New Zealand downhill riders were on fire at the UCI World Series at Leogang in Austria with top-five placings in each of the four championship classes, topped by victory in the junior men.

The 18-year-old Oli Clark from Kaikoura, who has been managed by 23 Degrees since 2023, scored the first UCI World Cup downhill victory by a New Zealand junior male since his teammate, Tuhoto Ariki-Pene in 2019, setting up an outstanding day on the slopes of Leogang.

Nipping at her heals was Rotorua’s Kate Hastings, 17, and younger sister for former junior world champion Jenna, who was fourth in her debut season on the world stage, ahead of fellow Rotorua rider Bellah Birchall (Team High Country) sixth and Queenstown’s Indy Deavoll ninth.

After finishing third in Poland, Clark was outstanding. Series leader Max Alran (FRA) set the marker in the penultimate run as he chased another victory. But Clark proved outstanding, behind by a blink at the midway point before proving fastest on the tight and technical second half to clock 3:00.724 and better the Frenchman by 0.6sec.

“I am pretty stoked with that. It hasn’t sunk it quite yet,” said Clark.

In the elite women, Jess Blewitt enjoyed time in the hot seat with her best performance of the season, finishing a close fifth. The Cube Factory rider set the pace, second fastest behind French star Marine Cabirou as the pair remained in the hot seat until the last three riders pushed on to the podium. Blewitt finished fifth in her best showing of the season to move up to 10th overall.

Results, Downhill:

Men Junior: Oli Clark (MS Racing) 3:00.724, 1; Max Alran (FRA) at 0.608, 2; Asa Vermette (USA) at 1.231, 3.

Women Elite: Gracey Hemstreet (CAN) 3:21.962, 1; Anna Newkirk (USA) at 0.866, 2; Valentina Holl (AUT) at 2.427, 3.

Photo Credit: MS Racing