After lengthy stay in hot seat, Harper holds on to women's title

The downhill finals commenced as soon as the short track had finished. Tension built right through all age group categories in the lead-up to the under 19 and elite events.

The senior men's race bought back to the top step of the podium a well experienced racer, Reon Boe (New Zealand), who has returned to national-level competition after a break of several years. Boe was a popular winner of the senior men's title, as was Madeline Taylor (New Zealand) in the open women's category. She was returning after a two-month injury enforced break.

The under 19 Oceania title race was keenly anticipated by the large crowd as a strong Australian squad were contesting this year, however George Brannigan (New Zealand) was not to be denied at Signal Hill and raced a clean run to win by nearly three seconds from fellow New Zealander Jed Rooney. The best of the Australian squad in this category was young Troy Brosnan who lived up to the promise he has shown through the Australian domestic competition this summer with a third place.

The elite categories were next on the menu. Harriet Harper (New Zealand) had mechanical issues during qualifying and, as a result, was the first woman off the start line. Harper posted a stunning time to lay seige to the leader's hot seat, which she never relinquished as rider after rider crossed the line. Like Brannigan, Harper achieved a rare feat with her victory - both athletes are now dual 2010 National and Oceania champions after earlier this month both winning the National Championships in Wellington. Sarsha Huntington (Australia) provided the best of the Australian challenge with a third place.

In the men's elite race, New Zealand's best athletes were all on hand competing for the Oceania title together with a strong Australian presence led by Rhys Willemse. Cameron Cole (New Zealand) had qualified fastest, but any one of the well regarded contenders were capable of putting down the perfect run to take the podium top step.

New Zealand's highest ranked rider Justin Leov had qualified in the top 10, but front punctured in the Signal rock garden, and his much anticipated challenge was over. First Glenn Haden (New Zealand) then Kieran Bennett (New Zealand) held the leader's hot seat for a long spell, until the last three riders on course displaced Bennett and then each other with quicker race times. None of the final three were given the chance to settle in that leader's seat however, as the last starter on the hill, Cole, turned out a stunning race time to take the Oceania Championship title.

Cole's victory bought to a close the 2010 Oceania Mountain Bike Championships after a full four days of competition and six different events. Host club Mountainbike Otago were happy with the way the event had been delivered, with similar sentiments echoed by the national body Mountainbike New Zealand.

The 2011 Oceania Championships are scheduled for Australia, at a yet to be determined venue.

