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Australian National Championships - C4
Lake Macquarie, New South Wales, Australia, May 5, 2007
Young backs up World Cup with national title
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Khalen Young won his first Australian BMX title in Newcastle just weeks after winning the first round of the UCI Supercross World Cup in Madrid, Spain. The 23 year-old originally from Perth rode from the inside lane and edged ahead of 33 year-old Wade Bootes and Luke Madill, currently ranked fourth in the world, who finished second and third respectively.
After being away from the sport for four years, Young has only been training for the last six months and is focused on gaining selection for the sport's debut in the Olympic Games next yea rin Beijing. Young recently moved his base to Sydney to train with the BMX High Performance Squad and was confident heading into the weekend's national titles having taken the World Cup lead in Spain last month.
"I kind of went into the race thinking I was going to win," explained Young, who had an advantage by having first choice of lanes. "It's the kind of track where you need to get the inside lane."
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Queensland's Michael 'Tiger' Robinson lead in the first straight but was unable to use it to full advantage from the outside lanes. Lane choice was the important ingredient. "If you miss the start you're at the back of the pack," noted Young. "Everyone's a contender but I noticed Tiger got a good start. We kind of banged the turn but once you get out it was kind of easy."
Asked if his recent international success had made him a target, Young replied: "I don't think I was a marked man. Everyone's a contender now days, everyone's so fast. You've got to watch out for everyone now days."
Competition to make the final was fierce with many of the top riders coming unstuck. Defending National Champion, Kamakazi, didn't make it out of the semifinals when he was caught up in a crash while Australian Mountain Bike Downhill Champion, Jared Graves, was sent over the edge of the track in the final.
The national championships also doubled as the national series' final round, which saw Madill take out the men's National Probikx Series title.
Bailey sets up Olympic dream
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In the women's race 26 year-old Tanya Bailey from Perth won by a tyre after a late challenge by Melissa Mankowski, who was riding in her first elite national championship race.
"I got out of the gate really good and lead to the first corner again. I knew I had to hang on but I was a bit nervous," Bailey admitted. A slight loss of speed in the second straight allowed Mankowski to gain some ground.
"I just hung on then," she added. "I knew she'd make a charge in the last straight. Going over the last jump I knew she was catching me but then I put a couple of pedals in and we evened up again."
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Bailey proved her recent move to Sydney has paid off when she secured herself another National title for the Probikx Series. "I've been trying hard to work towards Olympic selection," said Bailey, "and now it's looking a lot better for me."
Both Bailey and Young now gain automatic selection for the upcoming World BMX Championships in Canada in July. "I just can't wait to go to the Worlds now and give those girls a bit of a run for their money," added Bailey.
Defending women's National Champion Krystal Cranfield finished in a creditable third place.
Photography
For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here
Images by Andrew Sawatske/www.hitidephotography.com.au
- BMX riders at staging.
- Billy Joliffe trying for a place on his 20 inch.
- Leading Junior, Ziggy Callan, at the halfway mark.
- Looking to gain some air.
- Last year's national champion Kamakazi gave a strong performance in round 10.
- Eventual winner Scott Taylor shows what makes him fast.
- Melinda McLeod leads out from fourth in the world Lacey Oliver.
- Taking it to the sky.
- Hot competition in the 15 Champbikx race.
- Liverpool club rider Gracie Ireland up close and personal.
- Follow the leader.
- Track keepers kept a close eye on the track.
- Melissa Mankowski taking it high on the berm.
- Dean Piper riding in the competitive 16 Champbikx.
- Kamakazi riding the motos.
- The line-up on the start gate.
- Mackay’s Melinda McLeod wins her 14 Champbikx.
- The young guns in the 14 boys Champbikx.
- Ghost rider.
- Leaps and bounds.
- Ziggy shows some star dust.
- Big jumps get big air.
- Women’s winner leads current national champion Krystal Cranfield.
- Junior women Caroline Buchanan in yellow alongside Ziggy Callan.
- Adelaide’s Matthew Willoughby in leader’s yellow.
- The yellow jersey of Scott Taylor sitting in Kamakazi's dust early in the night.
- New BMX High Performance Coach, Scott Sharples, looking over video footage.
- Close racing in the girls event.
- Champbikx bunch up in the first berm.
- The crowd gets behind every race.
- Junior women head into the second straight for the final.
- Junior men’s semi final.
- One down and one still up.
- Winner of the elite men’s race Scott Taylor shows his determination.
- A hard fall.
- Only at the halfway mark on the long Lake Macquarie track.
- Another crash as the pressure mounts to make the finals .
- The gate drops on the 14 boys motos.
- Riders trying to catch the leaders.
- Wade Bootes heading up for the finals.
- Prue Harvey heads home in the 14 Champbikx motos.
