‘Chumpy’ had won his opening heat and was feeling confident but he could only manage fourth in his quarter-final. The top three advanced to the semis.

“It is tough, I was ready for that today,” he told Channel 10 after the race. “It is pouring rain …the track has changed a lot, things have changed in size. It threw everyone this morning, including myself.”

Countryman Cam Bolton fared better, qualifying for the semis after winning his quarter-final, but he crashed out after leading in the early stages.

He then contested the small final, but crashed again, and was unable to finish.

Highly rated 18-year-old Jarryd Hughes also went out at the quarter-final stage.

France’s Pierre Vaultier won what was supposed to be Pullin’s gold. Russia’s Nikolay Olyunin took silver and America’s Alex Deibold claimed the bronze.

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