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

Lachie Jemmett top scored for Ashburton College in a losing cause on Monday. Photo supplied.Ashburton College let Timaru Boys’ High off the hook in Gillette Cup action, crashing to a 26 run defeat in a low scoring encounter at the Domain on Monday.

Everything was going swimmingly for the AshColl 1st XI at the innings break, after they won the toss and knocked off the visitors for a meagre total.

However, the Timaru Boys’ High side turned the tables as they skittled AshColl for an even 100 in the 40th over.

It was a meek way to collapse for the hosts after they had Timaru on the ropes earlier in the day.

Timaru Boys slumped to 14/2 in the fifth over after both openers Liam Andrews and Toby Clemmett had been removed cheaply.

Flynn Linton and Caleb Donaldson stabilised the innings over the next five overs.

However chaos soon followed as Timaru Boys lost four wickets for 10 runs as the heart of their batting was ripped out.

Cameos from Fletcher Rhodes (23) and McGregor Isbister (33*) guided Timaru Boys past 100, however there was little to crow about elsewhere as AshColl wrapped the innings up in the 44th over.

The wickets were shared around the bowlers with Devon Flannery (2-10), Ben Middleton (2-21) and Angus Jemmett (2-27) the standouts.

Set 127 to win, it was a slow and steady start by AshColl’s openers, Flannery and Jemmett.

Flannery departed in the ninth over for 7, followed by Isaac Bazley two overs later.

Even at 34/2 AshColl remained in the box seat, but once Jemmett and Jonty Small were sent packing, the screws tightened.

Lachie Jemmett held up one end and repelled Timaru’s bowlers temporarily, however his batting partners all came and went swiftly as the hosts collapsed to 53/5 and then 85/8.

AshColl’s final glimmer of hope in the match went when Jemmett was dismissed for a fighting 23, the sole batsman to offer any resistance.

Ross McCullough finished the tail off as AshColl came up 26 runs short.

Alex Power and Caleb Donaldson were the pick of the Timaru bowlers, both claiming three wicket bags.

By Adam Burns © The Ashburton Guardian - 25 February 2020

Ben HollandAshburton College’s Dux of 2019 has ranked in the top 3 per cent nationwide for his areas of study last year.

Ben Holland passed his physics scholarship exam, and has been named as a 2019 Outstanding Scholar Award winner for accounting and economics.

Most notably, he achieved the Top Subject Scholarship Award for economics.

In addition to achieving a Level 3 Excellence endorsement in his five NCEA subjects, Ben sat scholarship exams in accounting, economics and physics.

These results place him in about the top 3 per cent of Year 13 students in the country who studied these subjects, and will see him attend the Top Scholar Award Ceremony which will be hosted at Parliament in May.

NZQA Deputy Chief Executive Assessment, Kristine Kilkelly, says that the New Zealand scholarship is regarded as the most prestigious secondary school award in the country.

“It is designed to challenge the very best students and offers financial rewards for those going on to full time tertiary study in New Zealand,” she said.

For his efforts, Holland will receive a scholarship of $5000 each year for up to three years of his tertiary study.

He is enrolled at Canterbury University to study a bachelor of commerce, majoring in accounting and finance, and has commenced his studies.

In achieving this success, Holland said would like to acknowledge the assistance he received from Ashburton College teachers Bryan Bell (physics), Clair Bedward (accounting), and Ange Mitchell (economics).

In turn, Ashburton College acknowledges Ben’s stellar academic career at college and the input of the teaching staff which enabled extension to this exceptionally high level.

A top result in New Zealand exceeds the word ‘impressive!’ the school newsletter said.

© The Ashburton Guardian - 17 February 2020