MTB crew on song in Queenstown

Marlborough has a new national champion.

Teenager Maddy Sinclair claimed the national women’s sport downhill mountain biking title during the recent Cycling NZ National Championships, staged at Coronet Peak.

She backed up that effort with a silver medal in the women’s sport cross country event. This follows on from her gold in the cross country and silver in the downhill from last year.

Maddy was lucky to complete her cross country race before heavy rain made the track almost unrideable.  Luckily, Sunday dawned fine and the downhill was raced in ideal conditions.  Maddy’s seeding run was over 30 seconds faster than her competition which allowed a controlled race run to secure the national title.

The Marlborough Mountain Bike Club contingent produced a strong showing at the champs.

Despite a poor build up, Lockie McNabb, who recently showed his prowess on a road bike at the national champs, finished fourth in the under-19 men’s cross country.  Fellow Marlburian Finn McKenzie, a recent winner of the two-day Coast to Coast and national Road Criterium, come home sixth in the same event.

In the downhill, Cam Clemett came in 36^thoverall to place 11^th in the male elite category.  Competition in Cam’s category were a number of professional overseas riders making his result even more impressive.

Alex Craig finished 20^th in the junior under-19 male downhill, Sam Craig was 24^thin the under-17 male division, Jono Planthaber came 27^th in the same class with Callum Clemett 28^th. Paddy Trower placed 15^thin the male sport category.