Jessica Waldron claims big win as hundreds take part in Albany’s round of State Downhill Series on Mt Clarence

Albany rider Jessica Waldron has claimed a big victory in round two of the WA State Downhill Series held on Mt Clarence at the weekend. A huge field of more than 120 competitors, a record number for Albany Mountain Bike Club holding a State event, hit the track in pristine conditions on Saturday and Sunday. Waldron was one of several Great Southern riders who finished on the podium in their respective divisions. Her victory was significant as it came against a strong field of open women’s competitors and she defeated perennial winner in the class Tanya Balley. In the finals on Sunday, Waldron finished with a time of 2min. 1.31sec. to defeat Balley easily (2:03.15) while Ani Aldridge (2:16.44) was third. Other Albany and Denmark riders to claim division victories were Abbey O’Donnell, Flynn Devenport, Bobby Cooper and Hamish Wilkes. Rising Albany star Wilkes produced a slick time of 1:43.03 to win the under-19 male division ahead of fellow local Harper O’Donnell (1:44.86). Denmark’s Flynn Devenport took out the under-13 male category with a time of 1:58.23 to beat Albany pair Seumas Contier (2:03.23) and Mackenzie Stables (2:07.67). Albany’s Abbey O’Donnell recorded a strong time of 2:15.71 to win the under-17 female division. In the masters men 1-2 class Cooper was too strong for his rivals with a time of 1:46.54 while fellow Albany rider Jack Fuller finished fourth. Gus Kyme was again the dominant force in the elite men’s division as he won the final in 1:38.74, edging out Mitch Delfs (1:39.92) while Denmark’s Kaiden Godden was sixth in the field of seven. Albany’s Marcey O’Donnell finished second in the under-15 female class, more than 10 seconds behind the winner Ruby Beckett. Denmark’s Nathan Devenport was second in a time of 1:53.94 in the masters men 3-4 final, beaten by David Barry (1:46.65). In the under-15 male division, Albany pair Lorcan Contier (1:53.37) and Jasper Richards (1:56.21) finished in fifth and sixth place with Cooper Dunlop the winner in 1:47.87. Other division winners were Sage Dingey (under-13 female), William Frizzell (e-bike), Bryce Thomson (expert men), Theo Mitchell (masters men 5-6) and Angus Nichols (under-17 male). The top 20 fastest riders across all male and female divisions then contested a shootout. Kyme again proved too slick down the track as he collected first prize in the male shootout with a time of 1:38.67 to beat Roly Kyme (1:39.46) and Delfs (1:39.78). In the women’s shootout, Balley got the better of Waldron, in 1:58.88. Waldron was second in 2:02.76 and Abbey O’Donnell was third in 2:05.16. It was a highly successful event for AMBC, drawing more female competitors than ever before. There was $1000 in cash prizes and more than $1500 in product prizes given away. The next round of the series will be held in Nannup on May 27-28.