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Melissa_Theuriau
Vorb Newsreader
Joined: Mar 22, 2006
Posts: 1,943
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 Posted: Fri 18th Apr 8:45am Post subject: Nz Mtb Team For 2008 World Championships Announced |
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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
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psychavoc
going Crazy
Joined: Jul 17, 2003
Posts: 22,321
Location: Welly-town
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| Posted: Fri 18th Apr 9:31am Post subject: |
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An impressive list! Congrats to all those selected! 
Edit: I wonder why Sheryl MacLeod isn't on that list? 
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Oli
Mangled
Joined: Aug 03, 2005
Posts: 30,755
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| Posted: Fri 18th Apr 9:41am Post subject: |
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W00T! Go Josh Barley! Roadworks reprazent!
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mundi
Wrecked
Joined: Feb 03, 2003
Posts: 4,131
Location: La Paz, Bolivia
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| Posted: Fri 18th Apr 9:44am Post subject: |
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| psychavoc wrote: | An impressive list! Congrats to all those selected!
Edit: I wonder why Sheryl MacLeod isn't on that list? |
Hmm, good point.
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wgtngrl
Full time athlete in 3...2...
Joined: May 31, 2004
Posts: 10,532
Location: Home sweet, cold home
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| Posted: Fri 18th Apr 9:46am Post subject: |
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Congratulations indeed! There are a looooot of boys on that list. I am SO keen to see what Kaytee and Sam will do this year now that they have their first experience of it all under their belts.
A shame to see such a small elite XC team - no disrespect to the DHers at all - that's a very impressive list there.
A lot of it comes down to who applies for selection and who doesn't. Not everyone who applies is successful, but if you don't apply...
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JUANGEAR
Ridden
Joined: Sep 05, 2005
Posts: 172
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| Posted: Fri 18th Apr 9:59am Post subject: |
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hmmm. yeah where are the Elite xc men? 
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Oli
Mangled
Joined: Aug 03, 2005
Posts: 30,755
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| Posted: Fri 18th Apr 10:01am Post subject: |
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Stu didn't want to go because of his studies - not sure about the rest of the possibles?
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Oli
Mangled
Joined: Aug 03, 2005
Posts: 30,755
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| Posted: Fri 18th Apr 10:01am Post subject: |
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I turned BikeNZ down - I'm doing my hair that day.
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banga
Wrecked
Joined: May 05, 2003
Posts: 4,962
Location: Welly.
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| Posted: Fri 18th Apr 10:06am Post subject: |
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| Oli wrote: | | Stu didn't want to go because of his studies - not sure about the rest of the possibles? |
Realised its a hell of a long way to go for a mid pack finish?
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Oli
Mangled
Joined: Aug 03, 2005
Posts: 30,755
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| Posted: Fri 18th Apr 10:14am Post subject: |
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That may well be the answer...
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marinfreerider
Unsoiled
Joined: Apr 18, 2008
Posts: 1
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| Posted: Fri 18th Apr 11:51am Post subject: |
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Isn't Rhys Wllemese an Australian rider.
Theres an article on cycle sport news that says Willemese will compete in the junior Australian team at the world chaps in Italy later this year.
Quite confusing. Maybe has grand mother is a kiwi
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johnL
Worn
Joined: Aug 23, 2006
Posts: 739
Location: ROTORUA
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| Posted: Fri 18th Apr 11:55am Post subject: |
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all selected riders were contacted by Mildie and had the chance to accept or decline. you dont apply for world champs. Monique Avery declined as she would rather spend her money defending the Xterra world champs.
I believe there is more interest in a Strombo World cup race as a pre runner to the worlds in Aus next year.
Certainly, with the exception of Ash, thats the barrow Im pushing. And the next big target event.
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Count_Stylie
Scuffed
Joined: Sep 13, 2004
Posts: 330
Location: New Zealand, usually Nelson
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| Posted: Fri 18th Apr 12:20pm Post subject: |
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Thats a great team, it will be a good experience and oppertunity....I know how hard everyone has worked and impressing those selectors can be hard work 
While we're pushing barrow's, a BIG esraD WELL DONE to the NZ Santa Cruz team that are heading off.
WELL DONE to everyone else of course.....wish I could go too.
U19 Cross Country
Kieran Hambrook - Nelson
George Bennett - Nelson
U23 Cross Country
Josh Barley - Wellington
U19 Downhill
Peter Cooper - Blenheim
Aari Barrett - Havelock North
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yakuza
Wrecked
Joined: Apr 28, 2006
Posts: 5,657
Location: palmy north
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| Posted: Fri 18th Apr 6:31pm Post subject: |
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Congratulations to everyone picked
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MTBER56
Dusty
Joined: Aug 29, 2006
Posts: 86
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| Posted: Fri 18th Apr 6:55pm Post subject: Worlds Mtb |
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| marinfreerider wrote: | Isn't Rhys Wllemese an Australian rider.
Theres an article on cycle sport news that says Willemese will compete in the junior Australian team at the world chaps in Italy later this year.
Quite confusing. Maybe has grand mother is a kiwi |
Aussie based apparently but has dual citzenship and has decided to race for NZ as he,s moving back here to live.Still dont know how he qualified other than his oceanias result racin for Australia as my boy beat him 2 out of 3 in Sth Island Cup and he didnt qualify for selection.If you want to be selected for worlds concentrate on Nats and Oceanias thats were selections are being made where one off result count not consistency.Good luck to all the other selected riders
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