National Champs XCO: Sub Juniors!
Here our highlight gallery from Matt Rousu, from the sub-Junior XCO races at the 2023 National MTB Champs in Thredbo.
Photos: Matt Rousu
One of the best attended events during the cross-country racing at the 2023 National Mountain Bike Championshis in Thredbo was the U13-U17 races. Make no mistake, this is the future of mountain biking. Regardless of the discipline, riders in their teens are a big part of shaping the future of our sport – be it between the tape or out enjoying the trails.
88 riders in the U13, U15 and U17 categories went bar to bar at Thredbo, with a modified course for the U13 riders, while U15 and U17 rode the complete XCO course.
The U13 were off first on their modified course. 20 junior shredders took on the challenge, and 18 of them did the full 3 laps of their modified course. Madeline Lloyd won the U13 women's race, with Piper Whitford 2nd and Anice Unthank in 3rd.
In the U13 men's Lucas Aarekol was the fastest on the dirt, with Archie Martin in 2nd and Jett Stokes just behind in 3rd place.
In the U15, 24 riders were set to tackle 2 laps of the full course. This meant there was more climbing, more descending, a lot more of a challenge. Charli Edwick came out as the winner in the women's U15, with Grace Graafsma in 2nd. Matilda Hanlon took the 3rd step of the podium with bronze.
In the U15 men, Charli Edwick and Monty Manion ruled the course and was crowned as National Champion, with Oliver Grande in 2nd and Ben Shaw in 3rd. There were 16 riders in this category with lots of action our on the course.
In U17 a huge field of 33 boys and 12 girls would attack 4 and 3 laps of the Thredbo XCO loop respectively. Amelie Burrel showed a clean pair of heels in the U17 women's race, Alexandra Larsson was 2nd and Alana Fletcher came 3rd.
In the U17 men's race Connor Wright won with a clear gap ahead of Eddie Mungovan in 2nd. Darby Gaebler closed out the podium in 3rd. All the results for each category are listed online.
