Dean and Buchanan kick start 2015 BMX season with a bang

Jan 02, 2015

Written by Bart de Jong

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World number four Anthony Dean and golden girl Caroline Buchanan have taken out the opening round of the BMX Australia National Series at Nerang on the Gold Coast. Dean employed an energy saving tactic throughout what was a long, hot and humid day to perfection to storm victory in the men’s final from fellow Rio Olympic hopefuls Bodi Turner and Josh Callan.

In the elite women’s event, world number one Buchanan was too good for Western Australian surprise packet Kirsten Dellar and American Olympic finalist Brooke Crain (@brookecrain32).

In the men’s event Turner had looked the man to beat throughout

the day, winning all six races leading into the final whilst Dean sat back, content to get through each round with a minimum of fuss. “I’m pumped, it was my goal just to come here and get the win today,” Dean said. “It was a long, hot day but I got the job done and I can’t be happier. It was definitely the tactic (to conserve energy). It was a long, hot day and I was just trying to pace myself, know that I was fast enough. It’s definitely the last one that counts, I was just saving energy and doing what I needed to do to win the final.”

Dean said he had matured as an athlete over the last few years as he developed into a world-class athlete. “I think you definitely mature as you climb through the ranks and I am more confident in what I have to do.”

Buchanan had been pushed all the way to the final turn by New Zealander Chelsea King before the Kiwi crashed to the asphalt attempting a last ditch passing manoeuvre on the Australian champion.

The Canberra-based Buchanan said she was elated to get the year off to a positive start and signalled her intentions to continue her winning ways. “I’m really happy with that win,” Buchanan said. “Last year I managed to actually drop the first round here so my goal this year was to try to not drop the first round and try (and) have a clean sweep all the way through the season.”