Riders had to settle for their downhill race seeding positions on the third day of the Cycling New Zealand Schools National Mountain Bike Championships in Ōtautahi Christchurch.
A chairlift fault resulted in the junior downhill finals, scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, being called off.
Matthew Wallace secured his third title in as many days by winning the under-14 male downhill crown, adding to his victories in cross-country and enduro. He finished five seconds ahead of Beau Gray, while Noah Evans came in a second later.
Pippi Taylor also achieved a perfect three-from-three by winning the under-13 girls’ downhill title. Toby Carpenter claimed the under-13 boys’ title.
Lucy Jenkins Jablonski, from Canterbury’s Lincoln High School, claimed the female under-15 title under her seeding place while Joel Burkitt (Christchurch Boys’ High) won the male u-15 honours.
Jenkins Jablonski, who placed third in the overall female enduro competition on day one, finished four seconds ahead of Fiordland College rider Libby Excell on Wednesday. Burkitt, sixth in the under-15 male enduro on Monday, clocked Wednesday’s fastest time with 3:07.99 – finishing four seconds clear of fellow Christchurch Boys’ High rider Seb Stettner.
John Paul College rider Keira Burborough-Murphy followed up victory in the under-14 female enduro to claim the u-14 female downhill title, finishing 18 seconds ahead of Tilly Salter-Quinn (Cashmere High School).
The focus will shift to senior downhill racing for the competition’s final day tomorrow (Thursday).
For Wednesday’s full results, click here:
https://www.sportsplits.com/races/national-schools-mtb-championships-downhill-2024
