Biking: Taranaki teen storms to maiden victory

Photo by SWPix

New Plymouth teenager Camden Rutherfurd has claimed his first UCI Mountain Bike World Cup victory after dominating the junior men’s downhill event at Whistler, Canada.

The 17-year-old produced a superb run on the challenging soft and wet course to win by more than five seconds at the penultimate downhill round of the World Cup series.

Rutherfurd, riding for Nukeproof Axess, clocked 3min 35.004sec to finish 5.688sec clear of Germany’s Lois Eller, with American Boston Bryant third.

The result was a breakthrough for the Taranaki rider, who has spent much of the season behind fellow New Zealand juniors Jonty Williamson and Malik Boatwright.

With world champion Williamson sidelined through injury and Boatwright finishing 16th, Rutherfurd made the most of his opportunity.

The win lifted him to fourth in the overall junior men’s standings on 202 points heading into the final round.

Williamson continues to lead the standings with 369 points, ahead of Boatwright on 255 and France’s Sacha Brizin on 224.

Rutherfurd is now just 22 points behind Brizin as New Zealand riders chase a clean sweep of the top three positions.

It was also a strong day for New Zealand in the elite ranks.

Tauranga’s Eliana Hulsebosch finished fourth in the elite women’s race after qualifying second fastest, while Christchurch rider Luke Wayman also placed fourth in the elite men.

Wayman spent much of the competition in the hot seat before the final three riders pushed him out of the podium positions.

Rotorua rider Lachlan Stevens-McNab had initially moved into the lead but was later disqualified for travelling outside the course.

The World Cup series now moves to Lake Placid, New York, for the final downhill round this weekend.