Cooper and Hextall win Around Brunner
Cooper and Hextall win Around Brunner
Sequoia Cooper from the H & J’s Outdoor World team and Benchmark Home’s Leon Hextall both had their best road race results winning the elite woman’s and men’s titles at Around Brunner in Greymouth today.
Hextall was in a an early break of six that stayed away for the entire race, making his winning move 10 kilometres from the finish line to ride away solo to win in three hours 16 minutes, 20 seconds ahead of Brehan Cairns from Invercargill (H & J’s Smith Outdoor World), Christchurch based Marc Prutton (Homestyle Test Team) and SUBWAY® Pro Cycling’s Dillion Bennett, also from Invercargill.
Fresh winning the Canterbury Under 23 Road Race title last Sunday Hextall said it was the “biggest result” of his career.
“”Once I was in the break I knew it was the winning move. The wet conditions were great, it kept the pace down. I tried to make it hurt in the hills and then made my move with 10 kilometres left – it’s good to see a break winning a race rather than it coming down to a sprint finish.”
Cairns just edged out Prutton in a photo finish for second, with just millimetres separating the two riders.
Cooper, an Otago Physiotherapy student, said her win in the elite women’s race was “a complete surprise” after being focused on a track programme as part of the Bike NZ’s national wider track training group.
“It’s my first win on the road in years and was my first big road race of the season after being focused on the track. I really enjoyed the wet conditions.”
Cooper called on all her track sprinting experience to win a tight sprint finish from Kathryn Jones of Dunedin, New Zealand junior representative, Sophie Williamson (H & J Smiths Outdoor World) - who was riding her first senior road race - last year’s winner Karen Fulton (Fresh Choice) and Sarah Smallman (Team Thule). Cooper’s winning time was three hours and 19 minutes.
Wayne Smythe (John Bulls Cycle Team) was an impressive men’s winner of the recreational event, riding clear with over 50 kilometres to go, to win by over three minutes with a time of three hours and twenty six minutes.
The female recreational event was won by Kylie Rochford (Christchurch) in three hours and twenty nine minutes.
Ends
Compulsory photo credit: www.murrycavephotography.co.nz
Results
(provisional)
Elite
woman
1 #0021 Sequoia
Cooper Dunedin 03:19:12 -
2 #0003 Kathryn Jones Tainui,
Dunedin 03:19:12 +00:00:00
3 #0015 Sophie
Williamson alexandra 03:19:13 +00:00:00
4 #0045 Karen
Fulton Hope, Nelson 03:19:13 +00:00:00
5 #0008 Sarah
Smallman Christchurch 03:19:13 +00:00:01
6 #0006 Aimee
Burns Christchurch 03:20:13 +00:01:01
7 #0005 Julia
Grant Yaldhurst,
Christchurch 03:32:39 +00:13:26
8 #0022 Nicole King Snows
hill, Nelson 03:34:34 +00:15:22
9 #0031 Emma Louise
Ferguson Riccarton,
Christchurch 03:34:44 +00:15:32
10 #0004 Sia
Svendsen Christchurch 03:34:48 +00:15:35
Elite
men
1 #0057 leon
hextall christchurch 03:16:52 -
2 #0014 brehan
cairns invercargill 03:17:12 +00:00:20
3 #0035 marc
prutton christchurch 03:17:12 +00:00:20
4 #0010 Dillion
Bennett Christchurch 03:17:13 +00:00:21
5 #0043 Bradley
Tuhi Cashmere,
Christchurch 03:19:00 +00:02:08
6 #0039 ben
longworth christchurch 03:19:00 +00:02:08
7 #0009 Ian
Smallman Christchurch 03:19:00 +00:02:08
8 #0046 Dean
Fulton Nelson 03:19:00 +00:02:08
9 #0048 mike
smart christchurch 03:19:01 +00:02:09
10 #0051 ben
robertson christchurch 03:19:11 +00:02:18
Recreational event
FEMALE
1 #1278 Kylie
Rochford Merivale,
Christchurch 03:29:14 -
2 #1299 Sharlotte
Lucas Hokitika 03:29:16 +00:00:01
3 #1246 Anne
Kerr Christchurch 03:29:28 +00:00:14
4 #1412 Victoria
Shelling brightwater,
nelson 03:40:47 +00:11:33
5 #1263 Pippa
Goodwin Highfield,
Timaru 03:44:59 +00:15:45
6 #1207 Andrea
Atkinson waimate 03:45:00 +00:15:46
7 #1243 Jackie
Drury Aotea, Porirua 03:46:28 +00:17:14
8 #1396 Tania
Radman RD1 Richmond,
Nelson 03:49:38 +00:20:24
9 #1199 Corina Wilson RD 1,
REEFTON 03:51:48 +00:22:34
10
MALE
1 #1293 Wayne Smythe Avondale,
Christchurch 03:26:43 -
2 #1318 David
Cresswell Christchurch 03:29:13 +00:02:29
3 #1348 Craig
Domo Domigan gleniti,
Timaru 03:29:13 +00:02:29
4 #1264 Ryan Douglas Burnside,
Christchurch 03:29:13 +00:02:30
5 #1255 Geoff
Searle Burwood,
Christchurch 03:29:13 +00:02:30
6 #1296 James
Mander Woolston,
Christchurch 03:29:13 +00:02:30
7 #1407 sam
friend christchurch 03:29:13 +00:02:30
8 #1234 Scott
Dayman Nelson 03:29:14 +00:02:30