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.

Full Results

Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elite men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Samuel Hill0:04:19.24
2Troy Brosnan0:00:01.10
3Jack Moir0:00:04.74
4Ben Cory0:00:11.97
5David McMillan0:00:16.94
6William Rischbieth0:00:18.99
7Joe Vejvoda0:00:21.28
8Connor Fearon0:00:21.44
9Mark Conliffe0:00:22.29
10Ben Power0:00:24.45
11Jared Rando0:00:25.73
12Sean McCarroll0:00:27.17
13Angus Maddern0:00:27.87
14Trent Piribauer0:00:30.28
15Jack O'Hare0:00:34.12
16Bruce Moir0:00:35.47
17Phillip Piazza0:00:35.59
18Rick Boyer0:00:36.89
19Alex Swann0:00:42.09
20Liam Panozzo0:00:44.91
21Ngari Jenkins0:00:46.81
22Craig Yates0:00:48.04
23Matt Swann0:00:51.21
24Rhys McLennan0:00:52.69
25Kyle Coutts0:01:00.68
26Kye Hore0:01:01.39
27David Manton0:01:03.67
28Ian Jones0:01:05.01
29Pedr Lapp0:01:08.32
30Bradley Earl0:01:09.60
31Elliot Ried0:01:14.10
32Benjamin Mundy0:01:44.79
33Chris Kovarik0:02:22.17
34Ben Crundwell0:01:17.11
35Rhys Atkinson0:02:22.56
DNFMax KreuzerRow 35 - Cell 2
DNFConor BullardRow 36 - Cell 2
DNFBrendan MoonRow 37 - Cell 2
DNFHenry BlakeRow 38 - Cell 2
DNSGraeme MuddRow 39 - Cell 2
DNSMathew DoddRow 40 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Elite women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Claire Buchar0:05:26.10
2Lisa Mathison0:00:05.09
3Victoria Armstrong0:02:15.87
4Philippa Rostan0:02:55.59
Swipe to scroll horizontally
U19 men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Dean Lucas0:04:24.19
2Luke Ellison0:00:07.80
3Peter Knott0:00:10.52
4Ben Hill0:00:15.03
5Brent Smith0:00:21.15
6Aiden Varley0:00:22.78
7Cameron Ryan0:00:24.76
8Jackson Davis0:00:29.32
9Kyle Lockwood0:00:29.33
10Geoff Wilson0:00:31.67
11Benjamin Dengate0:00:32.27
12Bryce Wing0:00:41.56
13Austen Hawkins0:00:47.24
14Benjamin Kelaart0:00:49.88
15Conor Clancy0:00:54.67
16Matthew McCorkell0:01:04.22
17Oliver Zwar0:01:07.98
18Callum Saxby0:01:11.45
19David Maggs0:01:17.33
20Thomas Crimmins0:04:19.43
21Dominic Hill0:02:50.84
DNFKoe BowmakerRow 21 - Cell 2
Swipe to scroll horizontally
U19 women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Danielle Beecroft0:05:33.47
2Tegan Molloy0:00:40.85
Swipe to scroll horizontally
U17 men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Andrew Crimmins0:04:29.96
2Callum Morrison0:00:25.42
3Remy Morton0:00:26.60
4Joel Willis0:00:26.98
5Jackson Frew0:00:39.23
6Lachlan Gibson0:00:39.52
7Matthew Taylor0:00:39.55
8Darcy Day0:00:45.65
9Jackson White0:00:55.70
10Riley Harman0:01:08.30
11Cosi Hofman0:01:23.54
12Jarrod Murphy0:01:26.14
13Dylan Campbell0:02:27.18
14Josh Pollock0:00:57.58
15Mason Goldsworthy0:03:58.20
Swipe to scroll horizontally
U15 men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Darcy Coutts0:05:32.37
2James Findlay0:00:11.68
3Christopher Findlay0:00:21.22
4Max Heizer0:00:30.58
5Oskar White0:00:34.63
6Aaron Gungl0:00:42.32
7Riley Horsman0:01:28.67

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Latest on Cyclingnews