23 Degrees Sports Management

Anton Cooper

Athlete Profile

Name: Anton Cooper
Nick Name: Coops
Twitter: @antonmtb
Date of Birth: August 11, 1994
Current Team: Trek Factory Racing
Height (cm): 167
Weight (kg): 62
Residence: Westmorland, Christchurch, New Zealand

Website:
http://www.antoncooper.co.nz/

Video Profile

Image Gallery

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Questionnaire

Why do you ride: Because I enjoy riding and training hard to get results.
What/who started you racing: Dad, who also encouraged me to enter my first race and I've been hooked ever since.
Weakness: Flat sections with long seated power.
Marital status: In a relationship.
Most important people in your life and career: My parents and sisters, David Plew my coach for the past 11 years, my girlfriend...can't forget her ;) Everyone else who has helped me get to where I am now.
Racing since: 11 years old
Professional since: 2012
Best part of racing: The feeling you get when you win.
Hardest part: Getting back into it after the off season, or after injury.
Worst moment in career: 2016 was a disaster of a year for me especially coming off the back of my World Championship win in 2015. Illness and fatigue kept me on the sidelines for almost the whole year and I had to come home early for surgery to remove my adenoids, thus ending my dream of starting in Rio for the Olympics.
Best moment in career: Winning my first World Championships, Commonwealth Games Gold and my second World title, this time in the Under 23 Category. Also my podium results in Albstadt and Nove Mesto at Elite World Cup rounds in 2018.
General career goals: To win U23 and Elite World Titles, Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games
Favourite food: Roast lamb and kumara; fish & chips, meat pies (all good Kiwi classics!)
Favourite reading: Car magazines (Top Gear, Motor Mag, NZ performance car)
Favourite music: Anything and everything, Rap, Rock, chilled music… doesn’t matter!
Best idea of having good time: Driving fast cars with my mates, music turned up. Adventuring in the hills, backcountry NZ.
Favourite places to travel to: Anywhere in NZ, Australiam Spain, Italy, USA.
Most respected mountain bike riders: Julien Absalon, Nino Schurter
Other most respected athletes: Richie McCaw (Rugby) Brendon McCullum (Cricket) and Hamish Bond (Rowing/Cycling)
Favourite riding spots and courses: North Canterbury, Craigieburn/Mt Cheeseman trails, Port Hills and Central Otago (NZ). Favourite race courses are Mont-Saint-Anne, Canada and and Nove Mesto, Czech Republic.
Advice to beginners: Keep persevering. Work on your skills. Chat to the pros. Keep it fun.
Other sports: Cross country running, Tennis
Other interests: Cars, Tramping (that's New Zealand for bushwalking/hiking), fast cars and good music.

If I was not a professional mountain biker: I'd be studying or working outdoors

Objectives for 2019:

To Medal at the World Champs in Mont-Sainte-Anne
Win a World Cup round
Finish Top 5 in the World Cup Overall

Career Highlights

Year 2018 Highlights:
2nd – World Cup Round 3, Nove Mesto (CZE)
6th – World Cup Round 6, Mont-Sainte-Anne (CAN)
6th – World Cup Round 1, Stellenbosch (RSA)
7th – World Cup Round 7, La Bresse (FRA)
4th – World Cup Short Track, Mont-Sainte-Anne (CAN)
7th – World Cup Overall
2nd – Commonwealth Games
1st – Oceania Continental Championships
1st - New Zealand National Championships

Year 2017 Highlights:
3rd – World Cup Round 2, Albstadt (GER)
9th – World Cup Round 1, Nove Mesto (CZE)
7th – World Cup Overall
1st – Oceania Continental Championships
1st - New Zealand National Championships, XCO and XCE

Year 2016 Highlights:

1st – Oceania Continental Championships
1st - Pioneer Stage race
2nd - New Zealand National Championships

Year 2015 Highlights:

