Mountain biking: 48 riders head to Oceania champs

The largest ever New Zealand cycle team to leave our shores today departed for the Oceania Mountainbike Championships in Australia.

A total of 48 men, women and juniors will compete at Mt Buller, 3-1/2 hours from Melbourne, in the cross country event on April 2 and the downhill on April 3.

BikeNZ says New Zealand's best chances of success are in the cross country with New Zealand national champions Rosara Joseph in the women's competition and Michael Northcott in the men's.

Joseph, now working in Wellington but originally from Christchurch, won the national series title and the national championships in her first season competing at the pro-elite level earlier this year.

Mangakino rider Northcott also won the cross country series and the national championships.

In the downhill, Blenheim's Justin Leov will fly the flag as New Zealand's highest ranked mountainbike rider .

In the junior age groups, Rotorua's Clinton Avery is expected to dominate the boys' cross country, while Sam Blenkinsop, of Wanganui, and Nelson rider Keiran Bennett are New Zealand's best chances in the downhill.

Team:

Cross country

Pro-elite men: Michael Northcott (Mangakino), Michael Gilbert (Wellington), Darryl Stevens (New Plymouth), Mark Leishman (Palmerston North), Jason Hill (Christchurch), Rodney Hill (Rotorua), Marcus Roy (Te Anau), Wayne Hiscock (Upper Hutt), Stuart Houltham (Taupo), Timothy Madgwick (Christchurch), Timothy Elsmore (Rotorua).

Pro-elite women: Rosara Joseph (Wellington), Amanda Davies (Auckland), Catherine Hamer (Hokitika), Angela Eccles (Christchurch), Sonia Foote (Rotorua), Robyn Wong (Wellington), Rhonda Pearce (based in Australia), Genevieve Whitson (Wellington).

Junior men: Andrew Hughson (Invercargill), Kerry Morgan (Levin), Luke Mills (Nelson), Clinton Avery (Rotorua), Michael Tomasevic (Rotorua), Aaron Perry (Rotorua), John Gray (Rotorua), Peter Joynt (Tokoroa), Andrew MacDonald (Wellington), Carl Jones (Whakatane).

Junior women: Monique Avery (Rotorua), Hayley Robertson (Upper Hutt), Kathryn Campbell (Upper Hutt), Chelsea Wills (Waitakere City), Michelle Bellamy (Waitakere City)

Downhill

Pro-elite men: James Barron (Auckland), Justin Leov (Blenheim), Scott Sheldon (Christchurch), Glen Haden (Wanganui), Tim Mackersy (Dunedin), Nathan Rankin (Levin).

Pro-elite women: Jenna Makgill (Auckland).

Junior men: David Scandrett (Christchurch), Antony Jackson (Dunedin), Cameron Cole (Hamilton), Keiran Bennett (Nelson), Wynn Masters (New Plymouth), Samuel Blenkinsop (Wanganui), Joel Daniels (Wanganui), Zachary Williams (Dunedin).

- NZPA