While the not-young Jake Stow (38), Wouter De Maat (52) and Michael Harte (55) respectively wrapped up the long course, short course and walk in the Shoe Clinic Mountainbike Series at Rabbit Island yesterday, youth triumphed in the women's sections of the event.

Having missed race one thanks to national competition, 17-year-old Josie Wilcox's win couldn't gain her the series crown in the long event. That went to yesterday's second-placed Laura Hoffmueller. The 17-year-old German exchange concluded her year in Nelson in a high note, making a heartfelt speech in faultless English praising the region as a hotbed of great events. She should know, having won a fair share of them herself.

 The short race series was a cliffhanger for the women. Series leader Andrea Livingston's business concerns kept her away, so the stage was set for Karen Goodger (32) and Claire Erasmus (11) to battle it out. Goodger held a 40-second advantage going into the final race, but Erasmus led Goodger home by 1 minute and  7 seconds to take the title, but not the race.

That was won by 10 seconds by 13-year-old Pip Dalley, who also won race two but didn't compete in the series opener.

Rebecca Wasley marched off with the series crown in the women's section of the walk event.