Mountainbike New Zealand are proud to announce the NZ Team who will be competing at the 2008 UCI World Mountainbike Championships in Val di Sole, Italy between the 17th and 22nd June.
The Cross Country athletes will be ably led by Beijing focussed Rosara Joseph and Kashi Leuchs, both currently competing from their European bases in their preparation for the Olympics in August. "The Cross Country side of the NZ Team represents the depth of talent emerging across NZ's junior ranks" said MTBNZ's President, Chris Mildon "these junior athletes relish the opportunity to compete at the World Champs and perform above and beyond expectations against the world's best". Leuchs and Joseph are sure to lead by example, while fine tuning around their final run-ins to Beijing.
The Downhill side of the team includes three former Junior World Championship medalists and current Junior bronze medallist Matt Scoles. As with the Cross Country team, NZ's depth of Downhill talent and raw speed is represented in both the Elite and the Junior ranks, with Hawkes Bay Junior athletes Aari Barrett and Brook McDonald going into this event with nothing short of complete domination of their category in mind.
Yeti/Fox full time professionals Sam Blenkinsop and Justin Leov, along with seasoned campaigner Nathan Rankin will lead the strong Elite Downhill contingent, and carry the hopes of a dynamic and fully supportive NZ MTB community. "The stength and depth of NZ's downhill athletes is paralleled only by their committment and enthusiasm - most will be leaving for Europe within the next few weeks to compete at World Cup events in Andorra and Scotland before the Italian Worlds. There is the ideal preparation for taking on the worlds best in Italy in June"
An exciting group of athletes comprising youth mixed with experience has been selected to compete in the spectacular Four Cross discipline. Matt Walker and Rhys Willemse provide the youth with 2006 Junior Downhill World Champion Cameron Cole bringing experience along with Wyn Masters and Craig Pattle
U19 Cross Country
Samara Sheppard - Wellington
Alex McGregor - Alexandra
Ashley Hough - Tauranga
Scott Green - Rotorua
Dirk Peters - Rotorua
Kieran Hambrook - Nelson
George Bennett - Nelson
U23 Cross Country
Josh Barley - Wellington
Carl Jones - Whakatane
Elite Cross Country
Rosara Joseph - UK Based
Sonia Hill - Rotorua
Kaytee Boyd - Auckland
Kashi Leuchs - France Based
U19 Downhill
Brook McDonald - Napier
Matt Walker - Kawerau
Peter Cooper - Blenheim
Aari Barrett - Havelock North
Richard Leakcoc - Wellington
Rhys Willemse - Brisbane Based
Elite Downhill
Scarlett Hagen - Queenstown
Amy Laird - Christchurch
Matt Scoles - Alexandra
Justin Leov - Christchurch
Nathan Rankin - Levin
Sam Blenkinsop - Wanganui
Kieran Bennett - Nelson
Glenn Haden - Wanganui
Mike Skinner - Auckland
Cameron Cole - Christchurch
Elite Four Cross
Wyn Masters - Wanganui
Craig Pattle - Rotorua
Matt Walker - Kawerau
Cameron Cole - Christchurch
Rhys Willemse - Brisbane Based |
