Mountain biking: Hagen 'cruises in' to take out both races and title

World junior women's champion Scarlett Hagen sealed the women's title at the national downhill mountain bike series yesterday after taking out both her races on the Long Gully track, near Wellington.

Without women's world champion Vanessa Quin in the starting lineup, Hagen said she "cruised in".

"It was a shame she wasn't here," she said. "Whenever we race together we always push each other."

The 17-year-old said she was now looking forward to the world champs in Italy in September, where she will defend her junior title.

Wellington rider John Kirkcaldie spoiled the party for Blenheim's Justin Leov after taking out his home leg in the series.

Kirkcaldie pipped Leov by a fraction of a second on the 1.3km Hawkins Hill track in the fifth-leg of the series - plummeting down the 210m drop track in 1m 57s.

But Leov's second place, 0.45s behind Kirkcaldie, was enough to secure him this year's crown with a leg to race.

In the closely fought plunge, Kirkcaldie said local advantage gave him the edge. "I've been down this track probably more than anyone else," he said.

The 28-year-old Wellingtonian, who has not competed in the previous rounds, said he was focusing on the upcoming national championships in Rotorua and the world circuit.

BikeNZ events manager Ted Jones said crashes put two riders in hospital, one with a broken ankle and one with suspected concussion.

- NZPA