt Cameron Face Book(steals) WORLDS 2014 (BikeNZ) Jason Kelly crashed in his first moto, but came through his qualifiers to finish second in the same Sue Walker, the New Zealand Challenge Classes division. team manager, witnessed a great exhibition during New Zealand riders gained strength and confidence racing at the UCI BMX World Championships. through their eights, quarters and semi- finals, giving On day one12 New Zealand riders paved the way for their best and showed their great Kiwi spirit. the opening session, all finding the skills and Please click here to view Day 1 NZ Results - World competitive drive of the large European contingency Challenge 17 and over/World Championships tough work. Masters. A clear standout was Adam Coker who won all of his races convincingly in the 25-29 year old division. 1 The second day of challenge class competition saw Wyatt Stevens McNab W2 - Silver Medal 5-11 and 12-16 year old riders compete, with New Zealand riders earning 4 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze 8 Yr Girls medals. Sacha Earnest W1 - Gold Medal Kiwi riders represented New Zealand on Day 2 at the BMX Worlds in Rotterdam with pride and 9 Yr Boys determination. The gates opened at 6.30am for the 5 Jake Earnest 5th in 1/8ths to 11 year olds morning session, with racing commencing at 8.30am. Jack Greenough W6 Team Management ran the pits area well where Maui Morrison 7th in 1/8ths cool-downs, refreshments and organisation all resulted in a stress free rider atmosphere. Konrad Troup Qualifiers The afternoon session of 12 to 16 year old riders had 9 Yr Girls its highs and lows with riders pushing themselves, resulting in some casualties. The results show a Leila Walker W1 - Gold Medal positive succession from the Auckland World Championships in 2013 through training, International 10 Yr Girls travel (at riders' expense) and New Zealand tracks. Laura Fisher Qualifiers The number of riders who made it through to semi and quarter finals throughout the day is a credit to Megan Williams W3 - Bronze Medal their skill and hard work in training. 11 Yr Girls Maia Colman Savage W2 - Silver Medal 10 Yr Boys Keegan Calkin Qualifiers Nathan Jordan Qualifiers Toby Meek 6th in 1/8ths Lachlan Stevens McNab W2 - Silver Medal 11 Yr Boys Rico Bearman W1 - Gold Medal Bennett Greenough W8 Day 2 Results - Challenge Classes 13 Yr Boys 5-6 Yr Boys Cailen Calkin W1 - Gold Medal Sterling Stevens-McNab 5th in 1/4s Mason Colman Savage Qualifiers 5-7 Yr Girls 14 Yr Boys Lily Greenough 5-7g W3 - Bronze Medal Ryan Jordan 7th in semis Nora Troop Qualifiers Mitchell McFarlane Qualifier 7 Yr Boys 15 Yr Boys Rory Meek W3 - Bronze Medal Jayden Fleming Semis 8 Yr Boys Maynard Peel W8 Lucas Bhimy 2 16 Yr Boys Over the past several days of training and competition, the accredited staff have felt privileged Bayleigh Rees Semis to guide an awesome group of Kiwi riders and share in their success. It was commented upon by many Lewis Smith Quarters riders how the atmosphere In the Kiwi pits area was very relaxed and supportive. 12 Yr Girls Pre-Worlds discussion has proven correct: the Maia Troup Qualifier competition has been much tougher compared to 13 Yr Girls last year's World Championships held on home turf in Auckland. Our riders accepted this challenge and Mikayla Bearman Semis rode to the best of their ability, showing courage and team unity - they should all hold their heads very Kaly Harcourt W7 high. The emotional highs and lows witnessed and shared in the pits area were inspirational. Baylee Luttrell W4 It was great see Rebecca Petch and Mitchell Jessie Smith W2 - Silver Medal McFarlane come back from heavy crashes in their 20" to ride the cruiser class. 15 Yr Girls Competition now moves on to junior and elite racing, Amy Martin Semis with several New Zealand contenders in the mix. 16 Yr Girls Cruiser Class Results, BMX World Champs Day 3: Zoe Fleming Semis 13-14 Yr Boys Rebecca Petch W8 (unlucky to crash) Mitchell McFarlane 1/8ths Ryan Jordan 6th in 1/4s Calien Calkin 8th in 1/4s 17-24 Yr Men Joshua Jordan Semis 25-29 Yr Men Adam Coker W1 - Gold Medal 30-34 Yr Men Mike Reader Semis 40-44 Yr Men Dion Earnest 1/8s 45+ Yr Men Paul Luttrell W7 Scott Hazelwood W2 - Silver Medal 16 & Under Women The final day of challenge class competition saw the Rebecca Petch Semis cruiser classes battle it out, with New Zealand earning Jessica Smith W4 a gold and a silver medal. 