Young gravity guns fire at Torpedo7 MTB Nationals in Queenstown

The young guns fired in resounding fashion in downhill competition to dominate the honours at the Torpedo7 MTB National Championships in Queenstown. After some inclement weather for cross-country yesterday, riders and fans enjoyed warm and sunny conditions at the excellent Coronet Peak facilities.

Jess Blewitt in action at the Torpedo7 MTB National Championships at Coronet Peak in Queenstown.

The Junior Under-19 honours were claimed by two 16-year-olds in Tauranga’s Eliana Hulsebosch and Hawkes Bay rider Tyler Waite, who upset more fancied rivals.
The elite competition was hardly one for the old hands either, with Rotorua’s Lachlan Stevens-McNab, just turned 20, claiming the title in the men, while Queenstown’s Jess Blewitt won her fourth straight elite’s women’s crown, but still just 21 years.

Blewitt, who has battled two injury-affected years, barrelled down the dusty course in 3:08.68 to be two seconds clear of 2022 junior world champion Jenna Hastings from Rotorua with local rider Kalani Muirhead third.

It proved a doubly satisfying day for Blewitt, who has joined a new team in Cube Factory and is buoyed by both her health and performance. “It’s my first race since Val di Sol in July and it’s always hard to do the first race being out with injury,” said Blewitt. “This is probably the healthiest that I have ever been and nice to come out the other side.

“The new team is exciting and they are super-supportive. I  am hopeful it will be a good year and it is really pleasing today because I have come in after a  different training regime with more work on the road and the gym.”Stevens-McNab has been the in-form rider in elite men’s downhill in Mountain Bike New Zealand’s national series.

Defending champion Toby Meek from Queenstown set the standard with a 2:51.87 run which was beaten by Stevens-McNab. New Zealand’s top ranked professional rider, Tuhoto-Ariki Pene pushed hard in the final run, but the MS Mondraker rider managed 2:50.85 to claim second. Stevens-McNab is excited as he heads back to his Union team on the world circuit, buoyed by his results.

“I am happy with my summer and this result and I am definitely in a better spot than I have been in at any time in my career. I am in the same team, with a new bike, new suspension, new wheels and new everything. And a new body as I am finally uninjured,” said Stevens-McNab. “The run was wild. To be honest it is one of the runs that you don’t remember much – it was good but very loose. I am stoked with the result.”

The elite competition has plenty of international guest riders, able to compete but not gain official placings. The elite women’s field included current world champion Valentina Holl while the Commencal men’s team from France took part, headed by ‘former world championship medallist, Amaury Pierron.
Hulsebosch, tipped by current junior world champion Erice van Leuven as a rider to watch, lived up to that billing in winning the junior women’s honours.

She clocked 3:11.58 to edge out Trek Factory rider and junior world bronze medallist, Sacha Earnest, with van Leuven third  half a second behind.

“The track was bumpier but I was just focussed on getting a smooth run and making all my lines. They pieced together well so I am super-happy how that run went,” said Hulsebosch, the Hawkes Bay teenager who enjoyed the competition with New Zealand’s world championship junior stars.

“It’s amazing to be able to race them. They are such awesome athletes so it is pretty cool to compare yourself to them and I do not have to go into Europe blind,” said the Tauranga rider who has just signed for The Union pro team.

Waite, the Hawkes Bay rider who is part of the NZ MTB Academy, had some stiff opposition until he was able to rip down the track in 2:47.80, in the best conditions to post the hottest time of the day ahead of Oli Clark (Christchurch) and Luke Wayman who were over three seconds back.
“It felt pretty good. One mistake though which was sketchy, when I smoked my timing chip on the wall. Lucky that the back-up timing paid off, said Waite who is another to be picked up by a pro team, riding for Yeti-Fox Factory team.

“Hopefully I will do the whole world cup circuit riding for Yeti-Fox which should be good. This result definitely gives me confidence that I can be competitive.” There were over 170 riders competing in downhill over the elite and elite junior grades and Masters.

​Results: http://mtbnationals.nz/

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