Sienna Pal and Oliver Moran crowned new elite BMX Racing National Champions

Australia has two new elite national champions, after NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) athletes Sienna Pal and Oliver Moran claimed their respective women’s and men’s titles on a memorable day of BMX Racing.

After temperatures nudged into the low 30s during the day, racing took place in almost perfectly still conditions in the evening. The track looking spectacular under lights, and crowds up to four deep lined the track around the Balcatta venue.

Women

With only three riders competing in the Elite Women category, Sienna Pal (Terrigal BMX) was the clear favourite to win. Pal was comfortably ahead of her nearest rivals Celeste Barr (Townsville BMX) and Ashleigh Gunn (Burdekin BMX) during the first two motos.

Bella May (Casey BMX) meanwhile looked hungry for top billing in the Under 23 category, winning both motos and posting the fastest lap time in the preliminary rounds from Isabella Schramm (Ashmore BMX) and Felicity Mann (Hills BMX).

In the combined third moto, barely a length separated May and Pal throughout the race, but it was the Casey rider that edged in front and kept her elbows out, making it difficult for Pal to find room and to make a decisive passing move on the technical track, with May taking the Under 23 title and Pal the elite crown.

Pal told AusCycling she was happy with the win but philosophical about the outcome, given the placings in the final moto.

“It’s pretty surreal being able to say I’m the elite champ in Australia. It’s pretty cool. It wasn’t really the day I was expecting. Getting beat by the Under 23 girls wasn’t really the plan, but I think I’ll take the win and I’ll take the positives,” Pal said.

“But it just makes me realise that it’s not always about the title. It’s more just about wanting to make yourself proud. I think I’ll go in tomorrow trying to just do my best and make myself proud, no matter the result. 

“My goal was to dominate the laps, and I wasn’t really my day. I think I just wasn’t expecting how aggressive these girls were going to be and how hard I really had to fight to stay in front. I’m probably not as stoked as I wanted to be, but I’ll take the sleeves and I think I’ll be really keen to push myself to actually back it up next year, and show that I’m worthy of those sleeves.”

Junior world champion Teya Rufus (Maryborough BMX) was a class above in the Junior Women, winning all three motos comfortably. Rufus opened up a two-length lead by the first corner in the third moto, and while Charli Guy (Ashmore BMX) and Imogen Healey (Tea tree Gully) fought hard, Rufus rarely looked challenged.

Nerida Strokes (Cowaramup BMX) swept the Masters category, the only rider to post sub-38 second laps across all three motos and taking the points win from Nicole Sinclair (Big Rivers BMX) and Michelle Newport (Mandurah BMX).

Men

Max Cairns (Park Orchards BMX) and Oliver Moran (Manning Valley BMX) looked the riders to beat in the preliminary rounds. Cairns was the only rider to post two wins while Moran didn’t finish any worse than third through the three motos.

However, in a thrilling final, the race could have been won by any of three or four riders. Hayden Fletcher (Mansfield Mt Buller Cycling Club) took the hole shot and at one point led by two-lengths on the second straight, but the second corner proved to be the turning point in the race.

Moran ducked underneath Fletcher to steal the lead, and then cornered perfectly on the final turn. Showing the power that led him win the Under 23 UCI World Cup title this year, the 22-year-old held off a fast-finishing Cairns and Fletcher to be first across the line.

Just over 1.7 seconds separated the entire field.

Moran reflected on the decisive second corner after the race.

“I had third pick, so I knew I was close inside, [but] I still had to get out. And I got out well, just on the outside of Hayden, but I knew I just needed to stick on him, stay really tight in the first turn, which I thought I did quite well,” Moran said.

“And then just pick the line down second straight and went for the overtake in second turn and it stuck. Then I just had to hold on to the finish line,” Moran said.

“I’ve had a good year this year, but I was in under 23. Obviously, I’m happy with that, but it doesn’t really mean anything internationally in the Elite level. So, I’m happy to be able to step it up in an Elite here in Australia. Hopefully that leads on to some better results next year.

“I’ve been working closely with Luke [Madill] as well, just working on some technique stuff and some mental things as well since World Champs, where I went out in the semifinal. It seems to be what we’re working on has been working.”

After going undefeated through the motos, Jye Furner (Macarthur BMX) has secured a breakthrough win in the Under 23s. In another exciting final, Furner needed all his guile to hold off Flynn Sweeney (Nerang BMX) and Kane Gibbons (Pine Rivers BMX) to get the win. 

Junior world champion Josh Jolly (Ballarat-Sebastopol Cycling Club) was untouchable in the Junior Elite motos, conformably winning each moto and the final, where he stayed clear of a crash on the first straight before opening up a four-length lead on the second straight to win from Sam O’Grady (Bendigo BMX) and Noah Elton (Terrigal BMX).

Corey Frieswyk (Suncoast Hinterland BMX) was rarely challenged in the Masters category, undefeated through the preliminary rounds and a similarly dominant display in the final, with Matthew Blake (Collie BMX) and James Smith (The Cove)

Article and images courtesy of AusCycling