Over the ditch for Oceania's

[hillthrills]

Not sure if anyone else from WA is making the trip over to the Oceania's being held in Dunedin,  NZ, but Holly will be there representing our fair state, and country, in the Women's Elite division. (Elite, to gain UCI points for possible World Cup entry)
Last weekend saw the end of the National Series held at Mt Stromlo, with Holly taking the U19 junior women's title after a very close season.
GOOD LUCK HOLLY   

[ballsi]

when is it been held?

[hillthrills]

This weekend, 19-21st March

[Jagman]

Good luck Holly   Not that you'll need it of course.

[Jimmy Pritchard]

That makes 2 of us! I arrived yesterday in NZ,  I'll be riding DH, 4X and DS, it should be a laugh. I haven't ridden my DH for over a year as it's been sitting over here in a mate's garage.  It will be more of a fun race and a catch up with everyone

[Rexy]

Bell is going over too I think?

Whats the competition for Holly shaping up like?

[hillthrills]

No idea at this stage, although I heard today there may be a change to UCI points ruling, in which case Holly will possibly race U19. I do know there are a lot more kiwi chicks that ride DH over there, so should be a decent number. At this stage it's all about performing well for hopeful selection for the World Champs.

[Jimmy Pritchard]

Found this on VORB,NZ's main mountainbike site,Sounds like theres a fue Aussies heading over!!



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Uci Oceania Mountainbike Championships, March 18th To 25th
by Melissa_Theuriau on 4:45pm

Australian Invasion!

The UCI Oceania Mountainbike Championships are on this weekend in Dunedin. Six Oceania titles are up for grabs, and a strong contingent of Australian and French Polynesian athletes will be in Dunedin trying to take these titles home.
Australia's travelling contingent of Cross Country racers will stretch New Zealands best multi-lap athletes for sure this weekend. Exceptionally strong in the Elite and Under 23 categories, the Australians won't settle for anything less than front of the field finishes. Lachlan Norris (Barkers Creek), Ben Henderson (Canberra), Adrian Jackson (Hawthorn) and Rowena Fry (South Launceston) lead the Elite charge, while Cal Britten (Bright), Paul van der Ploeg (Melbourne), Rebecca Henderson (Monash) and Therese Rhodes (Adelaide) do the same for the Under 23s. Nine Australian Under 19 athletes are also competing, but will face a dominant and hungry group of New Zealand Juniors led by Blenheim's recently crowned National Champion Richard Anderson. National Elite Champions Mike Northcott (Tokoroa) and Nic Leary (Rotorua) will not back down during their Saturday afternoon race, and will draw on every advantage gained from racing at this venue previously.

Mountainbike Australia (MTBA) are sending a downhill development squad to Oceanias this year together with the National Downhill coach, Chris Clarke and other support staff. Leading the Australian Downhill Team is 19 year old Rhys Willemse (Brisbane), a dual citizen of Australia and New Zealand and one of many athletes at this event riding for professional teams in Europe during the World Cup season. Willemse has raced in New Zealand before, and his entertaining riding style and outright pace fits well with his cross-Tasman peers. 17 year old Troy Brosnan (Adelaide) makes his first racing visit to New Zealand for Oceanias, and is touted as one of the most promising Australian Juniors emerging at the moment. However, both Willemse and Brosnan will be up against world class racers, and a field of race hardened Kiwis who will not want to let any title be taken back to Australia after this event. In the Elites Justin Leov (Dunedin) and National Champions Wyn Masters (New Plymouth), and George Brannigan (Hawkes Bay) in the Juniors are racing with finesse this summer, and must be considered favourites for the Mens Downhill titles. Harriet Harper (Blenheim) has some strong Australian competition in the form of Sarsha Huntington (Brisbane), but Harper is race fit and ready to compete this weekend. French Polynesia has also sent its National Champions to Dunedin for this event, and they could well be dark horses come race day - not a lot is known about their pace in a world class field and they could surprise when the dust settles.

Also mixing up the entry lists are seven Australians entered in Friday night's Four Cross event. The new Signal Hill Four Cross course is rated as one of the steepest courses put together for this type of event. Promising to be fast and exciting, the knock-out style four man heats under the Four Cross format always pulls the crowds, with action fast and furious. Ex-Kiwi James Pritchard (now Perth) returns to New Zealand for this event, and will also bring his characteristic loose and huge air jumping style to the Four Cross race. He can expect a tough time from his former New Zealand riding mates however!

This Continental Championship event is the only international level mountainbike event on NZ's calendar this year. In the flagship Cross Country, Downhill and Four Cross disciplines, added incentive for the Oceania athletes is an automatically qualified extra spot at the 2010 World Championships (Canada) for the winners of the Elite categories. All of NZ's top athletes will be competing in Hillclimb, Dual Slalom, Four Cross, Cross Country, Downhill, and Short Track Cross Country disciplines vying for these titles as well as valuable UCI ranking points.

[Backdoor]

I do know there are a lot more kiwi chicks that ride DH over there.

Bloody oath there is. Saw just as many girls kickin around on Dh bikes and running armour as I did birds on XC bikes.
Saw one girl on an orage Commencal in Rotorua who was dang fast, possibly older than Holly though.

[Rexy]

Get her number?

[hillthrills]

Ha ha Rexy, you like the fast girls don't you!!

Reading the post that Jimmy put up via Vorb is a little misleading as Rhys is not part of the development squad - he was part of the Aus team last year but is now riding elite, and the team taken to NZ is only juniors (U 19) as part of the 'long team' which is the first part of the selection process for the final team (for the World Champs) announced in June, along with the elite riders.

A shame once again, the GIRLS aren't mentioned. Oh and for the record,(wait for the flak.....) Holly also has dual citizenship, born here but holds a kiwi passport!!!!!

Aren't we all cuzzies though???

[Rexy]

Just for Mike's benifit, is this Holly or Christine posting?

I meant race plate number, clearly  Fast girls > Slow girls.

And on the topic of Holly being a dual citizen, how did you/she manage that?

[hillthrills]

Don't know race number yet, and for the other - SECRET WOMENS' BUSINESS 

[Jimmy Pritchard]

Oceanais off to a bad start for me! my DHR and hardtail were stolen last night off the back of the car! soooo im on a mission to find a bike to borrow ride, such a bummer!