QUEENSLAND RIDERS DOMINATE DAY ONE OF BMX NATIONALS IN CAIRNS
BMX, April 29: Queensland riders have dominated the third day of competition at the 2011 BMX Australian National Championships in Cairns today.
The Sunshine State gave local fans plenty to cheer about, taking out 12 of the 22 age group finals contested in a frantic day's racing in perfect Far North Queensland conditions.
Cairns locals Leanne Vandenhooven and Joshua Nash and Townsville's Joel Grace, Craig Cullen and Shelby Green all won gold medals with impressive displays that saw riders from all over Australia battling for podium places.
Vandenhooven won the 30-24 years women's division from Lisa Hansen (Eastern Goldfields, WA) and Jodi Broadfoot (Burdekin, Qld) while emerging young powerhouse Nash won the competitive 17-24 years men's category from Jordan Morgan (Wyndham Warriors, Vic) and fellow Cairns rider Nathan Knight.
There was gold for Townsville's Grace in the 10 years boys from Cairns youngster Wade Mundie with Ethan Partridge from Blue Lake, South Australia taking bronze while Cullen proved too strong for Sunbury's Slatter boys Robert and Brian who finished second and third respectively.
Green led an all Far North Queensland finish in 11 years girls, winning from Townsville's Celeste Barr and Cairns Ruby-Mae Hoad
In a successful day for "Team Hoad", Ruby-Mae's older brother Mitchell won silver behind Justin Beattie (Blue Mountains, NSW) with Kevin Mathies (Sunshine Coast) third.
There was a further silver lining for Cairns riders Wade Mundie in the 10 years boys, Glen Eden in the 35-39 years men, Dean Nash in the 40-44 years men and Kathryn McGee in the nine years girls.
Cairns David Fleming won bronze in the 35-39 years men which went to Joshua Tomlinson from Lake Macquarie (NSW).
There was also joy for Victoria riders who collected six gold medals to Brock Tuckerman (Bendigo), in the 25-29 men's; Simon Anderson (Geelong) in the over 30 years men's; Gary Morgan (Wyndham Warriors) in the 45-49 years men's; Greg Sinmaa (Knox) over 50 years men's; Jarrah Hecker (Geelong) in the 8 years boys and Jaclyn Wilson (Bendigo) in the over 17 years women.
NSW duo Oliver Moran (Manning Valley, NSW) in the nine years boys and Justin Beattie (Blue Mountains, NSW) in the 12 years boys flew the flag for the Blues, while Lexi Merrett (Blue Lake, SA) won South Australia's lone gold.
The stage is now set for what will be a much anticipated men's and women's Junior and Elite deciders tomorrow which will feature the cream of Australia's London Olympic hopefuls, led by Sam Willoughby, Khalen Young, Brian Kirkham, Luke Madill in the men and Caroline Buchanan, Lauren Reynolds and Rachel Bracken in the women.
FULL RESULTS
2011 BMX USTRALIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS, Finals Day One -
BOYS:
8 years: Jesse Asmus (Nerang, Qld), Ethan Zrna (Mildura, SA), Jack Myers (Logan City, Qld)
9 years: Oliver Moran (Manning Valley, NSW), Matthew King (Lillydale, Vic), Jayden Middleton-Gepp (Wanneroo, WA)
10 years: Joel Grace (Townsville, Qld), Wade Mundie (Cairns, Qld), Ethan Partridge (Blue Lake, SA)
11 years: Brodie Archer (Redlands, Qld), Jaden Rice (South Eastern, Vic), Izaac Kennedy (Logan City, Qld)
12 years: Justin Beattie (Blue Mountains, NSW), Mitchell Hoad (Cairns, Qld), Kevin Mathies (Sunshine Coast, Qld)
13 years: Karlten Wolsey (Nerang, Qld), Jake Tunney (Jingili, NT), Matthew White (Bendigo, Vic)
MEN:
17-24 years: Joshua Nash (Cairns, Qld), Jordan Morgan (Wyndham Warriors, Vic), Nathan Knight (Cairns, Qld)
25-29 men: Brock Tuckerman (Bendigo, Vic), Levi Collins (Shepparton, Vic), Chad Higgins (The Cove, SA)
Over 30 years: Simon Anderson (Geelong, Vic), Wayne Green (Cockburn, WA), Brent McDonald (Woorree Park, WA)
30-34 years: Craig Cullen (Townsville, Qld) Robert Slatter (Sunbury, Vic), Brian Slatter (Sunbury, Vic)
35-39 years: Joshua Tomlinson (Lake Macquarie, NSW), Glen Eden (Cairns, Qld), David Fleming (Cairns, Qld)
40-44 years: Steve Ewart (Pine Rivers, Qld), Dean Nash (Cairns, Qld), Craig Walczuk (Geelong, Vic)
45-49 years: Gary Morgan (Wyndham Warriors, Vic), Jeffrey Williams (Suncoast Hinterland, Qld), Gregory Vallis (Pine Rivers, Qld)
Over 50 years: Greg Sinmaa (Knox, Vic), Stephen Upton (Lake Macquarie, NSW), Bryan Bull (Sunbury, Vic)
GIRLS:
8 years: Jarrah Hecker (Geelong, Vic), Rayna Anesbury (The Cove, SA), Shannon Lee Petre (Atherton, Qld)
9 years: Des'Ree Barnes (Beenleigh, Qld), Kathryn McGee (Cairns, Qld), Niamh Cary (Ashmore, Qld)
10 years: Molly McGill (Ashmore, Qld), Chloe Dallinger (Southlake, NSW), Kiarna Green (Cross Keys, SA)
11 years: Shelby Green (Townsville, Qld), Celeste Barr (Townsville, Qld), Ruby-Mae Hoad (Cairns, Qld)
12 years: Sara Jones (Caboolture, Qld), Dion Bromley (Moranbah, Qld), Saya Sakakibara (Southlake, NSW)
13 years: Lexi Merrett (Blue Lake, SA), Jessica Lathwell (Hills, WA), Serena Twomey (Walkerston, Qld)
WOMEN:
Over 17 years: Jaclyn Wilson (Bendigo, Vic), Shannon Jobson (Manning Valley, NSW), Caitlin Willmott (Macarthur, NSW)
30-34 years: Leanne Vandenhooven (Cairns, Qld), Lisa Hansen (Eastern Goldfields, WA), Jodi Broadfoot (Burdekin, Qld)