NZ Mountain bikers Aiming to Mix it Up at the Australian National Champs

11 of NZ's most promising Junior Cross Country athletes are in Canberra this weekend to compete at the Australian National Mountain bike Championships at Stromlo Forest Park. The athletes are attending the event as part of Mountain Bike NZ's (MTBNZ) Athlete Development Programme and will be looking to gain more experience on the Stromlo race course - the same course to be used for the 2009 UCI World Mountain Bike Championships in September.

While Australian National Championship Titles are only available to Australian residents, the NZ athletes are attending the event with the blessing of Mountain Bike Australia as this cycling federation is keen to allow as much access to the venue under race conditions to as many athletes striving for World Championship selection as possible. While championship titles may not be on the line for the NZers, they will still be racing for line honours against some high quality Australian competition.

Dirk Peters (Rotorua) is in fine form this summer, and expects to do well on the technically demanding Stromlo course with strong support from other members of the Rotorua Development Squad. A factor for the NZers however may be the extreme heat currently swamping the ACT and NSW. Stromlo will be dry, dusty and hot, but these juniors have a high level of racing adaptability and pride in their performances, and will be sure to adjust accordingly.

Nic Leary and Fiona Macdermid (Palmerston North) are NZ Elite Womens entries this weekend, and are both eager to learn the Stromlo race course against some very strong Australian competition.

MTBNZ Performance Manager Chris Mildon is enthusiastic about this campaign "the level of talent and potential among this group of athletes is at a point we haven't previously seen with cross country development in NZ. That these juniors have made the commitment to compete at this event with a medium term view to this years World Championships speaks volumes for their dedication to achieving at the highest level. This event is also right in the middle of the NZ domestic competitive season, but they all know the benefits of racing on the World Champs course at Stromlo against Australia's best will be hugely beneficial"

The full list of NZ athletes is as follows:

Dirk Peters (Rotorua) U19
Patrick Avery (Rotorua) U19
Connor Corbett (Rotorua) U19
Sam Shaw (Rotorua) U19
Adrian Retief (Auckland) U19
Kieran Hambrook (Nelson) U19
Logan Horn (Christchurch) U19
Sarah-Kate McDonald (Clyde) U19
Jesse Loe (Te Awamutu) U19
Scott Green (Rotorua) U23
Ashley Hough (Tauranga) U23
Nic Leary (Palmerston North) Elite
Fiona MacDermid (Palmerston North) Elite

Race starts for the athletes are staggered during a full Sunday race programme at Stromlo:
U19 Mens Race start at 0830
Elite Womens Race start at 1100
U19 Womens Race start at 1100
U23 Mens Race start at 1330

For athlete interviews and general information MTBNZ Coach/Manager Mike Stylianou can be contacted in Canberra at the following numbers:
021 855011 or at the Victor Lodge 0061 02 6295 7777.