Full Results

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Elite men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Cameron Cole (New Zealand)0:02:39.15
2Nathan Rankin (New Zealand)0:00:01.88
3Wyn Masters (New Zealand)0:00:05.86
4Kieran Bennett (New Zealand)0:00:06.45
5Matt Walker (New Zealand)0:00:07.44
6Rhys Willemse (Australia)0:00:08.02
7Glenn Haden (New Zealand)0:00:08.37
8Matt Scoles (New Zealand)0:00:08.96
9Richard Leacock (New Zealand)0:00:09.02
10Martin Frei (Switzerland)0:00:10.52
11Reuben Miller (New Zealand)0:00:12.29
12Hayden McGregor (New Zealand)0:00:13.20
13Freddie King (New Zealand)0:00:13.98
14Dan Sims (New Zealand)0:00:15.46
15Lindsay Klein (Australia)0:00:15.51
16Laurie Dinham (Australia)0:00:18.90
17Michael Manning (Australia)0:00:19.56
18Simon French (Australia)0:00:19.97
19James Rennie (New Zealand)0:00:20.09
20Edo Franco (Italy)0:00:22.73
21Chris Barlin (Australia)0:00:22.76
22Benjamin Ayling (Australia)0:00:27.27
23Eymeric Blay (French Polynesia)0:00:41.51
24Aari Barrett (New Zealand)0:00:54.80
25Hayden Lester (Australia)0:01:12.65
DNFJustin Leov (New Zealand)Row 25 - Cell 2
DNSKaine Cannan (Australia)Row 26 - Cell 2
DNSRyan Hunt (Australia)Row 27 - Cell 2
DSQThomas Jeandin (Switzerland)Row 28 - Cell 2
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Elite women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Harriet Harper (New Zealand)0:03:07.36
2Gabrielle Molloy (New Zealand)0:00:08.89
3Sarsha Huntington (Australia)0:00:20.78
4Holly Baarspul (Australia)0:00:25.26
5Emily Hockey (Australia)0:00:39.89
DNSSophie Borderes (France)Row 5 - Cell 2
DNSRita Langley (New Zealand)Row 6 - Cell 2
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Junior men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1George Brannigan (New Zealand)0:02:45.63
2Jed Rooney (New Zealand)0:00:02.75
3Troy Brosnan (Australia)0:00:03.29
4Rupert Chapman (New Zealand)0:00:03.85
5Antony Moore (Australia)0:00:05.57
6Daniel Franks (New Zealand)0:00:05.85
7Reuben Olorenshaw (New Zealand)0:00:10.72
8Brandon Ransfield (New Zealand)0:00:10.75
9Jimmy Wilson (New Zealand)0:00:11.98
10Oscar Tatom (New Zealand)0:00:12.59
11James Shepherd (Australia)0:00:13.19
12Temarii Buillard (French Polynesia)0:00:13.20
13Brandon Yrttiaho (Australia)0:00:13.41
14Marcus Fairbanks (Australia)0:00:13.86
15Mat Prior (New Zealand)0:00:14.75
16Aden Wyber (Australia)0:00:15.12
17Nick Bygate (New Zealand)0:00:16.88
18Will Kemp (New Zealand)0:00:21.16
19Brandon Lumsden (New Zealand)0:00:22.72
20Dan Trewern (New Zealand)0:00:22.85
21Bryan Beaufils French Polynesia0:00:24.45
22Kieran Thompson (New Zealand)0:00:24.91
23Brandon Dunn (New Zealand)0:00:28.25
24Cory Prutton (New Zealand)0:00:28.47
25Cody Rees (New Zealand)0:00:31.32
26William Parata (New Zealand)0:00:31.52
27Nick Taylor (New Zealand)0:00:32.60
28Dan Whearty (New Zealand)0:00:33.39
29Josh Barnard (New Zealand)0:00:35.80
30Lachlan Cruickshank (New Zealand)0:00:36.60
31Ryan Connell (Australia)0:00:37.82
32Rogan Young (New Zealand)0:00:46.98
DNFSam Baker (New Zealand)Row 32 - Cell 2
DNFTobias Handcock (New Zealand)Row 33 - Cell 2
DNSJames Green (Australia)Row 34 - Cell 2
DNSPhillip Piazza (Australia)Row 35 - Cell 2
DNSRyan Lewis (New Zealand)Row 36 - Cell 2
DNSGeorge Diver (New Zealand)Row 37 - Cell 2
DNSLeighton Kirk (New Zealand)Row 38 - Cell 2
DNSJackson Carter-Smith (New Zealand)Row 39 - Cell 2
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Under 17 men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Louis Hamilton (New Zealand)0:02:55.57
2Troy Stewart (New Zealand)0:00:00.43
3Jake Robinson (New Zealand)0:00:01.82
4Reece Potter (New Zealand)0:00:02.58
5Harry Chapman (New Zealand)0:00:09.47
6Tom Burns (New Zealand)0:00:10.76
7Tim Adams (New Zealand)0:00:10.89
8Dan McCombie (New Zealand)0:00:11.77
9Hunter Jenkinson (New Zealand)0:00:12.11
10Leo Sandler (New Zealand)0:00:18.00
11Zach Baker (New Zealand)0:00:21.50
12Harry Ness (New Zealand)0:00:21.68
13Daniel McNab (New Zealand)0:00:21.78
14Richard Scott (New Zealand)0:00:23.83
15Conor Smith (New Zealand)0:00:24.82
16Dion Ward (New Zealand)0:00:30.42
17Andy Wilson (New Zealand)0:00:35.08
18Michael Franks (New Zealand)0:00:38.35
19Caelab Drummond (New Zealand)0:00:44.63
20Jake Paddon (New Zealand)0:00:47.73
21Aaron James (New Zealand)0:00:53.75
22Cameron Flick (New Zealand)0:00:58.78
