Graves win opens Oceania MTB titles

The 2009 UCI Oceania Mountain Bike Championships in Thredbo has begunwith with four cross opening the hostilities.

Hot favourite, BMXOlympian, Jared Graves, proved he was back in form on the mountain bikeby winning the Oceania title.

Hot on his heels were two Canberra BMX riders with 16 year old Ryan Henderson slipping past Leigh Darrell to claim second.

National Champion, Caroline Buchanan, came out to win while SarshaHuntington followed her into second. Closing in was young BMX riderCherie Simpson finishing a creditable third.

This weekendheralds the final chance for Australian and New Zealand riders to racein the southern hemisphere before heading overseas for the upcomingWorld Cup series starting in April.

This will be followed by the prestigious UCI Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships in Canberra in early September.

Headingthe Australian contingent in cross country on Saturday is Victoria’sDan McConnell.

McConnell represented Australia at theBeijing Olympics but forcing the pace could be Canberra’s Dylan Cooperalong with New Zealand’s National Champion, Stu Houltham fromPalmerston North also reported to be in good form.

Thewomen’s elite cross country will again feature a battle between currentnational champion Rowena Fry and national series winner, Victoria’sKatherine O’Shea.

O'Shea is hoping for an early birthday present beforeturning 30 on Sunday.

Former national champion Tory Thomas will be back on the racing trackalong with Bendigo’s Joe Wall and Sydney’s Zoe King. New Zealand’sin-form riders Sara MacDonald and Jeannette Gerrie will be looking toupset the Aussie dominance.

The under 23 divisions will holdvital importance with the winner gaining an automatic entry for theupcoming World Championships.

With Castlemaine’s Lachlan Norris and Canberra’s Gracie Elvin alreadyconfirmed a place there will be incentive for Bowral’s Charlton Durieor Adelaide’s Therese Rhodes to get to the front.

New Zealand’s Samara Sheppard from Wellington has been flagged as apodium contender in the under 23 division after winning the Under 19Oceania title last year.

Downhill world ranked number eight,Nathan Rennie from the Gold Coast will return to competition followingknee surgery while Canberra’s Ben Corey demonstrated his form bywinning the last national series round.

Also in the hunt will be national series leader Joshua Button and AmielCavalier from Wollongong as they prepare for their overseas assault.New Zealand’s Wyn Masters from New Plymmouth will head the kiwichallengers.

The women’s field will see Australia’s nationaldownhill champion, Claire Whiteman from Canberra line up against NewZealand’s silver medallist Amy Laird from Christchurch.

TheUnder 19 division will again come down to the line with nationalchampion, Queensland’s Rhys Willemse, out to challenge national serieswinner Shaun O’Connor.

Also in the mix are five of New Zealand’s riders out to claim a podium finish.