Australian Tracey Hannah. (Image credit: Tour of Japan)
Reigning Australian world champions Tracey Hannah and Sam Hill won the elite women's and men's downhills at the fourth round of the World Cup in Schladming, Austria, last weekend.
Racing her first season in the elite ranks, Hannah became the youngest Australian to win a World Cup event. Hannah, 2006 junior world champion downhill racer, just turned 19 three weeks ago.
After qualifying second fastest, Hannah went on to beat hot favourite and current world champion, Sabrina Jonnier (Iron Horse / Monster Energy) from France. Hannah rode an impressive 4:41.50 beating Jonnier by more than one second on the 2,100m course, and she moved into fourth position in the World Cup overall standings. Jonnier looks certain to take the series with only one remaining event.
Making it an Australian double, world champion Sam Hill (Iron Horse / Monster Energy) won the elite men's event with a massive margin over his nearest rival, Gee Atherton (Animal Commencal) from Great Britain. The 21 year-old rode a blistering 3:51.44, over five seconds faster than Atherton with both riders being the only two competitors to break the four minute barrier.
"Sam was pretty impressive today," said competitor Greg Minnaar (Team G-Cross Honda). "He deserves to be in the black jersey right now."
Hill now leads the series with a comfortable 807 points, 168 points ahead of Britain's Steve Peat. Hill looks comfortably in the series lead with one remaining final round in Slovenia in September.
Americans score pair of 4X wins
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On the 4X side, two Americans scored victory. Brian Lopes logged a convincing win Saturday in round four of the men's 4X after winning all his rounds, including the final ahead of German Guido Tschugg, Slovakian Filip Polc and Australian rider Jared Graves. Meanwhile, compatriot Jill Kintner showed she has recovered from her disappointing race two weeks ago in Mont Sainte Anne. She won in Austria over Dutchwoman Anneke Beerten. Both Americans lead the World Cup overall standings
The fifth and final World Cup round will happen September 13-14 in Maribor, Slovenia. For complete coverage of Gravity World Cup Round 4, click here.