World Champion - Under 23 XC
4th – U23 World Cup Round 3, Lenzerheide (SUI)
5th – U23 World Cup Round 4, Mont-Sainte-Anne (CAN)
5th – U23 World Cup Round 5, Windham (USA)
6th – U23 World Cup Round 6, Val Di Sole (ITA)
7th – U23 World Cup Overall

Year 2014 Highlights:

Commonwealth Games Gold Medalist
2nd – U23 World Cup Round 6, Windham (USA)
6th – U23 World Championships, Hafjell (NOR)
7th – U23 World Cup Round 7, Méribel (FRA)
8th – U23 World Cup Overall

Year 2013 Highlights:

1st – U23 World Cup Round 5, Mont-Sainte-Anne (CAN)

2nd – U23 World Cup Round 6, Hafjell (NOR)
4th – U23 World Championships, Pietermaritzburg (RSA)
8th – U23 World Cup Overall
8th – World Championships Team Relay
1st – U23 Bundesliga, Heubach (GER)

Year 2012 Highlights:
1st - Junior World Championships, Saalfelden (AUT)
1st - Junior World Cup XC Round 1, Pietermaritzburg (RSA)
1st - Junior World Cup XC Round 5, Mont-Sainte-Anne (CAN)
1st - Junior World Cup XC Round 6, Windham (USA)
1st - New Zealand National Championship, Junior XC

Year 2011 Highlights:
1st - Junior World Cup XC Round 6, Nove Mesto na Morave (CZE)
1st - Junior World Cup XC Round 7, Val di Sole (ITA)
2nd - Junior XC World Championships, Champery (SUI)
1st - Oceania Championships, Junior XC
1st - New Zealand National Championship, Junior XC 2011 Number 1 Ranked Junior

Year 2010 Highlights:

Winning New Zealand National Championship (under 17yr)
Australian National Championship (under 17yr)
Oceania Championship (under 17yr)

Year 2009 Highlights:
Winning New Zealand National Championship (under 17 yr)

Race Results

Year 2019

Oceania MTB Championships - 1st
NZ National Championships XC - 1st
Internacionales Chelva XCO - 1st
Copa Catalunya International Banyoles XCO - HC - 1st

Year 2018

Bundesliga - Freudenstadt - 4th
3 Nations Cup Watersley – Cat 1 - 1st
World Championships XC - 31st
World Cup XC Overall - 7th
World Cup XC #7 - La Bresse (FRA) - 7th
World Cup XCC #6 - La Bresse (FRA) - 21st
World Cup XC #6 - Mont-Sainte-Anne (CAN) - 6th
World Cup XCC #5 - Mont-Sainte-Anne (CAN) - 4th
World Cup XC #5 - Vallnord (AND) - 22nd
World Cup XCC #4 - Vallnord (AND) - 27th
World Cup XC #4 - Val Di Sole (ITA) - 21st
World Cup XCC #3 - Val Di Sole (ITA) - 13th
World Cup XC #3 - Nove Mesto (CZE) - 2nd
World Cup XCC #2 - Nove Mesto (CZE) - 11th
World Cup XC #2 - Albstadt (GER) - 18th
Swiss Cup - Solothurn - 11th
Sea Otter Classic XC - Monterey (USA) - 1st
Commonwealth Games XC - 2nd
World Cup XC #1 - Stellenbosch (RSA) - 6th
NZ National Championships XC - 1st
Oceania MTB Championships - 1st
South Island XC Championships - 1st
Australian MTB Series #4 - 1st
Australian MTB Series #3 - 1st

