It was a weekend of chasing mountain bike national titles in Australia and New Zealand, delivering both the continuation of some impressive runs from well entrenched players, Rebecca Henderson and Anton Cooper, but also foreshadowing the emergence of a new generation of challengers.
In Australia as the racing unfolded at Mt Buller on Sunday, Henderson took an impressive 13th elite women's national cross-country title in a row. Even though she was picking her way through the course carefully after crashing in brutal wet conditions last year and unknowingly racing to her 12th title with a fractured shoulder, the Orbea Fox team rider claimed victory in dominant style.
“I was so hyper-focused the whole way, I never really rode into it, my eyes hurt because I was just laser focused, seeing every rock and risk averse,” Henderson said in an AusCycling media release after adding her 13th elite cross-country Australian title to the short-track one she claimed earlier at the event.
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It didn't, however, seem to hinder her run. After six laps, taking an average of 14:33 each, Henderson crossed the line with a 4:08 lead to second-placed Sarah Tucknott, while Katrina Dower was third.
The U23 women's riders were also out on the course at the same time, but starting a minute later for their five-lap event. Even so, that didn't stop U23 winner Ruby Taylor – who last month won two stages on the road at the Hertz ProVelo Super League's Tour of Tasmania – catching and passing all but Henderson on her way to victory in her first year out of the junior category. With an average lap time of 14:44, just 11 seconds more than Henderson, the 18-year-old carved out a gap of 3:30 to her nearest U23 rival Ella Menigoz.
In the men's elite race at the 2026 GWM MTB National Championships, there was a new Australian XCO title holder, with a win for 20-year-old Jack Ward, who stepped up into the category early and came second in the tough conditions last year.
“I just wanted to rip the first lap and put everyone in the red and I could recover quicker and go from there,” said Ward, who also won the short track title.
By the time he crossed the final finish line after seven laps the multi-discipline Lidl-Trek Future rider had built the gap to second placed Harry Doye to 1:19 while Tasman Nankervis was 32 seconds further back in third.
Reuben Page-Brown claimed the U23 win ahead of Joel Dodds, who was just 37 seconds back.
Over in New Zealand it was Anton Cooper who was racking up the title count on Saturday, claiming an 11th elite XCO title after taking off on the third lap and holding on to win the 6 lap combined men's elite and U23 race. He had a gap of 1:24 to his nearest rival Matthew Wilson, who won the title in 2023. Fletcher Adams came third overall and also claimed the U23 title.
The 11th win for Cooper, who now races with Lapierre PXP, came after a disrupted pre-race build. He got a nail through the tyre as he was warming up 15 minutes from the start, that meant he had to arrange to be picked up and do a quick wheel change before rushing to the line without the planned warm-up.
“It was a challenging start to the day but in the end, I was happy with how I rode," said Cooper in a media statement from Cycling New Zealand. "You need to show some calmness when things don’t go to plan.”
Three-time XCO title holder Samara Sheppard had been away from the title hunt for some time given her focus on gravel but the New Zealand rider who lives in Australia returned with her winning form intact.
“I had a couple of days to dial-in the track and go out there with a game-plan and execute a good race was really satisfying," said Sheppard.
"I was consistent throughout the whole course, climbing well and able to put the power down and ride smoothly and cleanly.”
Sheppard, who races the Life Time Grand Prix series, finished the five-lap race with a 2:40 gap to Maria Laurie who was in second overall but claimed the U23 title in the combined women's race.
On Sunday, Mary Gray and Cooper won the New Zealand elite short-track titles.