- Working trackside does have its advantages.
- Shannon Burnett leads out Adam Shields.
- Time to untangle.
- Alexander Ulyate leads out Brent Welhan.
- Joshua Webb pulls away from local Chris Westwood early in the day.
Images by Derrick Mellish
- Young crosses the line in first place.
- Bailey leads confidently with Mankowski behind.
- Junior men's final with local leader Christpher Westwood being watched by Dirk Winter.
- Christopher Westwood a clear winner ahead of Dirk Winter and Matthew Willoughby.
- Carloine Buchanan making Ziggy Callan chase in the junior women.
- Buchanan wins the junior women's race plus the overall Probikx Series winner for junior women.
- New Australian BMX Champion Khalen Young.
Results
Elite Men 1 Khalen Young (Liverpool City, NSW) 2 Wade Bootes (Nerang, Qld) 3 Luke Madill (Penrith, NSW) 4 Scott Taylor (Cockburn, WA) 5 Jamie Gray (Beenleigh, Qld) 6 Mark Taylor (Cockburn, WA) 7 Michael Robinson (Nerang, Qld) 8 Jared Graves (Toowoomba, Qld) Elite Women 1 Tanya Bailey (Wanneroo, WA) 2 Melissa Mankowski (Moranbah, Qld) 3 Krystal Cranfield (Centenary Plains, Qld) 4 Tanya Thiele (Bundaberg, Qld) 5 Nicole Callisto (Wanneroo, WA) 6 Kylie Patroni (Wanneroo, WA) 7 Kelly Percy (Redlands, Qld) Junior Men 1 Christopher Westwood (Lake Macquarie, NSW) 2 Dirk Winter (Sunshine Coast, Qld) 3 Matthew Willoughby (Happy Valley, SA) 4 Steven Janssen (Nerang, Qld) 5 Ryan Nicholls (Cairns, Qld) 6 Ashley Pemberton (Townsville, Qld) 7 Ashley Mccutcheon (Warrnambool, Vic) 8 Joshua Webb (Terrigal, NSW) Junior Women 1 Caroline Buchanan (Tuggeranong, ACT) 2 Ziggy Callan (Lilydale, Vic) 3 Caitlyn Ward (Harbour City, Qld) 4 Catherine Hopkins (Hills, WA) 5 Caitlin Willmott (Macarthur, NSW) 6 Caetlyn Hubert (Maitland Tenambit, NSW) 7 Grace Ireland (Liverpool City, NSW) Elite 30+ Masters 1 Brett Scruse (Manly, WArringah, NSW) 2 Jade Mcpherson (Wanneroo, WA) 3 Karl Mustchin (Wanneroo, WA) 4 Simon Anderson (Geelong, Vic) 5 Warren Casey (Castle Hill, NSW) 6 Paul Tomkinson (The Cove, SA) 7 Peter Trenwith (Happy Valley, SA) 8 Daniel Galea (Frankston, Vic) 16 Boys 1 Sam Willoughby (Happy Valley, SA) 2 Joshua Callan (Lilydale, Vic) 3 Anthony Dean (Cross Keys, SA) 4 Aidan Nemet (Tuggeranong, ACT) 5 Michael Chasteauneuf (Eastfield, Vic) 6 Justin Braybon (Happy Valley, SA) 7 Justin Myers (Happy Valley, SA) 8 Kurt Nicholls (Cairns, Qld) 16 Girls 1 Rachel Bracken (Townsville, Qld) 2 Lauren Reynolds (Bunbury, WA) 3 Cherie Simpson (Byford, WA) 4 Courtney Taylor (Blue Mountains, NSW) 5 Kate Warren (Southlake, NSW) 6 Erin Butler (Canberra, ACT) 7 Shayanne Clarke (Clarence Valley, NSW) 8 Erin Anderson (Knox, Vic) 15 Boys 1 Matthew Dunsworth (Knox, Vic) 2 Adam Sanderson (Lake Macquarie, NSW) 3 Trent Evans (Hills, WA) 4 Benjamin Clarke (Macarthur, NSW) 5 Ryan Faux (Mackay Pioneer, Qld) 6 Kyle Horton (Shepparton, Vic) 7 Andrew Schultz (Southside, WA) 8 Jacob Page (Centenary Plains, Qld) 15 Girls 1 Kirsten Dellar (Tom Price, WA) 2 Kate Fischmann (Nerang, Qld) 3 Talia Smith (Cross Keys, SA) 4 Laura Western (Wanneroo, WA) 5 Ashley Wyatt (Mackay Pioneer, Qld) 6 