Year 2017

Bannockburn Classic XC - 1st
World Championships XC - 16th
World Championships Team Relay - 8th
World Cup XC Overall - 7th
World Cup XC #6 - Val Di Sole (ITA) - 20th
World Cup XC #4 - Lenzerheide (SUI) - 16th
World Cup XC #3 - Vallnord (AND) - 18th
BMC Cup Granichen - 1st
World Cup XC #2 - Albstadt (GER) - 3rd
World Cup XC #1 - Nove Mesto (CZE) - 9th
Hadleigh Park International MTB - 2nd
Sea Otter Classic XC - Monterey (USA) - 2nd
Pro XCT US Cup - Bonelli, CA (USA) - 1st
Oceania MTB Championships - 1st
NZ National Championships XCE - 1st
NZ National Championships XC - 1st

Year 2016

World Cup XC #1 - Cairns (AUS) - 62nd
Oceania MTB Championships - 1st
NZ National Championships XC - 2nd
Pioneer MTB Stage Race - 1st

Year 2015

World Championships Under 23 XC - 1st
World Cup XC Under 23 Overall - 7th
World Cup XC #6 - Val Di Sole (ITA) - 6th
World Cup XC #5 - Windham (USA) - 5th
World Cup XC #4 - Mont-Sainte-Anne (CAN) - 5th
World Cup XC #3 - Lenzerheide (SUI) - 4th
BMC Cup Granichen - 12th
World Cup XC #2 - Albstadt (GER) - 10th
Australian MTB Series #5 - Toowoomba - 1st
USA Cup XC - Fontana - 1st
USA Cup XC - Bonelli - 3rd
Oceania Championships - XC Eliminator - 2nd
Oceania MTB Championships - 2nd
NZ National Championships XC - 1st
NZ Mountainbike Cup XC #1 - 1st
St James MTB Classic - 1st

Year 2014

Urge 3 Peaks Enduro - 1st
Enduro World Series #7 - Finale Ligure (ITA) - 32nd
Ishgl Overmountain Challenge Enduro - 4th
World Championships Under 23 XC - 6th
World Cup XC Under 23 Overall - 8th
World Cup XC #7 - Meribel (FRA) - 7th
World Cup XC #6 - Windham (USA) - 2nd
Commonwealth Games XC - 1st
World Cup XC #1 - Pietermaritzburg (RSA) - 5th
Oceania MTB Championships - 2nd
NZ National Championships XC - 2nd
NZ Mountainbike Cup XC #2 - 1st
St James MTB Classic - 1st

Year 2013

St James MTB Classic - 1st
Urge 3 Peaks Enduro - 3rd
World Cup XC Under 23 Overall - 8th
World Cup XC #6 - Hafjell (NOR) - 2nd
World Championships Under 23 XC - 4th
World Championships Team Relay - 8th
World Cup XC #5 - Mont-Sainte-Anne (CAN) - 1st
World Cup XC #4 Under 23 - Vallnord (AND) - 18th
Italian National Elite XC - Nalles - 2nd
Bundeliga Heubach Under 23 XC - 1st
Oceania Under 23 XC Championship - 1st
Cyprus Sunshine Cup - 6th
NZ National Championships XC - 1st
NZ Mountain Bike Cup XC # 4 - 1st

Year 2012

Junior XC World Championships - 1st
Swiss Cup XC #6 Junior - Muttenz - 1st
Junior XC World Cup #6 - Windham (USA) - 1st
Junior XC World Cup #5 - Mont-Sainte-Anne (CAN) - 1st
Junior XC World Cup #1 - Pietermaritzburg (RSA) - 1st
South African National Junior XC - 1st
NZ National XC Series - Junior Overall - 1st
NZ Mountainbike Cup XC #3 - 1st
NZ National Championships Junior XC - 1st
NZ Mountainbike Cup XC #2 - 1st
NZ Mountainbike Cup XC #1 - 1st

Year 2011

Karapoti Classic - 1st
NZ National Championships Junior XC - 1st
Oceania Championships - Junior XC - 1st
Junior XC World Cup #6 - Nove Mesto (CZE) - 1st
Junior XC World Cup #7 - Val di Sole (ITA) - 1st
Junior XC World Championships - 2nd