Cairns World Cup 2 – Finals

Finals day!
Finals day!

We are Australian so we might be a little biased but the Cairns world cup was one of the best we have witnessed in some time! There were some truly amazing highs (as well as a few lows – after all that is racing), the day kicked off with a short practice session in the morning before the crowd started filing through the gates and lining the course.

One hour of practice was all the riders had to check the course and finalise their lines.
One hour of practice was all the riders had to check the course and finalise their lines.

The juniors kicked off proceedings and there was high expectations with a large number of riders all keen to impress at their home race. In the end impress they did with 4 out of the top 5 spots going to Australians. In 5th was Josh Clark, 4th was Jackson Frew, 3rd was Harry Bush and 2nd was Remy Morton. The win went to Matt Walker from Great Britain.

15th for Harry Parsons.
15th for Harry Parsons.
17th for Darcy Coutts.
17th for Darcy Coutts.
It was a nice sight seeing everyone on the hot seat and it almost finished this way...
It was a nice sight seeing everyone on the hot seat and it almost finished this way…

Next up were the senior females and it was evident who the crowd was cheering for, the home town Hannah! In this case Tracey, she put down a stomping run and finished second, it was Rachel Atherton that took the win but boy was the crowd lapping Tracey up!

Fourth for Tahnee Seagrave.
Fourth for Tahnee Seagrave.
Tracey Hannah was second on the time sheet.
Tracey Hannah was second on the time sheet.
But first in the eyes of the locals!
But first in the eyes of the locals!
Rachel Atherton was ahead of Tracey this race.
Rachel Atherton was ahead of Tracey this race.

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One happy camper!
One happy camper!

At 2pm it was time for the men to start their race runs, 80 riders, one winner! Here are some observations from the afternoon;A�Stevie Smith got a flat front tyre, Greg Minnaar commented he didn’t have any issues with his run but still had a result that wasn’t up to his standards, much the same for Gee Atherton and Sam Hill was battling an illness in the week leading up to the race finishing 28th.

Gee Atherton sprinting for the line, head down showing the physical effort required in the end.
Gee Atherton sprinting for the line, head down showing the physical effort required in the end.
Brendan Fairclough after having a few crashes during the week.
Brendan Fairclough after having a few crashes during the week.
Graeme Mudd had an absolute blinder and ended up in 8th place.
Graeme Mudd had an absolute blinder and ended up in 8th place.
Dean Lucas finished 41st with team mate Jack Moir in 40th.
Dean Lucas finished 41st with team mate Jack Moir in 40th.
David McMillan isn't racing the world cup series this year so this was his retirement race (for this year anyway).
David McMillan isn’t racing the world cup series this year so this was his retirement race (for this year anyway).
Tough day for Sam Blenkinsop who said hello to the ground during his run.
Tough day for Sam Blenkinsop who said hello to the ground during his run.
A lot of riders did!
A lot of riders did!
The draining nature of the course was evident to see as riders came into the finish arena.
The draining nature of the course was evident to see as riders came into the finish arena.
A front wheel flat for Stevie Smith near the rock garden put an end to his race.
A front wheel flat for Stevie Smith near the rock garden put an end to his race.
A smiling Luca Shaw ended up in 13th.
A smiling Luca Shaw ended up in 13th.

Without doubt one of the highlights of the weekend for us was the result of one man – Josh Button – after having stepped away from racing World Cups since 2012 Josh has been keeping things low key, until Cairns that was! He put in a stomping run to claim the hot seat from Graeme Mudd and he was sitting there for a very long time…At first we were hoping he wouldn’t get knocked out of the top 20, then the top 15 before finally the top 10… then we began to dream, a podium?! We all knew JB had the skills, then sure enough there were 4 riders left and Josh was in range. In the end he did claim one – 5th place, JB you’ve done it again!

What did Josh have for breakfast because it obviously worked...
What did Josh have for breakfast because it obviously worked…
Lapping up the hot seat and the water!
Lapping up the hot seat and the water!

There were still 4 riders to go, Loic Bruni was on the hot seat with AAron Gwin unable to better his time, there were just 2 riders left, both Australian. Sik Mik Hannah knows Cairns like the back of his hand having grown up here, with sister Tracey coming close in the women’s everyone was hoping mic could finish one step higher. He put in a cracking run but ended up in second place. This left Troy Brosnan as the last rider on course, the whole way down the times were so close, it looked like he might have done it just before he crossed the line where the timing board showed he was just 0.493 seconds down! In the process this handed Loic his first ever world cup win.

Troy Brosnan missed out by almost nothing on his second world cup win.
Troy Brosnan missed out by almost nothing on his second world cup win.
Loic Bruni charging for the line and his first world cup victory.
Loic Bruni charging for the line and his first world cup victory.
Loris Vergier cranking for the line.
Loris Vergier cranking for the line.
Connor Fearon slipped a pedal and ended up in 12th.
Connor Fearon slipped a pedal and ended up in 12th.
Winners are grinners!
Winners are grinners!
JB you've done it again...
JB you’ve done it again…

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We have a smorgasbord of images to show you guys from the week so check back for those soon.

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