Northcott, Leary win short track titles

Short track competitors raced at mid-day at Long Gulley where they faced fierce head and cross winds, which added to the tactical contest for open men and women.

The short track was raced around a dirt criterium style circuit, winding in and out of the downhill event village. An enthusiastic and vocal crowd urged the racers on, with the women's field first on course for their 20-minute multi-lap sprint.

Newly crowned dross country national champion Nic Leary demonstrated that an attack from the front also works in this shorter format of event. Leary pressured the rest of the women's field from the gun and stretched her competitors, just like yesterday with another brutal display of aggressive riding.

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The real contest was taking place for the minor podium spots between Fiona McDermid, Monique Avery and early on from Sara Taylor. McDermid retained just enough gas to cross the line only seconds in front of Avery.

The men's short track was a tactical duel right through to the last lap of the 28-minute race. Brendan Sharratt, Mike Northcott and Mark Leishman were locked in a three-way battle for much of the race until Sharratt faded. Leishman and Northcott then traded attacks for the remainder of the race, until 2010 national cross country Champ Northcott backed up yesterday's success to gap Leishman on the second half of the last lap to take the win.

Sharratt discovered new legs after fading mid-race and slipping back into the clutches of Patrick Avery and Kyle Wood, to then clear out on his own to claim the third podium spot.

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