Brosnan and A’Hern Reign

The final day of the 2021 AusCycling Mountain Bike National Championship wrapped up with huge crowds lining the course to watch the downhill finals at Maydena Mountain Bike Park in Tasmania.

Brosnan Masterclass

The elite men’s field would feature World Cup winners Troy Brosnan (SA) and Dean Lucas (VIC), but it would be the Maydena local Dan Booker (TAS) who was a hot tip to cause one of the big upsets of the championships.

The first rider down the hill Josh Arcus (NSW), would watch 30 riders come and go before he was replaced on the hot seat by Darcy Coutts (TAS), breaking the 3minute 30 barrier.

He had little time to settle in as Baxter Maiwald (VIC) chewed 12 seconds off his time with the heavyweights to come down still.

Dean Lucas (VIC) pushed hard and put himself into a podium position with a 03:18:403, but it would take an inspired run from Brosnan to land him in the hot seat with three riders to come down the hill.

That left the 22-year-old Booker needing a flawless performance to knock off the reigning champion, but it wouldn’t be the fairytale for the local finishing with the silver.

A’hern Goes Back to Back

With no Tracey Hannah, the new wave of women downhillers was on show.

It also marked the return of Katie Lawlor (QLD) to the scene after a three-year absence from injury. The former World Championship rider would finish in seventh.

Harriet Burbidge-Smith (ACT) did enough to secure a bronze medal with her timed run, while first year elite Cassie Voysey (NSW) put herself on the brink of the podium with only two riders left.

Shelley Flood (SA) was unable to topple the mark, and the 2020 defending champion Sian A’Hern was the only one left at the top of the hill.

The Canberra rider lit up course going 25 seconds clear with a clean run and became the first female under the four-minute mark on her way to her second national title.

Remy Meier-Smith (NSW) took out the Under 19 category, with Elise Empey (VIC) recording her first national title.

PERFORMANCE OF THE DAY

DAN BOOKER

There was plenty of support for local Dan Booker (TAS) heading into the Elite Men’s final.

The Maydena rider put down the fastest time during Saturday’s seeding and would be the last down the hill on Sunday.

With perfect conditions, Booker was on a flyer down the purpose-built trail and coming into the final section, needed a flawless run to claim the national title.

The 24year old would have to settle for silver six seconds behind Brosnan.

OTHER RESULTS

Rebecca McConnell (ACT) took away her third national crown with a decisive win in the cross-country short course.

A day after her dominant performance in the XCO, McConnell again put her foot down to streak the field and stand top of the podium

In the elite men XCC, the McConnell name would again appear on the top step, with husband Dan also claiming back-to-back gold medals.

Sam Fox (TAS) would make it double gold, outsprinting Matt Dinham (NSW) in the Under 23 XCC race while Katherine Hosking (NSW) added another national title to her resume.

QUOTES

Troy Brosnan – Elite Men’s Champion

“The first bit has been slippery all week and I just really wanted to get through that, and I felt like I hit that really well and as soon as I got onto the off-camber stuff I just felt the dust and attacked so hard and I’m stoked with my time and eighth title.”

Sian A’Hern – Elite Women’s Champion

“It was loose and I definitely wanted to send harder but I wanted to be as safe as possible and get down and you gotta get down to win.”

RESULTS