The Oceania Champs 2009 was held this weekend in Thredbo, Australia (the venue alternates between Australia and NZ each year). The fields were relatively small with neither the New Zealand champ Harriet Harper nor the Austraian Series champ Leigh Douglas attending, but there was still plenty of fast riding from the likes of Australian National 4x Champ Caroline Buchanan, Australian National DH Champ Claire Whiteman, and NZ National Champs number 2 Amy Laird.
Oceanias 4x women.
Photo: www.evanjeffrey.blogspot.com, courtesy of BikeMedia Australia
The 4x was held on Friday and Caroline Buchanan took the win while Sarsha Huntington followed her into second. Closing in was young BMX rider Cherie Simpson finishing in third.
The downhill was held over the weekend on a rocky course made more technical by the rain. 4x winner Caroline Buchanan seeded fastest and looked set to make it a double victory. However, the final saw Australian National Champ Claire Whiteman from Canberra take the win by just half a second. Claire hopes the title will help her get to the World Championships later this year, saying: “It’s been the best year yet, but it was tough. Generally I don’t do well in the wet. This time down I decided to relax from the top.” Third place went to New Zealand’s national silver medallist, Amy Laird.
Claire Whiteman, Oceanias 2009.
Photo: www.evanjeffrey.blogspot.com, courtesy of BikeMedia Australia
Older: Tracy Moseley wins round 1 of the 2009 Maxxis Cup
Fresher: Maxxis Cup 2009 Round 2 Results - Tracy wins again
Published on 23/03/2009 by Martha Hucker.