first turn as rival and former world championships silver medallist Lauren Reynolds attempted a powerful passing move that brought her crashing to the dirt.
Minutes later Frieswyk, a shock national champion in 2013, stormed home from fifth on the last turn as first world champion Sam Willoughby, then last year’s world number four Anthony Dean, national series champ Bodi Turner and finally teenager Kai Sakakibara all slid out and fell on the final berm.
Frieswyk defeated Alex Cameron and Joey Graham, whilst Buchanan beat home Melinda McLeod and Rachel Jones.
It appeared as though the men’s race would go to script as Willoughby showed the form over the first three quarters of the race that has made him the world’s most feared rider but with Dean hot on his heals his hopes for consecutive national titles were dashed in a split second.
Frieswyk’s victory came for the second time in three years after sport’s biggest names had crashed in front of him but at the risk of being labelled BMX racing’s Steven Bradbury, the Rio Olympic hopeful said he’d take the win any way he could.
“I can’t believe it really. It’s happened again. I’m speechless,” Frieswyk said.
“I guess there was a lot of luck in that race but you had to play smart with the corners being a bit wet and with the guys just going so hard maybe they forgot what was going on and slid out.
“Myself and Kai (Sakakibara) tried to slip through the gap and I was the one who was lucky enough to get around the top and come out in front.
“You have to be in it to win it in this sport and any number of guys on that gate at the moment can. If you’re the Olympic silver medallist, a world champion, the newcomer coming up like I was two years ago when I won it, you’re a chance.
“This time I was a little bit more confident I was in they’re a little bit better and things play out how they do.”
Frieswyk, who flies out to Papendal in the Netherlands tomorrow for the next round of the UCI BMX Supercross world cup event, said the victory was a shot in the arm for his Olympic prospects.
“The Olympics, that’s the goal, the big picture and this is just one little step towards it,” Frieswyk said.
“Hopefully it gets me that little bit closer to my dream of being in Rio.”
If Frieswyk’s victory was an upset of sorts, Buchanan’s wasn’t, particularly once Reynolds had hit the deck.
“I’m really happy. It was a pretty long day and waiting right to the end it’s great to get the win,” Buchanan said.
“It’s a huge honour to wear the Australian sleeve around the world and ride for the nation so I wanted to win that back and hold onto the national title.
“I knew today I was going to have to ride a smart lap. These turns were so unpredictable and I’ve known from my mountain biking to lower the centre of gravity and not panic on the exit.”
In the junior elite men’s event, prodigy Brandon Te Hiko proved too good for Shane Rosa and Joshua McLean. Many in the sport see Te Hiko as having the potential to go all the way to the top and his victory today was one of controlled aggression.
The corresponding women’s event saw Tyler-Lea Thorley claim the biggest win of her burgeoning career with a comprehensive win over Clare McNamara and Rachel Gaskin.
World number one Caroline Buchanan and rising star Corey Frieswyk have claimed the elite titles at the Subaru BMX National Championships at the Sleeman Sports Complex in Brisbane. Racing at dusk on an extended day of competition following the shocking weather that enveloped Brisbane the previous day had forced the postponement of several events, Buchanan and Frieswyk mastered the tricky, greasy track best.
In the women’s race, Buchanan held her mettle coming out of the
After doing a BMX 'zine for ten years (1987 - 1996) FATBMX made it on the internet. The year was 1998. Here to stay.