‘Great to be back’: Rebecca Henderson returns to roots for Nationals

When Rebecca Henderson lines up at the GWM Mountain Bike National Championships this weekend, she’ll be the clear favourite.

The nine-time elite XCO, three-time XCC national champion has been Australia’s queen of cross-country for the last decade.

Henderson has won national titles in Thredbo, Maydena, Bright, Armidale, and even an under-23 title in her hometown of Canberra.

This week, she’ll return to a place where she honed her racecraft as a teenager.

The 2024 GWM Mountain Bike National Championships will be held over six days in the Lake Macquarie region of New South Wales, with the cross-country events taking place at Awaba Mountain Bike Park.

As Henderson revealed in a post by the host club, Hunter Mountain Bike Association, those trails hold special memories from her junior days.

Rebecca Henderson, Australian XCO cross-country mountain bike national champion. Picture: Hixit.

Henderson in action the AusCycling XCO National Series. (Photo: Hixit)

“The National Champs is always the most anticipated and prestigious race on the Aussie calendar,” Henderson said.

“It’s the one race per year that all of the country's best riders line up. It’s the race that still, after so many years, makes me nervous and excited and forces me to bring my best to the start line.

“I’m excited to be back to race in Awaba; I spent years racing the NSW state rounds here from U15s. It will be great to be back!”

Despite reaching the top echelon of the sport, with five UCI World Cup wins and two World Championship medals to her name, Henderson has not lost her appreciation for grassroots riding.

“Hopefully the locals will be happy to have us and will be out there racing alongside us or cheering us on,” Henderson said.

“Local clubs are super important in events like this as we can only say thank you for hosting!”

Henderson has begun her season in great shape, winning the XCC and XCO races at the HERO Abu Dhabi Hudayriyat Island event last month. She followed up with another double victory at the AusCycling XCO National Series in Canberra.

Rebecca Henderson on the podium of the 2023 AusCycling MTB National Championships in national champion jersey. Picture: Matt Rousu

Henderson will be favourite to add a 10th national XCO title on Sunday. (Photo: Matt Rousu)

Come Sunday, Zoe Cuthbert will again be one of Henderson’s main rivals. Cuthbert has finished second to Henderson in the last three national championships, and another podium place is within reach.

Cyclo-cross national champion Katherine Hosking will also be challenging for a top result, having finished fourth last year in XCO and taking bronze in XCC.

Sadly, Bendigo duo Peta Mullens and Elizabeth Nuspan have scratched themselves from the start list, but Kathryn McInerney and Ella Bloor will return to Nationals after solid campaigns last year.

The championship courses won’t be revealed until practice starts on Wednesday, but we know the XCO course will be 5.1km long with 107m of elevation gain. Most of the climbing comes in the first half of the lap, including one main hill about 500 metres long.

“We’ll be using some of the new trails the club has been busy cutting,” said AusCycling Event Operations Manager Ian Harwood in an interview with Flow Mountain Bike.

“There is also going to be a really interesting start loop, where they’ll go from the start line and actually run straight through the expo space – so it will be like, ‘hello, everyone, stand back.’

“It will be great for the spectators.”

Meanwhile, the Elite Men’s field will feature defending dual champion Sam Fox lining up against perennial contenders such as Daniel McConnell, Brendan Johnston, Scott Bowden and – despite retiring two years ago – Jared Graves.

2024 GWM Mountain Bike National Championships

Location: Awaba Mountain Bike Park, Lake Macquarie, NSW
Dates: March 12-17, 2024
More information:2024 GWM Mountain Bike National Championships

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The 2024 GWM Mountain Bike National Championships are proudly supported by Lake Macquarie City Council, and the NSW State Government through tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.

Feature photo: Hixit