Anton Cooper and Rebecca McConnell claim Mountain Bike Cross-Country gold at 2022 Oceania Cycling Championships
New Zealand’s Anton Cooper claimed an impressive sixth consecutive Oceania title, with World Championship medallist Rebecca McConnell (Australia) earning a hat trick of titles in Nerang in Queensland, host of the Mountain Bike Cross-Country races at the inaugural combined Oceania Cycling Championships.
Cameron Wright (Australia) and Isabella Flint (Australia) took out the under 23 titles and Mia Cameron (New Zealand) and Jack Ward (Australia) pulled on the under 19 jerseys.
Australian riders swept the podium in both the men’s and women’s under 23 races. 2017 Under 19 World Champion Wright was too strong taking the men’s title in just under an hour and a half. Silver went to 2020 under 19 silver medallist, Domenic Paolilli 40 seconds back, with Tom Cheesman taking bronze a further minute behind.
Flint continued her rise through the ranks claiming the women’s under 23 title, adding to the under 19 gold she won in 2020. Flint was dominant in the field finishing 11 minutes clear of silver medallist Holly Lubcke as Shannon Petre rounded out the podium.
In the under 19 races Cameron dominated to take gold home to New Zealand, covering four laps of the course in one hour and 17.34 minutes. Countrywoman Annabel Blight claimed silver just over a minute behind with Hayley Oakes claiming bronze. In the men’s Ward lead home an all Australian podium as he completed the four laps of the course in 59mins and 24secs, nearly a minute clear of Joel Dodds with Ethan Weiss completing the podium two and a half minutes behind.
2022 Oceania Mountain Bike Cross-Country Medallists
Elite Men
Gold: Anton Cooper (New Zealand)
Silver: Daniel McConnell (Australia)
Bronze: Ben Oliver (New Zealand)
Elite Women
Gold: Rebecca McConnell (Australia)
Silver: Zoe Cuthbert (Australia)
Bronze: Katherine Hosking (Australia)
Under 23 Men
Gold: Cameron Wright (Australia)
Silver: Domenic Paolilli (Australia)
Bronze: Tom Cheesman (Australia)
Under 23 Women
Gold: Isabella Flint (Australia)
Silver: Holly Lubcke (Australia)
Bronze: Shannon Petre (Australia)
Under 19 Men
Gold: Jack Ward (Australia)
Silver: Joels Dodds (Australia)
Bronze: Ethan Weiss (Australia)
Under 19 Women
Gold: Mia Cameron (New Zealand)
Silver: Annabel Bligh (New Zealand)
Bronze: Hayley Oakes (Australia)