Cycling: Walker, Willers win BMX championships

Sarah Walker. Photo / APN

New Zealand BMX stars Sarah Walker and Marc Willers won the Oceania continental championships at Pukekohe today.

Walker, in her first competitive racing for five months, took out the elite women's final while Willers, back from his base in California, claimed the men's final in impressive fashion. Christchurch teenager Daniel Franks won the junior men's title.

The event was one of five qualifying events this year for next year's London Olympics and attracted leading Australian and American BMX riders.

Walker cut across aggressively from the outside lane at the start to grab the lead on the first corner and then rode away from the chasing group in a dominant display.

"I am really delighted with that. After not racing for five months you just don't know how you are going to stack up against the opposition," Walker said.

"I have been learning to concentrate on my own race and not concern myself with who is beside me. Overall I am happy with my form and it gives me some confidence now as we go into some big racing coming up."

She finished clear of Australians Lauren Reynolds and Caroline Buchanan.

Willers, who started from the middle lane in the final, jumped best to take the all-important lead into the first corner. From there he held off fast finishing American David Herman and Australia's Brian Kirkham.

Fellow Cambridge rider Kurt James enjoyed his best finish at this level to finish fourth.

Willers, who flew back from the US on Thursday, said he felt pressure coming back to New Zealand and on the track where he crashed out in the national championships last year.

"I definitely put some pressure on myself. It was the first time I had ridden against Kurt Pickard who beat me in the nationals. And this was definitely a world class field.

"I was really pleased with that performance today. I try not to get ahead of myself, just to put in the best lap I can every time I race. I did that pretty well today."

The riders will all compete in a separate professional event at Pukekohe tomorrow..

Results:

Elite men final: Marc Willers (NZL) 1, David Herman (USA) 2, Brian Kirkham (AUS) 3, Kurt James (NZL) 4, Nic Long (USA) 5, Josh Meyers (USA) 6; Kurt Pickard (NZL) 7, Corben Sharrah (USA) 8.

Elite women final: Sarah Walker (NZL) 1, Lauren Reynolds (AUS) 2, Caroline Buchanan (AUS) 3, Nicole Callisto (AUS) 4, Rachel Bracken (AUS) 5, Melinda McLeod (AUS, Junior) 6, Nicole Wright (NZL, Junior) 7, Victoria Hill (NZL) 8.

Junior men: Daniel Franks (NZL) 1, Nic Fox (NZL) 2, Darryn Goodwin (AUS) 3.

- NZPA