The winning couple, Chris Kovarik and Claire Buchar. (Image credit: Evan Jeffery / evanjeffery.blogspot.com)
World ranked downhiller Chris Kovarik won the Australian National Downhill Series men's race on the Gold Coast on Sunday while his fiancée Claire Buchar took top honors in the women's race.
The 30-year-old Australian Kovarik was fastest in both the qualifying and final rounds. "I qualified fastest to see where I was at which always takes a lot out of you," Kovarik said. "At the top, I was pretty confident I could pull it off if I got through those slippery woods."
After heavy rain the day before, riders had to negotiate a slippery rocky section near the top of the 1.7 km course. "For everyone it was treacherous," said Kovarik. "You couldn't get through there with your feet on!" Despite the wet conditions, Kovarik praised the course saying it was as good as any on the international World Cup circuit.
Buchar's win came despite a fall n the slippery forest section. "I was trying to go a bit too fast," the Canadian Buchar said. "The conditions are really unpredictable."
Joshua Button and Baker rounded out the men's podium while Leigh Douglas and Caroline Buchanan completed the women's top three.
The third round of the national series will continue in Geelong in two weeks.
