Mountainbiking: MacDonald best of Kiwis
Hawke's Bay rider Brook MacDonald did the best of the Kiwis, in eighth place in the downhill finals of the UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Austria.
MacDonald, the world No5-ranked rider, fell behind the clock in the first section of the 2.4km track at the Leogang Bike Park in the Alps. The 20-year-old pushed hard, with only champion Greg Minnaar, of South Africa, faster over the bottom part of the course. The Kiwi clocked 3:26.651, to finish five seconds behind the winner.
A MS Mondraker professional, MacDonald was the only Kiwi to finish in the top 10 on the course that had dried and rutted after two days of rain.
Last year's bronze medallist Sam Blenkinsop, of Wanganui, placed 11th, his Lapierre International teammate Cameron Cole, of Christchurch, finished 16th, Justin Leov (Trek World Racing) in his final world championship before retiring was 21st and an injured George Brannigan, of Hawke's Bay, riding for DeVinci Global, was 26th.
Minnaar claimed his second world title and his seventh championship podium with an impressive run to edge out Great Britain's 2008 world champion Gee Atherton, while favourite Aaron Gwin, of the United States, was never a threat after suffering a mechanical problem.
The French were favoured to dominate the women's title but it was a surprise in the form of Morgane Charre who prevailed over favourite and compatriot Emmeline Ragot. Auckland's Sophie-Marie Bethell and Nelson's Veronique Sandler finished 24th and 26th respectively in the elite women's competition.
Earlier, Coatesville teenager Sophie Tyas placed eighth in the junior women's contest, while the best of the Kiwi junior men was Takaka's Reece Potter, who finished 18th.
