Hoskin and Mawson Strike Early at Nationals
Hoskin makes it three in a row, Mawson claims his first title, and relay racing sets the tone at Mt Buller
Photos by Matt Rousu
Mt Buller kicked off the 2026 GWM Mountain Bike National Championships in style, with the first gold medals decided across the cross-country course in both e-bike XCO and team relay formats.
Hoskin Goes Three in a Row
Jess Hoskin continued her dominance in the elite women’s e-bike XCO, securing her third consecutive national title despite coming into the race after recent a shoulder fracture.
Hoskin controlled from the outset, riding a composed and calculated race to stop the clock at 56:44.54, finishing ahead of Connor Mielke and Jodie Mielke.
On a course where battery management is as important as line choice, her ride balanced efficiency with precision.
Mawson Breaks Through
In the elite men’s race, Nathan Mawson claimed his first national title, holding off a sustained challenge from Thiago Boaretto.
The pair remained close for much of the race, with Boaretto sitting within striking distance before Mawson edged clear in the closing stages to win by nearly 20 seconds.
“Up until the second last lap, I think I broke him across the back there, but he hung on a lot longer than I thought,” Mawson said.
“It’s a bit of a mind game not knowing how much battery each other has. We’re on similar bikes with similar battery sizes, so you kind of have an idea, but it depends how you’re using the modes.”
Relay Racing Sets the Tone
The cross-country relay provided an early look at form across the field, with riders tackling the full XCO course in a fast-paced team format.
In the Open race, Jack Ward laid the foundation with a blistering opening lap, putting over a minute into the field before teammates Sarah Tucknott and Jon Odam extended the advantage.
Connor Wright delivered the standout performance of the day, setting the fastest lap of the relay with an 11:44.49, helping secure the overall win.
Junior Racing Delivers
In the junior relay, the Bendigo MTB team of Oliver Lorrain, Delilah Mertens, Nina Garden and Corey Larson claimed gold in the Club race, continuing a strong showing from emerging talent.
Eyes on Day Two
The relay results offer an early indication of form heading into Friday’s XCC racing, where Ward and Wright will be among the favourites to defend their respective elite and junior titles.
Racing continues tomorrow with short track action and downhill seeding, as the championships build toward a full weekend of competition.
