Sam Blenkinsop Wins The Opening Round Of The NZ Series

In his first race officially as an elite category rider, Sam Blenkinsop of Wanganui has taken the first round of the New Zealand National Downhill Series today, at Wanaka. On the eve of announcing his new pro-team deal for the 2007 World Cup season, which kicks off in May, Blenkinsop has had an emphatic pair of results in both the seeding run and the finals, ahead of some well know international pros such as Fabien Pedemanaud (FRA), Justin Havukainen (AUS) and 2006 Junior World Champion Cameron Cole. The sub 4 minute course was held in the mountainous south where New Zealand has it's excellent ski facilities. Sam pushed it pretty hard in the seeding run to record a 3m 44secs but then went another 2 seconds faster to take his win, riding for New Zealand based Wide Open Distributors. Sam said: "I love racing down here in the mountains because the courses are so much steeper and therefore so much faster, they really suit my riding style. An added bonus is the chairlifts which all the riders appreciate. I always go hard in my seeding run because you never know what will happen in your race run, and this helps me push a little harder in the finals. Thanks a lot to Wide Open for supporting me at this event, and I'm looking forward to the announcement of my team ride, for the World Cup, in the next week or two. For now though I'm getting focused for next weekend's race, Round 2 in Queenstown on another awesome mountain, Coronet Peak". Results: 1. Sam Blenkinsop (NZL) – 3m 42.03secs 2. Fabien Pedemanaud (FRA) – 3m 43.96secs 3. Glenn Haden (NZL) – 3m 44.63secs 4. Nathan Rankin (NZL) – 3m 46.36secs 5. Alex Stock (GBR) – 3m 46.53secs 6. Des Curry (NZL) – 3m 47.95secs 7. Cameron Cole (NZL) – 3m 48.94secs 8. Mike Skinner (NZL) – 3min 49.66secs 9. Justin Havukainen (AUS) – 3m 49.85secs 10. Reon Boe (NZL) – 3m 50.28secs www.23degrees-sports.com.