Sam Blenkinsop finally turned New Zealand hopes around at the World Mountain Bike Championships yesterday.
The Wanganui 18-year-old sped down Mt Ngongotaha in a smart 3m 17.39s to head the seedings and push defending junior men's champion Brendan Fairclough (Britain) back to second.
Blenkinsop, who broke his collarbone in a
race fall in Europe just eight weeks ago, was almost 2s clear of the field at the finish. His time was good enough for a top-10 spot among the elite men.
In beating the world men's elite champion Fabien Barel in a UCI points race in Napier in February, and given the injuries suffered by former world champions Vanessa Quin and Scarlett Hagen, Blenkinsop has emerged as New Zealand's best medal hope at these championships. But, as has often been the case, times in the seeding run do not always convert to medals in the final.
Given the expected local support for tomorrow's downhill finals, Blenkinsop will take a huge psychological edge into the charge down the mountain.
Quin rates as next best among the New Zealand contingent.
In her midfield run down the course she calls home, Quin clocked 3m 50.96s for sixth-fastest but with third-placed Melissa Buhl (US) firmly in her sights.
Jenny Makgill, ninth fastest, was next best of the New Zealanders with Hagen close up in 12th.
Australian Nathan Rennie headed the elite men's field but there was again the suggestion the top riders were not flat out with last year's minor medallists Sam Hill and Greg Minnaar poised to challenge for the title left vacant by the injured Barel.
John Kirkaldie, ninth-fastest, was the best of the seven New Zealanders among the 60 finishers.
Earlier rookie Mathias Fluckiger led Switzerland to a rare clean-sweep with his outstanding junior cross-country triumph.
Old-timers at the championships were struggling to recall more than the very odd occasion when three competitors from the one country have climbed on to the dais to claim all the medals.
The shut-out continued Switzerland's strong start to the championships.
They took their medal tally to six yesterday after winning one in each of the first three events here.
Fluckiger swept to the lead on the second lap and went on to win by 52s from fellow Swiss Martin Fanger with Meyer comfortably clear of France's Alex Vuillermoz in taking third.
