Aussie National Series finale wrap-up

Mountain bikers vying for both the Australian national series crown and for some final fitness before the Oceania Championships (which will be held on the 2006 World Championship course in Rotorua, NZ) and the Commonwealth Games took on the trails around Mt Feathertop in Mt. Buller last weekend.

It was an event filled with strong individual performances but at the end of the day, the weekend's results made no difference in the crowing of the overall series winners.

In cross country, Dylan Cooper (Scott-Conceptitis.com.au) and Dellys Starr (Cycle Edge) took the wins on the 20k course but didn't gain enough points in the overall series to knock Chris Jongewaard (Avanti-Rock Shox) or Emma Colson (Giant-Top Bike) off the top step of the series podium.

In downhill action, DH super-couple Sam Hill and Sabrina Jonnier (Iron Horse) dominated the racing, winning their categories convincingly. Hill and Jonnier are indeed a hot couple at the moment, each coming off silver medals in the World Championships (by under a second) last year and each able to pull out some spectacular riding at the drop of a hat. Both will now travel to Rotorua, New Zealand for the Oceania Championships (as will many of the Elite fields) to check out the course that will host the 2006 World Championships.

Jared Rando (Giant) and Claire Whiteman (Kona) both secured the DH series wins with solid second places.

For complete report, results and photos, please visit the cross-country and downhill pages respectively.