Southland's Josh Burnett amongst Kiwi contingent for Oceanias

With the borders open, a significant number of New Zealand cyclists are heading across the Tasman for a unique Oceania Cycling Championships.

The championships comprise nine cycling categories which started with mountain bike downhill last weekend and finish with the road race on April 10, all in and around Brisbane. It comprises downhill and cross-country mountain bike, BMX Racing and Freestyle, track including Para-cycling, time trial and road, both including Para-cycling.

This concept will be replicated at next year’s world championships to be staged in Glasgow.

Australian-based gravity rider, Hayden Stead gained first honours for New Zealand when he took out the elite men’s title at the weekend’s downhill event held in Kooralbyn.

Focus is now on this weekend is on cross-country mountain bike which takes place at the Nerang National Park track used for the Commonwealth Games in 2018.

Leading the way is nine-time New Zealand champion and five-time Oceania elite winner, Anton Cooper.

The Trek Factory professional recently defended his New Zealand title, and has claimed the Oceania title five years in a row from 2016 with the 2021 event not staged.

The Oliver brothers Ben and Craig, who were second and third respectively behind Cooper at the nationals, should also provide stern competition for the Australian riders in the elite ranks.

Nelson’s Cameron Jones, who is racing in the elite category, won the under-23 title in New Zealand, finishing fourth in the combined elite and under-23 race at Christchurch.

There are four kiwis competing in the male under-23 division led by Christchurch’s Ethan Rose, Jacob Turner (Christchurch), Charlie Millington (Rotorua) and Josh Burnett (Invercargill).

National junior champion James Officer from Taupo will contest the under-19 race along with Ethan Woods (Motueka), Ben Wilson (Napier) and Daniel Lovegrove (Christchurch).

In the women’s ranks Amelie Mackay (Under-23, Christchurch), Mia Cameron (Under-19, Taupo) and Annabel Bligh (Under-19, Christchurch), all podium placegetters at the national championships, will be chasing honours while outstanding kiwi rider, Jessica Manchester, now based in Tasmania, will contest the elite division.

The track championships will be based at the Anna Meares Velodrome at Chandler near Brisbane starting on 2 April with the Cycling New Zealand high performance team to be announced later this week.

There are around 20 other New Zealand riders to contest the track championships including Tokyo Paralympians Nicole Murray and Sarah Ellington, and others who enjoyed age-group success at the nationals.

A big contingent of kiwi bmxers will cross the Tasman to compete at the Sleeman BMX Supercross facility, also at Chandler on 9 April.

There will be interest in the efforts of three-time national elite champion Petch, who has also enjoyed considerable success in her venture into track cycling, where she was part of the national record-setting team sprint trio at the track nationals.

Other national champions from the recent competition in Hamilton to compete in Brisbane includes men’s under-23 winner Rico D’Anvers (Cambridge), Junior elite champion Jack Greenough (Cambridge), female junior elite winner Leila Walker (Cambridge), under-15 champion Lily Greenough (Cambridge), under-12 winner Nicola Mapu (Hamilton) and men’s 45-49 years cruiser class champion Dion Newth (Rotorua).

Entries for the time trial and road races are yet to close.

Details of events can be found at  www.auscycling.org.au/page/OCC2022