National Cycling Champions Crowned In Manawatu

30 September 2012
Attention Sports Editors

National Cycling Champions Crowned In Manawatu

Thirteen new national champions were crowned on day two of the New Zealand Schools Road Cycling Championships in Manawatu today.

Led out brilliantly by his school mates, Callum Saunders (Marlborough Boys College) out-sprinted the bunch to win the 50km men’s under-20 road race in 1h:09m.50s.

“I expected the breakaway to stay away but I’m more of a powerful, end of the race, bunch-kick sort of rider so it couldn’t have worked out any better for me,” said Saunders.

“It was a pretty good course for me. I’d be one of the heavier guys in the bunch and with a bit of wind around I was able to get into the gutters and put a bit of pain into some people.

“I’m really proud to be a national champion coming from Marlborough; all the support and the people who have helped me get here, I just can’t thank them enough.”

Corby Price (Hamilton Boys High School) was second with Westlake Boys High School’s Jack Tutill third.

Georgina Wilson (Auckland Diocesan) won in a similar fashion to Saunders with a late and drastic acceleration to win the under-20 women’s race over 33kms in 55m:31s.

“I didn’t expect to win, but I was quite confident with the way I was sitting throughout the race that I had the potential to win it, but it was a really tough field with some great riders so it was always going to be tough,” said Wilson.

“I’m really happy with how I went today; it’s a great way to finish off the schools cycling phase of my life.”

Second place went to Rangi Ruru Girls' School’s Alice Hay, with Devon Hiley from St Cuthbert's College third.

Both senior champions are also accomplished track cyclists with Wilson having recently competed at the Junior Track World Championships in Invercargill while Saunders is gearing up to compete for the BikeNZ team at the Oceania Track Championships in Adelaide in November.

The championships conclude with a points race around the Manfeild Autocourse in Feilding tomorrow.

Results:
Under 20 Men: Callum Saunders (Marlborough Boys College) 1:09.50, 1; Corby Price (Hamilton Boys' High School) at 1 sec, 2; Jack Tutill (Westlake Boys High School) same time, 3; Alex Hooper (Christchurch Boys' High School) ST, 4; Dan Pavis (Auckland Grammar School) at 2s, 5.
Under 20 Women: Georgina Wilson (Diocesan School for Girls) 55:31, 1; Alice Hay (Rangi Ruru Girls' School) ST, 2; Devon Hiley (St Cuthbert's College) at 1 sec, 3; Maddi Campbell (Christchurch Girls' High School) ST, 4; Laura Newman-Watt (Massey High School) ST, 5.
Under 17 Boys: Quinn Karwowski (Marlborough Boys College) 50:16, 1; Kurt Standen (Westlake Boys High School) ST, 2; Ryan Christensen (Hamilton Boys' High School) ST, 3; Sam Hughson (Hamilton Boys' High School) at 1 sec, 4; Cameron Howell (Palmerston North Boys' High School) ST, 5.
Under 17 Girls: Maxyna Cottam (Waikato Diocesan School for Girls) 56:00, 1; Nina Wollaston (Baradene College) ST, 2; Aislinn Faulkner (Diocesan School for Girls) ST, 3; Inga Rodieck (Takapuna Grammar School) ST, 4; Charlotte Hand (Rangi Ruru Girls' School) ST, 5.
Under 16 Boys: Keagan Girldestone (Christchurch Boys' High School) 51:01, 1; Harry Seagar (Auckland Grammar School) at 22 sec, 2; Alex West (Palmerston North Boys' High School) ST, 3; Ellis Tagg (Kings College) ST, 4; Liam Ward (Saint Kentigern College) at 23sec, 5.
Under 16 Girls: Emma Simcock-Smith (Diocesan School for Girls) 56:10, 1; Issy Coombes (Waikato Diocesan School for Girls) ST, 2; Frances McMullin (St Peter's Cambridge) ST, 3; Brigitte Allan (Waikato Diocesan School for Girls) ST, 4; Loren Morse (Waikato Diocesan School for Girls) ST, 5.
Under 15A Boys: Campbell Stewart (Palmerston North Boys' High School) 25:14, 1; Alex Morreau (Auckland Grammar School) at 1 sec, 2; Chris Denholm (Palmerston North Boys' High School) ST, 3; Aidan Nicholas (Takapuna Grammar School) ST, 4; Robert Stannard (Palmerston North Boys' High School) ST, 5.
Under 15B Boys: Cameron McIlraith (Auckland Grammar School) 26:59, 1; Dan Finnemore (Takapuna Grammar School) +00:01, 2; George Powell (Kings College) +00:02, 3; Joshua Turner (New Plymouth Boys High School) ST, 4; Tom Hillary (Kings College) +00:03, 5.
Under 15 Girls: Michelle de Heer (Diocesan School for Girls) 29:01, 1; Michaela Drummond (Freyberg High School) at 2 sec, 2; Madeleine Park (Baradene College) at 3s, 3; Neve Doak (St Cuthbert's College) at 4s, 4; Meg Stott (Takapuna Grammar School) ST, 5.
Under 14 Boys: Lochlan Gilder (Sacred Heart College) 28:00, 1; Theo Wright (Tauranga Intermediate School) at 3sec, 2; James Brown (Saint Kentigern College) at 4s, 3; Aaron Wylie (ANI) at 6s, 4; James Krzanich (Glen Eden Intermediate School) ST, 5.

PHOTO MANDATORY CREDIT: Peter McDermott
CAPTION: “Callum Saunders (Marlborough Boys College; left) surges for the line to win the men’s under-20 national schools road title in Manawatu.”

Click for big version.

ENDS

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