Gold Coast Comm Games

[Chris B.]

@booboo Unfortunate hazard of MTB racing - you need everything to go right on the day.

A fucking puncture and your dreams of glory are gone. I get pissed off just at the inconvenience of having to stop and change a tube.

I'm presently trialing my own invention to provide additional protection/support around the valve stem - lamb elastrator rings! So far, so good!

[Chris B.]

Sheppard is currently 8th - three minutes off the lead, two minutes off the bronze.

[Chris B.]

England, England, Canada, Canada.

Sheppard comes ninth - just behind a Namibian!

Punctured on the first lap apparently. She was seeded sixth apparently, so needed a bit of luck to medal - the Australian No. 2 seed only came about seventh in one of their few failures (that I've seen) thus far!

Lets hope Gaze and Cooper have more luck than Sheppard. Gaze (18) saying he feels like the race is his to lose! Interesting because I see Cooper (6) is ranked above him - as is a Jaapie (17). An Aussie just behind (21), with a Canadian (41) and the third NZer (55) in the mix.

[Chris B.]

We win the start and it's Gaze, Cooper, a Jaapie, Oliver, a small gap, Australian....

Very early days, but definitely where you want to be...in the front!

[Chris B.]

Gaze and Cooper have bolted- at the first time check they're six seconds ahead of the Jaapie - Oliver is 15 seconds back and the rest of the field 30 seconds plus behind!

[Chris B.]

The three NZers and the Jaapie have formed a bunch. They look significantly faster through the technical part - but, the rest of the field made a burst and just briefly made contact at the end of the flat part - but, immediately dropped back when they got on the technical uphill.

[Chris B.]

End of lap two and those four have 22 seconds over a chasing bunch. Five laps to go.

I'm wondering is Cooper and Gaze slowed down last time to wait for Oliver?

[Chris B.]

Hatherly (SA) attacks on lap three - only Gaze goes with him and the gap to Oliver and then Cooper opened to 11 seconds.

Gaze has retaken the lead and Oliver is bridging the gap - Copper a few seconds further back.

[Chris B.]

@chris-b I'm wrong - Cooper got caught behind Oliver, but he's past and has rejoined the lead.

Oliver is 15 seconds down in 4th, next guy is 45 seconds down.

[Chris B.]

Three laps to go and positions are unchanged - Cooper still 15 seconds off the back but the fifth placed guy is now 55 seconds behind.

Barring a total disaster NZ bound to get two medals.

[Chris B.]

Two laps to go - leading three still together, but a couple of times Hatherly dropped a few metres behind the other two - might be wishful thinking, but a slight sign of weakness. The next climb will tell!

[Chris B.]

Cooper and Gaze with an attack and a mini break...and we go to an ad break!

[Chris B.]

Nope Hatherly is back.

Oliver sliding back towards the chasing bunch.

[Chris B.]

Final lap - Gaze, Cooper, Hatherly - barring an accident/mechanical the medals are going to these three.

[Chris B.]

Cooper breaks away - Hatherly is chasing, Gaze further back.

[Chris B.]

No - fuck it - Gaze had a mechanical!

[Chris B.]

Gaze comes back strongly during the ad break and we're one and two - Hatherly 10 seconds behind!!!

[antipodean]

How has Gaze come back from that gap after 70mins?

[Chris B.]

Gaze wins the spring finish - Gold for him, Silver for Cooper.

[Mokey]

Yes!!!! Good shit boys.