James Murphy
DOWNHILL action descended on the Blue Lake city over the weekend as Mount Gambier hosted Round 2 of the SA Gravity Enduro series.
Riders took on six trails over the course of the event, with best combined times earning them the honours.
The elite men’s category was hotly contested, with Steven Gebert topping the field by a slim combined total of 1.44 seconds to defend his 2022 win.
Cameron Ryan slotted into second place, while Eddie Herft rounded out the podium.
Another favourite in Sam Walsh finished up in fourth, with less than five seconds separating the top four.
The elite women’s class was won by Bria Smith by a convincing 20 seconds, followed by Jane Russell and Susie Green.
Another elite class was the eBike men, which was won by Kurtis Leicester from High McLeay and Nathan Taylor.
On the local scene, Mount Gambier Mountain Bike Club president Shane de Jong pushed hard to finish a respectable sixth in the elite men, while vice president Justin de Jong finished inside the top 10 in ninth.
Other locals to impress included Nick Brooks who won the eBike open men, while Ben Walker claimed third place in the expert men.
Sam Madzia was another local in the expert men category and he finished fourth, while Haiden Smith secured eighth position for the class.
In the Under 17 men Deegan Watson finished ninth, while in the Under 21 open class Brydon Klingberg finished fifth and Dashel Adams finished seventh.
Eddie Buckland performed well in his first go at the event, finishing second in the Under 13 men.
RESULTS (PROVISIONAL)
EBIKE ELITE MEN: Kurtis Leicester 1, Hugh McLeay 2, Nathan Taylor 3; ELITE MEN: Steven Gebert 1, Cameron Ryan 2, Eddie Herft 3; ELITE WOMEN: Bria Smith 1, Jane Russell 2, Susie Green 3; UNDER 21 ELITE WOMEN: Jess Williams 1; UNDER 21 ELITE MEN: Oscar Johnston 1, Giles Button 2, Darcy Noonan 3; UNDER 21 ELITE MEN: Oliver Hamilton 1; EBIKE OPEN MEN: Nick Brooks 1, Aaron Billing-Tieste 2, Paul Noske 3; EBIKE OPEN WOMEN: Zoe Norris 1, Angela Hill 2; EXPERT MEN: Shea Reddington 1, Dale Ireland 2, Ben Walker 3; MASTER MEN 40-49: Craig Lamb 1, Corrie Mullin 2, Matt Hannaford 3; MASTERS WOMEN 40-49: Chiara Hill 1, Claire Earl 2; OPEN MEN: Esteban Sierra 1, Dylan Northcott 2, Tom Maslin 3; OPEN WOMEN: Rebekah Burns 1, Jakarra Hill 2, Elina Nurmela 3; SUPER MASTERS MEN 50+: Oliver Sierp 1, Erman Mancera 2, Shaw Callen 3; UNDER 15 MEN: Harper Nelmes 1, Angus Ashmead 2, Archie Baker 3; UNDER 15 WOMEN: Mika Herd 1, Phoebe Stephens 2, Lucinda Flavell 3; UNDER 17 MEN: Andrew Hacquoil 1, Jack Ketterer 2, Felix Bull 3; UNDER 17 WOMEN: Mia Jasper 1, Mia Cullinan 2; UNDER 21 OPEN MEN: Finn Adams 1, Matt Leech 2, Tam Paterson 3; UNDER 13 MEN: Charlie Lamb 1, Eddie Buckland 2, Jarrah Quin 3; UNDER 13 WOMEN: Dakota Ludeman 1; NOVICE MEN 15++: Matt Adams 1, Simon Chapman 2, William Ashmead 3.
