City’s stars shine on track

Local riders Bobby Cooper and Benjamin Halsall topped the elite men’s category in the first round of the WA State Downhill Series held on Mt Clarence last weekend.

Cooper produced an impressive time of 1min. 22.508sec. to finish 1.367sec ahead of second-placed Halsall.

The pair were among a host of local riders competing in the event as Albany had 11 riders reach the podium.

Natalie Pearson shone in the elite women’s category to place second with a time of 1:46.742 behind Perth’s Redz Betz.

In the junior divisions, Hamish Wilkes took out the under-13s race, with Tyla Anderson in fourth and Declan Poett fifth, while Sophie Adeline was second in the junior women’s category and Jack Day managed fourth in the under-15s.

Lachlan Wilkes showed plenty of promise to take out third spot in the under-17s, finishing in 1:27.972 to be two seconds behind winner Jaxon Sawyer.

In the single crown division, Bryn Westerberg claimed victory with a time of 1:33.223, while Denmark’s Nathan Devenport was third, two seconds behind.

Joshua Pearson finished second in the masters men’s category, with fellow Albany rider Rob Wilkes placing fourth.

In the super masters men’s division, Albany’s Paul Fage was narrowly edged out of first place, finishing with a time of 1:32.809 to be half a second behind Mark Rubery.

In the expert men’s division, Albany again reached the podium, with Andrew Hannig second, by two tenths of a second, to Perth’s Aaron Kanters.

Mitchell Poett managed third in the sport men’s category in a time of 1:36.222.