Krystal Russon (Bayside, Qld) 7 Breanna Gould-Goldsworthy (Lake Macquarie, NSW) 8 Amy Buckley (Sawtell, NSW) 14 Boys 1 Adam Shields (Mackay Pioneer, Qld) 2 Graeme Mudd (Maitland Tenambit, NSW) 3 Shannon Burnett (Cockburn, WA) 4 Zac Lorenz (Nerang, Qld) 5 Thomas Rowe (Cross Keys, SA) 6 Alexander Ulyate (Nerang, Qld) 7 Brandon Mcqueen (Toowoomba, Qld) 8 Darryn Goodwin (Hills, WA) 14 Girls 1 Melinda Mcleod (Mackay Pioneer, Qld) 2 Lacey Oliver (Nerang, Qld) 3 Prue Harvey (Blue Lake, SA) 4 Jackie Mattioli (Wanneroo, WA) 5 Rhiannon Simpson (Southlake, NSW) 6 Raquel Watson (Cross Keys, SA) 7 Hannah Parkinson (Southlake, NSW) 8 Sophie Webb (Terrigal, NSW) Final Probikx series standings Elite Men 1 Luke Madill (Penrith, NSW) 1013 pts 2 Wade Bootes (Nerang, Qld) 941 3 Khalen Young (Liverpool City, NSW) 845 4 Jared Graves (Toowoomba, Qld) 735 5 Michael Robinson (Nerang, Qld) 625 6 Scott Taylor (Cockburn, WA) 541 7 Billy Jolliffe (Terrigal, NSW) 498 8 Brian Kirkham (Port Augusta, SA) 472 9 Daniel Johnstone (Terrigal, NSW) 431 10 Alexander Cameron (Liverpool City, NSW) 425 11 Kamakazi (Nerang, Qld) 404 12 Jamie Gray (Beenleigh, Qld) 357 13 Todd Pascoe (Townsville, Qld) 333 14 Cale Mcculloch (Cockburn, WA) 315 15 Joel Clark (Sunshine Coast, Qld) 284 16 Marc Willers (Cambridge, NZl) 221 17 Bill Hobbs (Wanneroo, WA) 214 18 Thomas Hubert (Maitland Tenambit, NSW) 199 19 Mark Taylor (Cockburn, WA) 190 19 Sifiso Nhlapo (South Africa RSA) 190 21 Leigh Darrell (Canberra, ACT) 178 22 Blake Schofield (Wanneroo, WA) 159 23 James Dixon (Rockingham, WA) 152 24 Terry Scarr (Liverpool City, NSW) 152 25 Joel Kugener (Rangiora, NZl) 150 26 Kane Gill (Hills, WA) 142 27 Matthew Cameron (New Plymouth, NZl) 135 28 Andrew Gillett (Rockingham, WA) 128 29 Warwick Stevenson (Liverpool City, NSW) 127 30 Samuel Baber (Nerang, Qld) 127 31 Matthew Hill (Nerang, Qld) 125 32 Alex Cossell (Nerang, Qld) 121 33 Steven Wong (Hong Kong of China, HKg) 121 34 Anthony Bork (Centenary Plains, Qld) 119 35 Brock Murray (Cockburn, WA) 114 36 Michael Fenwick (Happy Valley, SA) 108 37 Gavin Turner (Blue Mountains, NSW) 107 38 Julian Lim (Beenleigh, Qld) 98 39 Timothy Ferguson (Wellington, Vic) 95 40 Michael Wallin (Walkerston, Qld) 88 41 Ben Clark (Tamworth, NSW) 87 42 Alex Hunter (Hong Kong of China, HKg) 81 42 Jonathan Stavrianakos (Wanneroo, WA) 81 44 Takuro Nishioka (Japan JPN) 80 45 Mitchell Scarr (Liverpool City, NSW) 75 46 Callum Gifford (Manukau, NZl) 63 46 Tony Wilcock (Tauranga, NZl) 63 46 Jarrod Royal (Nerang, Qld) 63 49 Ronnie Dugdell (Cairns, Qld) 58 50 Adam Carey (Border, Vic) 58 50 Luke Strom (Blue Mountains, NSW) 58 52 Ryan Jedrzejczyk (Liverpool City, NSW) 56 52 Alex Lloyd (Penrith, NSW) 56 54 Nigel Adamson (Cambridge, NZl) 50 55 Brett Wallin (Walkerston, Qld) 48 56 Gavin Jedrzejczyk (Liverpool City, NSW) 40 57 Daniel Laird (Southern Districts, WA) 39 58 Tim Ferguson (Cambridge, NZl) 38 59 Jayden Dinmore (Nerang, Qld) 32 59 Timothy Dunn (Blue Mountains, NSW) 32 61 Dane Booker (Terrigal, NSW) 31 61 Jason Kelly (Hamilton, NZl) 31 61 Rhys Telford (New Plymouth, NZl) 31 64 Jonathan