Grant Bluett and Hanny Allston stamped their authority on the final series of selection trials for 2005 WOC in Japan in August. Grant showed selectors his winning form in yesterday’s sprint Race at Hepburn was no fluke. Bluett’s 38-second win today over Dave Shepherd and a further 2 minutes to fast-improving Julian Dent will be tested tomorrow in the final middle-distance trial at Mt Egerton. Hanny Allston ran smoothly and within herself to post an impressive 3 minute 20 second win over Jo Allison, with a further 3 and a half minutes to Tracey Bluett.

A great down-under spirit was evident at the finish as the New Zealand WOC team competed alongside their Aussie mates. Best of the Kiwis was evergreen Tania Robinson, third behind Allston and Allison in the women’s race, while Chris Forne was the best of the Kiwi men 41 seconds behind third-place Julian Dent. In the ANZ Test Match the Aussies who held a good lead after yesterday’s sprint race, posted a narrow 19-17 win in the men’s but NZ convincingly won the women’s race 21-15. Australian team selection for Japan will announced next Wednesday (1 June) on this website.

Blake Gordon

Men’s Classic

1 Grant Bluett AUS Australia 110:43
2 David Shepherd AUS Australia 111:21
3 Julian Dent AUS Australia 113:51
4 Chris Forne NZL New Zealand 114:32
5 Rob Preston AUS Australia 116:31

Women’s Classic

1 Hanny Allston AUS Australia 82:15
2 Jo Allison AUS Australia 85:35
3 Tania Robinson NZL New Zealand 86:32
4 Tracy Bluett AUS Australia 89:02
5 Rachel Smith NZL 90:50