Riley Blundell gets upright on his XTC Enduro Hardtail. Photo Adam BurnsMid Canterbury teen Riley Blundell keeps going from strength-to-strength on the mountain bike and enjoyed one of his biggest successes last weekend. Adam Burns caught up with the young rider about his rise and what he has in the pipeline.

In a short amount of time, Riley Blundell has left many a trail in his wake.

The 14-year-old mountain biking talent has only been riding competitively for three years but it has not stopped him from racking up the results.

Last weekend, Blundell secured an overall win in the Mt Somers Mountain Challenge’s 23km Foothills event.

Riding in the junior under-18 category, Blundell finished in a time of 1hr 18mins.

It was an improvement on his 1hr 22mins showing in last year’s event where he won the junior category in a sixth overall finish.

Older brother Brad Blundell also finished fourth in his category in the 31km MTB Challenge event.

The Blundell family appear to be naturally gifted on the bike.

The younger sibling has followed in his brother’s footsteps after he won the Mt Somers Mountain Challenge’s 20km Lowland Ride on his first attempt in 2016.

Riley would also transition to more competitive events having fooled around on the bike casually for about a year to that point.

“Our aunty took us down the River Track,” he said.

“It was just so much fun so we got into it more.”

“And there’s a massive eight foot jump.”

The Mid Canterbury MTB Club’s river trail loop has been known to claim the occasional injury among young, keen riders, mother Julie Srhoy said.

There may be some genetic factors at play considering Blundell’s mother was a successful equestrian.

Blundell would soon be a regular fixture on the South Island mountain biking circuit.

After beginning in the cross-country format, he has also branched out into both downhill and endurance riding.

He feels his downhillng skills have developed into a key strength as a rider.

Although his preference is the downhill, Blundell is prepared to prove he is adaptable as a rider.

Last year he came second in the Aoraki MTB Championships under-15 boys’ event which provided a chance for Blundell to apply his downhill prowess.

He won the event the previous year.

A vigorous training regime consisting of rides of up to six days per week has spurred his ascent.

His two rides at Mt Somers have not been without mechanical stumbling blocks.

In 2019, his chain came off his bike and his pedal came off in this year’s event.

He agreed there was a lesson to be learned from both instances.

“I don’t check my bike that much.

“I just had to pedal harder I guess to get the win.”

Next he is preparing for the South Island Schools’ MTB Championships to be held at Mt Hutt on March 27-29 and which will cover cross-country, downhill and enduro events.

“That’s what I’m training for right now,” he said.

Blundell is also gunning for the National MTB Championships to be held in the Northland town of Paihia in October.

Although he is showing a dedication to training and doing well in events, the young rider is taking things in his stride rather than setting lofty goals.

How he performs in upcoming events will offer a long-term gauge.

“It depends if I get in the top three for the nationals and then I will start thinking about it more."

By Adam Burns © The Ashburton Guardian - 29 February 2020