Squidly Didly
04-11-2007, 09:03 PM
Tasmania’s Rowena Fry won her first National Cross Country Olympic race today in just her second season by winning the first round of the National Mountain Bike Series at Eagle Park in Adelaide today. Despite muddy conditions, the 24 year old from Launceston set the pace in the first of four laps and won in a time of 1 hr 42 min. Since joining the Australian Sports Commission program to develop females in the sport for the London Olympics, Fry has blossomed under the “Dirt Roads to London Program” by also winning the national marathon championship in July.
Pleased with her current form and results Fry predicts that the women’s racing this season will be close.
“There is going to be good racing all season. We are all close,” she said.
“Tory (Thomas) came past me a few times and we were jostling to get onto the single track first.”
“I’m riding technically a lot better and I’m a lot fitter so now I can concentrate on what I’m doing.”
Fry praised the “Dirt Roads to London Program saying, “I would never have gotten into the national series otherwise.”
Newcomer to the national season, Jodie Willett from Brisbane placed second after passing Sydney’s strong Zoe King and National Champion, Victorian Tory Thomas in the final lap.
Sydney’s Zoe King was unable to repeat last year’s performance by winning the first race of the season and placed third. King is also in the “Dirt Roads to London” program. Current National Champion and last season's overall leader, Tory Thomas finished in fourth after suffering mechanical trouble
Local “Dirt Roads to London” rider, Terri Rhodes, made it into sixth place in the early laps but the exertion saw her fade and finish a creditable 20th. Rh odes however placed first in the under 23 division with second going to Anna Beck from Harbourd.
In the men’s race current National Champion, Chris Jongewaard from Adelaide, proved local course knowledge was an advantage. Jongewaard took over the lead in the first lap but started to suffer in boggy conditions.
“I thought I might have gone out too hard at the start,” he said. “On the second lap I backed it off a bit. Then Sid (Taberlay) caught me.”
After the first lap the 28 year old professional rider then decided to get serious and ride his own race. Jongewaard was challenged by Tasmania’s Taberlay in the second and third laps. However Jongewaard pushed ahead in the last half of the six lap race to win in 2 hr 5 min.
Athens Olympian Sid Taberlay found himself in second place with Dylan Cooper threatening to gain time in the second last lap. Taberlay was last season’s overall leader with Dylan Cooper second overall and positions remained unchanged.
In the under 23 division Canberra’s Ben Henderson stayed away from Victoria's Cal Britten to take the win. Gold Coast’s Dave Whitney showed good form by taking third.
Brief results only below
Elite Women
1st Rowena Fry #303 Launceston, TAS 1:42.29.6
2nd Jodie Willett #318 Brisbane, QLD 1:42 55.0
3rd Zoe King # 316 Manly, NSW 1:43.20.0
4th Tory Thomas #301 Mt Beauty, VIC 1:46.53.4
Elite Men
1st Chris Jongewaard #6 Parra Hills, Adelaide, SA 2:05:32.00
2nd Sid Taberlay # 28 Blackman’s Bay, Hobart, TAS 2:07:33.2
3rd Dylan Cooper, #1 Downer, Canberra, ACT 2:08:04.5
Under 23 (in the same race as elite men)
1st Ben Henderson #4 Canberra, ACT
2nd Cal Britten # 23 Bright, VIC
3rd David Whitney #18 Gold Coast, QLD
Sharon Payne
Media Manager
Mountain Bike Australia
Pleased with her current form and results Fry predicts that the women’s racing this season will be close.
“There is going to be good racing all season. We are all close,” she said.
“Tory (Thomas) came past me a few times and we were jostling to get onto the single track first.”
“I’m riding technically a lot better and I’m a lot fitter so now I can concentrate on what I’m doing.”
Fry praised the “Dirt Roads to London Program saying, “I would never have gotten into the national series otherwise.”
Newcomer to the national season, Jodie Willett from Brisbane placed second after passing Sydney’s strong Zoe King and National Champion, Victorian Tory Thomas in the final lap.
Sydney’s Zoe King was unable to repeat last year’s performance by winning the first race of the season and placed third. King is also in the “Dirt Roads to London” program. Current National Champion and last season's overall leader, Tory Thomas finished in fourth after suffering mechanical trouble
Local “Dirt Roads to London” rider, Terri Rhodes, made it into sixth place in the early laps but the exertion saw her fade and finish a creditable 20th. Rh odes however placed first in the under 23 division with second going to Anna Beck from Harbourd.
In the men’s race current National Champion, Chris Jongewaard from Adelaide, proved local course knowledge was an advantage. Jongewaard took over the lead in the first lap but started to suffer in boggy conditions.
“I thought I might have gone out too hard at the start,” he said. “On the second lap I backed it off a bit. Then Sid (Taberlay) caught me.”
After the first lap the 28 year old professional rider then decided to get serious and ride his own race. Jongewaard was challenged by Tasmania’s Taberlay in the second and third laps. However Jongewaard pushed ahead in the last half of the six lap race to win in 2 hr 5 min.
Athens Olympian Sid Taberlay found himself in second place with Dylan Cooper threatening to gain time in the second last lap. Taberlay was last season’s overall leader with Dylan Cooper second overall and positions remained unchanged.
In the under 23 division Canberra’s Ben Henderson stayed away from Victoria's Cal Britten to take the win. Gold Coast’s Dave Whitney showed good form by taking third.
Brief results only below
Elite Women
1st Rowena Fry #303 Launceston, TAS 1:42.29.6
2nd Jodie Willett #318 Brisbane, QLD 1:42 55.0
3rd Zoe King # 316 Manly, NSW 1:43.20.0
4th Tory Thomas #301 Mt Beauty, VIC 1:46.53.4
Elite Men
1st Chris Jongewaard #6 Parra Hills, Adelaide, SA 2:05:32.00
2nd Sid Taberlay # 28 Blackman’s Bay, Hobart, TAS 2:07:33.2
3rd Dylan Cooper, #1 Downer, Canberra, ACT 2:08:04.5
Under 23 (in the same race as elite men)
1st Ben Henderson #4 Canberra, ACT
2nd Cal Britten # 23 Bright, VIC
3rd David Whitney #18 Gold Coast, QLD
Sharon Payne
Media Manager
Mountain Bike Australia