Hill and Buchar win downhill in Bright

Sam Hill (Chain Reaction Cycles) and Claire Buchar (Kovarik Racing) have been crowned Gravity Cup victors after they clinched wins in the final round of the series in Bright Victoria on Sunday.

Men

Hill made it a clean sweep for the series, both seeding fastest and winning on race day at all three rounds including the finale in the Alpine region, just 1.10 seconds ahead of second placed Troy Brosnan (Specialized Factory Team) with Jack Moir (Yeti Cycles-Fox Racing Team) taking third place.

"It was hard today," Hill said. "I had a big lead after seeding, and I just wanted to get down safe and do what I did yesterday but Troy went quicker," Hill said of his rival's 11-second improvement from seeding.

"He's been missed this national series. It's good to have him back pushing me," Hill said of Brosnan, who made his return to the sport from injury late last month.

Hill claimed the overall series ahead of Moir and Connor Fearon (Kona Factory Racing) and said the achievement was the perfect start to his international season.

"Definitely a good start for the new team - Chain Reaction Cycles - it's the first part of the 2013 season out of the way and to win all the qualifying and the national rounds has been good and hopefully I can carry that through to the rest of the season," Hill said.

Women

In the elite women's racing, it was Canadian Buchar who clinched victory in the series from Lisa Mathison (Planet Cycles Specialized) and Caroline Buchanan (Airborne Bicycles).

"I haven't been 100% healthy so it's been great to achieve some personal goals," Buchar said. "It's been rad to race in Australia again, I haven't raced a national round for a while so it was really good to race all three - I'm happy to have won the series."

Buchar clinched her first victory of the Australian season, 5.09 seconds ahead of Mathison and in front of Team's Victoria Armstrong.

Buchar raced through the pain of a broken hand, an injury she sustained while practicing in Canberra last month at the Australian Championships.

"It's a bit hard this weekend with my hand," Buchar said. "I wasn't able to let go and find my edge because I was so scared to fall on it again, but I was so happy to be able to ride this track - this is the best track I've ridden in Australia."

U19 men

In the under 19 events, Thomas Crimmins (Giant) managed to win the series after a flat tire prevented him from challenging for a medal in the race.

Crimmins retained the series lead by a handful of points to national champion and the day's winner Dean Lucas (Kona Factory Racing) and Fearon.

"I'm really stoked to take out the series, I had a lot of fun racing this year," Crimmins said. "I got a flat tire in the very first corner of the track and I couldn't ride with it - I'm definitely glad I rode really well throughout the series before now."

Lucas took out the round, stopping the clock in front of second placed Luke Ellison and Crank'd Cycles' Peter Knott.

U19 women

In the women's race, Danielle Beecroft (Pivot/Jetblack) won her first round for the series and with it, claimed the Subaru Gravity Cup title.

"I had a really good run," Beecroft said. "This is one of the best tracks we have in Australia right now. It's been a really good battle between me, and Tegan and I'm stoked to come away with the win."

Beecroft finished the course, edging out Tegan Molloy (Kona Factory Racing).

Downhillers head next to Glenorchy, Tasmania for the Oceania Mountain Bike Championships over Easter.

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