Australian MTBO team for NZ Challenge announced.

Tuesday, 29 November 2011

The Australian MTBO team for the 2012 Australia v NZ Challenge has been named below. The team will compete from Jan 8-15^th in the South Island of New Zealand, with events ranging from Christchurch to Queenstown.  Team members will receive their official Aussie caps in NZ.

Over 55 Australian competitors are competing and a large tour group is being co-ordinated by Craig Steffens.  The selection panel was: Carolyn Jackson (chair), Ian Dalton, Paul Darvodelsky and  Kay Haarsma.

M20: Chris Firman (Q); Marc Gluskie (Tas); Karl Withers (Q).   

         Reserve Paulo Alvear Fujii(Q)

M21: Oscar Phillips (Tas); Alex Randall (Vic), Ricky Thackray (WA).     

          Reserve Paul Darvodelsky(Nsw)

M40: Dion Keech (Vic); Craig Steffens (Q); Damian Welbourne (Nsw).   

M50: Peter Cusworth (Vic); Simon Phillips (Tas); Malcolm Roberts (Nsw).             Reserve Daryl Smith (Tas)

M60: Andrew Campbell (Vic); David Firman (Q); Peter Hill (Vic);     

            Reserve Leigh Privett(Vic)

W21: Mary Fien (Nsw); Jen Graham-Taylor (WA); Melanie Simpson (Nsw);

W40: Kay Haarsma (SA); Carolyn Jackson (Vic); Carolyn Matthews (Nsw).

W50  Jean Douglas (Nsw); Heather Leslie (Vic);  Peta Whitford (Vic);  

            Reserve Helen Edmonds (Vic)

Many riders were competing last weekend in a variety of events around the countryside.  Alex Randall rode brilliantly to win all 4 stages and overall in the veteran male category of the Forrest festival in Victoria, with Carolyn Jackson and Kay Haarsma also being placed.  M21 Ashley Lynch made his debut in the elite category. 

Further north near Bendigo, Dion Keech, Grant Lebbink, Thorlene Egerton and Jonathon Sutcliffe were racing in various teams in the Victorian 24 hr event.

Meanwhile, in WA, Ricky Thackray placed 4^th in the 40 person elite men's field, covering some 171 kilometres in a 12 hour event there!