The leading cross-country mountain bikers from the Oceania region will have their final significant outing ahead of the international UCI World Cup season at the UCI MTB Oceania Championships in Queenstown.
There are over 300 event entries to contest cross-country, short-track and downhill competition at the outstanding Coronet Peak facility.
Competition begins with cross-country on Saturday with New Zealand champions Sammie Maxwell and Anton Cooper the major favourites after both took out the New Zealand titles and the Continental series held on both sides of the Tasman over the summer.
With Australian star Rebecca Henderson out with injury, Maxwell is the overwhelming favourite in elite women’s XCO as the Decathlon Ford professional prepares for the opening World Cup double round in Brazil starting in three weeks.
Maxwell will defend her elite women’s title with most competition likely from outstanding young Australian prospect Zoe Cuthbert.
Canterbury professional Anton Cooper is chasing his ninth consecutive men’s elite title as the 30-year-old looks to return to the World Cup circuit after most of last season out with illness, this year moving to the new Lapierre Racing Unity team.
Competition will come from Australian Champion Sam Fox with the under-23 battle looming for Canterbury’s Trek Future Racing rider Ethan Rose, Taupo’s Coen Nicol and Harry Doye, who heads a strong group of Australian riders.
There is a strong group of Australian in the women’s under-23 headed by recent Australian Champion Ella Menigoz set to take on the kiwis led by Cantabrians, Maria Laurie, Annabel Bligh and Amelie Mackay.
The downhill competition signals a welcome return to competition for elite rider Jess Blewitt, who has returned from an injury layoff as the Cube Factory professional targets a breakthrough year on the Whoop World Series.
All elites will watch out for Tauranga 18-year-old Eliana Hulsebosch, who joins the crack Santa Cruz Syndicate team this year, and has a liking for the Coronet Peak downhill slopes. She is joined by NZ Junior Champion Kate Hastings and medallist Bellah Birchall.
The gravity competition for elite men features local Toby Meek, a former national champion, with other likely prominent riders to include the in-form Sam Gale (nelson), Waikato’s James Macdermid, and Continental Atherton professional Luke Wayman.
Racing for cross-country is from 9am on Saturday with elite men from 3:15pm; the XCC racing from 8.50am on Sunday and downhill from 1.30pm.