Hoare (South Eastern, Vic) 27 64 Frank Penrose (Southlake, NSW) 27 66 Jade Mcpherson (Wanneroo, WA) 20 67 Kiel Dellow (Macarthur, NSW) 17 Elite Women 1 Tanya Bailey (Wanneroo, WA) 1037 pts 2 Melissa Mankowski (Moranbah, Qld) 884 3 Nicole Callisto (Liverpool City, NSW) 600 4 Tanya Thiele (Bundaberg, Qld) 446 5 Sarah Walker (Rotorua, NZl) 440 6 Krystal Cranfield (Harbour City, Qld) 422 7 Kylie Patroni (Wanneroo, WA) 208 8 Rachael Sheridan (Liverpool City, NSW) 189 9 Serena Kastermans (Papakura, NZl) 160 10 Chaye Lang (Wanneroo, WA) 119 11 Angela Wooding (The Cove, SA) 102 12 Kelly Percy (Redlands, Qld) 88 13 Jill Kintner (United States of America USA) 58 14 Lisa Horlor (Hamilton, NZl) 46 Junior Men 1 Matthew Willoughby (Happy Valley, SA) 1017 pts 2 Steven Janssen (Nerang, Qld) 887 3 Dirk Winter (Sunshine Coast, Qld) 874 4 Joshua Webb (Terrigal, NSW) 735 5 Ashley Pemberton (Townsville, Qld) 602 6 Michael Vockenson (Suncoast Hinterland, Qld) 480 7 Ben Davis (Byford, WA) 474 8 Luke Bracken (Townsville, Qld) 413 9 Christopher Westwood (Lake Macquarie, NSW) 392 10 Luke Londema (Happy Valley, SA) 369 11 Nicholas Cameron (Liverpool City, NSW) 320 12 Ashley Mccutcheon (Warrnambool, Vic) 247 13 Jasper Gaffney (Sunshine Coast, Qld) 245 14 Jye Danielson (Mackay Pioneer, Qld) 190 15 Chris Fleming (Suncoast Hinterland, Qld) 181 16 Tye Booker (Terrigal, NSW) 175 17 Aaron Wheatland (Mildura, SA) 173 18 Jarrad Smith (Byford, WA) 157 19 Ryan Nicholls (Cairns, Qld) 151 20 Scott Walsh (Lake Macquarie, NSW) 143 21 Dylan Prince (Byford, WA) 139 22 Lindsay Truscott (Hills, WA) 121 23 Graeme Riggs (Harbour City, Qld) 108 24 Kristofer Ulyate (Nerang, Qld) 94 25 Aaron Hattin (Nerang, Qld) 86 25 Michael Jobson (Blue Mountains, NSW) 86 27 Mark Dixon (Rockingham, WA) 85 28 Luke Manera (Wanneroo, WA) 84 29 Karl Ballintyne (Blue Lake, SA) 83 29 Tom Siinmaa (Knox, Vic) 83 29 Kristopher Twentyman (Liverpool City, NSW) 83 32 Adam Thaler (Southlake, NSW) 81 33 Cameron Ainger (Southside, WA) 76 34 Axel Jones (Hamilton, NZl) 59 35 John Rowe (Eastern Goldfields, WA) 58 35 Zachary Webb (Sunset Coast Waiuku, NZl) 58 37 Derrick Mellish (Sunset Coast Waiuku, NZl) 51 38 Joshua Eden (Happy Valley, SA) 50 39 Tim Mores (Rockingham, WA) 50 40 Cameron Taylor (Blue Mountains, NSW) 48 41 Joshua Cardy (Hills, WA) 42 41 Simon Eames (Tom Price, WA) 42 41 Steven Meads (Wanneroo, WA) 42 44 Joshua Beaumont (Southern City TAS) 37 45 Benn Ross (Sunbury, Vic) 34 46 Matthew Davies (Christchurch City, NZl) 31 46 Michael Williams (Papakura, NZl) 31 48 Brendan Spann (Proserpine, Qld) 23 49 Zac Lennon (Blue Lake, SA) 12 Junior Women 1 Caroline Buchanan (Tuggeranong, ACT) 1108 pts 2 Ziggy Callan (Lilydale, Vic) 1029 3 Grace Ireland (Liverpool City, NSW) 656 4 Catherine Hopkins (Hills, WA) 567 5 Caitlyn Ward (Harbour City, Qld) 454 6 Victoria Hill (New Plymouth, NZl) 292 7 Caetlyn Hubert (Maitland Tenambit, NSW) 208 8 Chantelle Dean (Cross Keys, SA) 99 9 Caitlin Willmott (Macarthur, NSW) 89 10 Kylee Cross (Mackay Pioneer, Qld) 82 11 Alyce Patroni (Wanneroo, WA) 74 12 Keiarra Seccombe (Sawtell, NSW) 56
