July 24, 2013 (Aukland, New Zealand) – Trans-Tasman rivalry was resumed at the first session of the UCI BMX World Championships when New Zealand and Australia both won three titles today (Wednesday).
Ten titles were on the line with Maia Coleman-Savage drawing first blood for the host nation at the Vector Arena in the 10 year girls. Ironically Maia lives in Australia but still has New Zealand citizenship.
Coleman – Savage went through the meet unbeaten, winning her three qualifying motos and then a semi-final, before using more speed off the last corner to come from behind and overtake French girl and defending champion Francesca Cingolani.
Like a lot of young BMXers Australian Jesse Asmus who took out the 10 year boys wants to ride at the Olympics.
Other Australian included Des’Ree Barnes in the 11 girls who made it a trifecta after also being successful at the 2009 and 2012 World Championships.
England claimed its only title of the session through Ryan Martin, who beat defending champion Julian Dittrick of the USA. “When I crossed the finish line I thought I was going to ball into tears,” said Martin who lives in the Waikato, but still has a British passport.
Gisborne’s Jessie Smith broke her duck today having finished twice at the Adelaide and South African Worlds in 2009 and 2010. “I’m stoked to win this time. Going down that start ramp gives you such an adrenalin rush New Zealand also took out the 12 boy’s title with Cailen Calkin from Hamilton saying the five to six days training since Easter’s national championships having paid off. Now he is looking for more success in tomorrow’s Cruiser Championship for the larger 24 inch diameter wheeled bikes.
“Mind shocked” was how Australian Shelby Green described her victory in the 13 year girls. “I couldn’t believe it. I was hoping to get top 3, everybody looked really fast.” Green beat four finalist from last year’s World’s at Birmingham including defending champion Maite Naves Barreto of Brazil who was second and American Anna Johnson of the USA who was fourth.
Carlos Javier Zuluaga Melo will go home from Auckland a lot happier than after last year’s Worlds where he was last in the final. The Columbian beat fellow South American Facundo Lorenzo Rios in the 13 year boys.
Japan scored the double in the 14 girls, with Saya Sakakibara beating defending champion Sae Hatakeyama. “I crashed out in the semis last year,” said Saya in a perfect Aussie accent, the result of living across the Tasman, but retaining her Japanese citizenship.
Defending champion Michael Gonzales won the 14 boys title with local hope Maynard Peel drawing the least favoured outside start lane and finishing third after being unbeaten in his three motos and the eighth, quarter and semi-finals.
Session 2
A crash fest was the order of the evening at the second session of the UCI BMX World Championships in Auckland, New Zealand tonight. In three of the men’s finals most of the field hit the tarmac in the first corner at the Vector Arena.
New Zealand came away with two more titles with Adam Coker taking the 25 to 29 years class and former double national elite men’s champion Tony Wilcock successful in the men’s 30 and over class.
It was a night for the United Nations with riders from France, Canada, Switzerland, USA, the Netherlands, Australia and Ireland also successful.
Canadians had a strong showing, with Alex Tougas winning the Boys 15 race, Daina Tuchscherer fifth in the Girls 16 competition, and Cayleigh Van Staalduinen eighth in the Girls 14 category.
Colin Hudson, the defending champion, took the 16 boys’ title, despite starting from the unfavoured lane eight. He was helped a little when three of his rivals crashed in the first corner and then claimed the win on the last bend coming from third as France’s Romain Racine and Bruno Andrade Cogo (Brazil) opened the door while they tussled for the lead.
It was Hudson’s fourth title in a row at World level and seventh visit to a world podium.
There was a bigger pile-up in the 15 boys’ race, with six of the eight starters going down in the first turn leaving Tougas of Canada to take the win.
And half the field crashed in the 30 and over men with Wilcock (Hamilton) winning New Zealand’s second title of the night. Coker was impressive in his victory going undefeated through 3 motos, a quarter, semi and the final.
“I had a good day right from my first lap, I felt it was on. It’s awesome to have family and friends supporting was special.”
And Ireland claimed its first ever title at a BMX World’s when Kelvin Batey took the Master’s class from the more fancied Argentine pairing and former elite class riders Christian Becerine and Javier Colombo who crashed in the first corner, along with three others.
“The sport is coming on a lot back home, so this is another step in the right direction and hopefully will bring more people to BMX.”
The women did not ride quite as aggressively and stayed on their bikes, with Axelle Etienne (France) winning the 15 girls from Kiwi Zoe Fleming second. Local rider Tahlia Hansen repeated her second place of 12 months ago behind Switzerland’s Christelle Boivin who “felt good even after all the travel to get here.”
Robin Van der Kolk from the Netherlands repeated his Birmingham 2012 win in the 17-24 year men’s class, winning all but his eighth final when he unclipped from his pedal during the four hours.
“It was pretty tight racing – the track is so small, so you have to be in front from the gate. I’m stoked right now after defending my world title”
It was third time lucky for Australia’s Madison Janssen in the 17 and over women’s class after finishing runner-up at the 2003 Perth and 2008 China Worlds.
Tomorrow is the turn of the youngsters with the five to nine years categories in the morning ahead of the Cruiser class, for the larger 24″ diameter wheeled bikes, in the afternoon.
Friday allows for a change day for the track for the elites with time trials on Saturday and racing on Sunday.