23Thomas Gornall (New Zealand)0:01:01.50
24Taylor Rhodes (New Zealand)0:01:03.47
25Mitchell Scammell (New Zealand)0:01:10.14
26Elliot Davison (New Zealand)0:01:13.33
27Mitchell Barnard (New Zealand)0:02:14.70
DNFDevan Eden (New Zealand)Row 27 - Cell 2
DNSJacques Vosloo (New Zealand)Row 28 - Cell 2
DNSMorgan Taylor (New Zealand)Row 29 - Cell 2
DNSMichael Gunter (New Zealand)Row 30 - Cell 2
DNSBradley Dent (New Zealand)Row 31 - Cell 2
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Senior men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Reon Boe (New Zealand)0:02:50.42
2Daniel Heads (New Zealand)0:00:01.34
3Daniel Meilink (New Zealand)0:00:01.67
4Peter Cooper (New Zealand)0:00:01.98
5Sam Shuchsmith (United Kingdom)0:00:02.53
6Tom Winwood (New Zealand)0:00:03.75
7David Balderstone (New Zealand)0:00:04.04
8Cameron Kay (New Zealand)0:00:04.77
9Nick McConachie (New Zealand)0:00:05.55
10Joe Flanagan (United Kingdom)0:00:07.02
11Tom Mathews (New Zealand)0:00:07.04
12Cam Johnson (New Zealand)0:00:10.54
13Alastair Parkin (Scotland)0:00:12.63
14Matt Burns (New Zealand)0:00:16.63
15Heraud Aurelien (France)0:00:16.91
16Josh Miller (New Zealand)0:00:20.95
17Shea Barnes (New Zealand)0:00:26.97
18Luis Augusto Arruda Affonso (New Zealand)0:00:28.30
19Tom Beaton (New Zealand)0:00:30.82
20Ben Stewart (New Zealand)0:00:31.60
21Mark Johns (New Zealand)0:00:43.00
22Aaron Coster (New Zealand)0:00:45.58
DNFSam Perry (New Zealand)Row 22 - Cell 2
DNFEthan Helliwell (New Zealand)Row 23 - Cell 2
DNSJake Boylett (New Zealand)Row 24 - Cell 2
DNSBen Tyas (New Zealand)Row 25 - Cell 2
DNSJames Allan (New Zealand)Row 26 - Cell 2
DNSDylan Sanchez-Pinsent (New Zealand)Row 27 - Cell 2
DNSJimmy Pritchard (Australia)Row 28 - Cell 2
DNSHayden McKay (New Zealand)Row 29 - Cell 2
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Master 1 men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Cameron Bisset (New Zealand)0:03:04.16
2Derek Winwood (New Zealand)0:00:03.91
3Neil White (New Zealand)0:00:11.80
4Boyd Grinstead (New Zealand)0:00:12.60
5Phil Walter (New Zealand)0:00:27.30
DNSAndrew Martin (New Zealand)Row 5 - Cell 2
DNSChris Paassens (New Zealand)Row 6 - Cell 2
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Master 2 men
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Randal Huntington (Australia)0:02:58.26
2John Boylett (New Zealand)0:00:37.17
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Open women
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Madeline Taylor (New Zealand)0:03:32.05
2Charlotte Clouston (New Zealand)0:00:02.19
3Georgia Wight (New Zealand)0:00:03.30
4Sarah Atkin (New Zealand)0:00:08.52
5Sophie Tyas (New Zealand)0:00:15.93
6Veronique Sandler (New Zealand)0:00:23.09
7Kaytee Campbell (New Zealand)0:00:24.58
8Amanda Pearce (New Zealand)0:00:29.12
DNSRaewyn Morrison (New Zealand)Row 8 - Cell 2
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Novice boys
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Richard Scandrett (New Zealand)0:03:40.19
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Sweepers
#Rider Name (Country) Team
1Dylan
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Fastest men's race runs
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Cameron Cole (New Zealand)0:02:39.15
2Nathan Rankin (New Zealand)0:00:01.88
3Wyn Masters (New Zealand)0:00:05.86
4Kieran Bennett (New Zealand)0:00:06.45
5George Brannigan (New Zealand)0:00:06.48
6Matt Walker (New Zealand)0:00:07.44
7Rhys Willemse (Australia)0:00:08.02
8Glenn Haden (New Zealand)0:00:08.37
9Matt Scoles (New Zealand)0:00:08.96
10Richard Leacock (New Zealand)0:00:09.02
11Jed Rooney (New Zealand)0:00:09.23
12Troy Brosnan (Australia)0:00:09.77
13Rupert Chapman (New Zealand)0:00:10.33
14Martin Frei (Switzerland)0:00:10.52
15Reon Boe (New Zealand)0:00:11.27
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Fastest women's race runs
#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Harriet Harper (New Zealand)0:03:07.36
2Gabrielle Molloy (New Zealand)0:00:08.89
3Sarsha Huntington (Australia)0:00:20.78
4Madeline Taylor (New Zealand)0:00:24.69
5Holly Baarspul (Australia)0:00:25.26
6Charlotte Clouston (New Zealand)0:00:26.88
7Georgia Wight (New Zealand)0:00:27.99
8Sarah Atkin (New Zealand)0:00:33.21

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