North Harbour rider Rico Bearman has successfully defended his elite BMX Racing title at the BMX New Zealand national championships in Havelock North.

The 20-year-old was unbeaten through the three races, dominating his class from the front to repeat the title he won in Tauranga last year.

He finished ahead of veteran on an impressive elite comeback, Daniel Franks (North Avon) and Rico D’Anvers (Cambridge).

His efforts were matched by Cambridge 18-year-old Leila Walker, who claimed her first elite women’s national title, like Bearman, winning the three races in impressive fashion.

The 2023 junior national champion held off the challenge from last year’s elite winner, Megan Williams from Rotorua.

The under-23 men’s title went to Cambridge rider Bennett Greenough, unbeaten and with the fastest lap of the Championships, holding off younger brother Jack across the day, after the pair each achieved an under-23 finals’ win at the UCI BMX Racing World Cup at Rotorua recently.

Rotorua rider Brooke Penny claimed the women’s under-23 final while the junior championship titles went to Finn Cogan (East City) and Hannah Mason (Tauranga).

Results:

Female, Elite: Leila Walker (Cambridge) 1, Megan Williams (Rotorua) 2.

Under 23: Brooke Penny (Rotorua) 1, Holly Oldham (Alexandra) 2, Amber Robson (Te Awamutu) 3.

Junior: Hannah Mason (Tauranga) 1, Lily Greenough (Cambridge) 2.

Male, Elite: Rico Bearman (North Harbour) 1, Daniel Franks (North Avon) 2, Rico D’Anvers (Cambridge) 3.

Under-23: Bennett Greenough (Cambridge) 1, Jack Greenough (Cambridge) 2, Jack Keown (Christchurch) 3.

Junior: Finn Cogan (East City, Auckland) 1, Nick Cowie (Southland) 2, Will Skipper (Rotorua) 3.