Champion XC rider targets NZ selection

National cross-country mountainbike champion Scott Barr is gearing up for a long stretch of secondary schools competition on the bike.

The 15-year-old, year 12 Waimea College pupil will head into three upcoming events with confidence and form after recently claiming the under-17 New Zealand Cross Country Cup.

This weekend, along with other competitors from the Tasman secondary schools catchment area, Scott will head to Dunedin to defend his South Island secondary schools mountainbike title.

Early next month the Tasman secondary schools mountainbiking competition takes place on April 10 at Codgers MTB Park in Nelson. That will be followed closely by the New Zealand secondary schools mountainbiking individual champs in Hunua, Auckland, where Scott will be looking to repeat his success of 2012.

The NZ MTB Cup was a series event, with riders assigned points in each of three races, and their results are tallied to give an overall score.

In races held in July and February, Scott came first in the Bluff competition, first in Wellington and took second in Auckland. This was enough for an overall victory.

Attending the same races was Nayland College's Olivia Miller. The 16-year-old, year 12 student came third overall, while the senior rider in the Nelson group, Tim Miller, finished in first place overall (Master 3).

At the one-off New Zealand Championship event held in Rotorua, Scott finished second and Olivia fourth. With regard to his recent success, Scott said he had been lucky in his young career to have other talented Kiwis of his generation on hand.

"I've been for a few casual rides with Anton Cooper and he has just won the world champs for New Zealand, and Nelson guys like Tom Filmer and all of them as well.

"It is quite good. With me being quite young and those guys having been off to the world champs they sort of give me advice and tell me what to do and what not to do."

The sponge for MTB knowledge said he believed his chosen pursuit was a growing sport in this country.

However he said the similarities and the crossover endurance traits for athletes makes it a perfect poaching ground for road cycling, as athletes look to make a career on the bike.

"New Zealand is quite strong in mountainbiking, we have some pretty good riders.

"But the only thing is there is not as much money in it as there is in road cycling and once people get to the top of under-19 age group, a lot of mountainbikers switch to the road. They just want to make a career."

Scott said his long-term goal was to make a career out of mountainbiking and to make the New Zealand Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games teams.

Scott said this year was about building his resume, so the New Zealand selectors would "take a look" at him for the under-19 team next year so he can attend some world cup events and build experience.

With titles in every event from regional to national secondary schools, the New Zealand champs and mountainbike cup, Scott is certain to be on the radar already.