BATHURST BMX Club rider Hayley Wolfenden could not have asked for a better day of racing when she contested the third round of the BMX NSW State Series on Sunday.
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Riding on her home track, she not only won each of her three motos to be the fastest qualifier for the women’s 17-24 years final, but won that decider in a personal best time.
Having contested the women’s superclass category at the opening two rounds of the series at Maitland and Macarthur – placing eighth and seventh respectively – Wolfenden returned to her age division at Bathurst.
The benefit of having competed at the higher level previously showed.
In the final both Sydney BMX Club’s Melanie Gibson and Macarthur’s Cara Wilde joined Wolfenden in making a good start.
But the Bathurst rider got the holeshot and by the time she had completed the switchback, she held a clear lead.
She won in a time of 51.479, comfortably beating Wilde (52.813) and Gibson (51.935).
“I'm happy with how I rode – [I’m] pretty happy with a clean sweep,” she said.
“Training is paying off with a PB lap time on the track in my final.”
Wolfenden was not the only Bathurst BMX Club rider to make the final of their class on Sunday.
Joel Goulding placed third in the 17-24 years men’s final, while he also recorded two top-three rides in his motos. In that same decider Liam Westman placed fifth and Caleb Hampton sixth.
Chelsie Westman continued her good run in the state series with her second consecutive podium in the 14s girls class. She placed third behind Knox’s Zoe Johnston and Penrith’s Nicola Fleming.
Jett Robertson made the final of the 11-12 cruisers boys division and while crashing, he picked himself up and completed the course.
Phil Martin qualified for final of the 45-49 years cruiser men’s class. He narrowly missed a podium, being pipped on the line for third.
“The Bathurst riders did well. The first timers and new riders had a great experience,” Wolfenden said.
“We had a few Bathurst finalists as well as a successful sprocket. A big thanks to all the workers and sponsors that made the event happen too.”