30+ Women Report from Sue Walker, Challenge Classes Team Manager: Jeanette Davies W4 3 “We had prepared well and I was proud of all the team,” said Hollands. “But the small track provided some very gladiatorial and combative action. It was just that and our guys were on the wrong side of that and on another day things may have gone our way. “Sarah was the highlight for us,” he said of the stand- out New Zealand performer at the event, which attracted riders from 43 nations. Championship Classes “It was a good result in a high quality final won by the New Zealand suffered frustration at the Ahoy Arena in Olympic champion. The elite men had looked Rotterdam as Sarah Walker placed fifth in the elite excellent in the motos but were just unfortunate women's race and the top Kiwi men’s hopes crashed victims through no fault of their own when other riders out on a dramatic final day at the UCI BMX World crashed into them.” Championships. Walker, a five-time former world medallist, was a little On an extremely tight circuit, the finals session was slow out of the start gate in the final, although the 26- characterised by a litany of spills and mishaps with year-old Cambridge-based rider managed to haul the leading New Zealand riders bearing the brunt of herself up to fifth. the misfortune. The race win went to Mariana Pajon of Colombia, The day's action was frankly described by New who regained the women's elite world title she last Zealand team manager and medic Mark Hollands as won in 2011, from Alise Post (USA) with home rider and “carnage” and “like a war zone” as he witnessed a Walker's good friend Laura Smulders earning bronze range of injuries from a collapsed lung to a for the Netherlands. dislocated shoulder. Walker had earlier revealed her typical fighting qualities to battle through both the quarterfinal and semi-final in fourth place. In her quarterfinal heat Walker was far from her fluent best, but a late pass saw her grab the final qualifying spot by a little over a 0.10s from Russia's Natalia Suvorova. Meanwhile in a loaded semi-final, which contained Pajon and Australia's 2013 world champion Caroline Buchanan, Walker again kept her nerve to eliminate Buchanan by one place. There was disappointment for the three-strong Kiwi contingent in the men's elite race as the trio all 4 suffered heartbreaking crashes to bring a premature end to their World Championship quest. The 2013 world silver medallist Marc Willers had looked majestic winning two of his three races in the motos earlier in the day and many tipped the Cambridge rider for a potential medal in Rotterdam. However, the unpredictable and precarious nature of BMX racing was amply illustrated as the 28-year- old crashed out in the eighth finals after colliding with French Rider Sylvain Andre. He sustained various cuts and abrasions and an injured a thigh in the tumble. World No.6 junior Hannah Sarten (Cambridge) missed out on a place in the final after finishing sixth in her semi-final in the women's event. Sarten, 18, had earlier finished fourth in her group to qualify, but struggled to keep pace with her rivals in the penultimate stanza. The four-strong Kiwi contingent failed to progress beyond the quarterfinals in the men's elite junior race. Kurt Pickard (Tauranga) also suffered the same fate in the eighth final. Pickard, who had topped his group Codi Merito (Te Awamutu) placed fifth in the eighth with two wins in the motos earlier in the day, made a and final heat and did not advance. Meanwhile, slick start from the gate but approaching the first Todd Barry (Te Awamutu) suffered a spectacular berm he was caught in a bottleneck of riders and crash in his eighth final, cart-wheeling over the took a nasty fall. He suffered a damaged right wrist barriers in a three-man pile up to exit the and right shoulder with multiple cuts and bruises. competition.