New Zealand rider Ellie Chew has claimed a top-10 finish in the opening round of the UCI BMX Freestyle World Cup in Hiroshima, Japan.

The Paraparaumu rider qualified 14th of the 24 riders to go through to the semifinals, headed by Great Britain’s Charlotte Worthington.

Chew improved in her semifinal with 74.75 points in 10th to progress to the final, with the 17 year old American star Hannah Roberts topping the semifinals list with 90.00 points.

The New Zealander produced a consistent performance in the finals to be 10th overall with 67.25 points, with Roberts winning on 91.25, blowing away the competition by seven points to the runner-up.

Chew is currently 10th overall on the world rankings, with nine spots ultimately up for grabs when the sport makes its Olympic debut in Tokyo next year.

Roberts won the title in Hiroshima in 2018 and went on to win the world cup series for the second year in a row.

This year’s event in Hiroshima saw a record number of women with over 40 competitors.

The qualification period for nations to earn quota spots for Tokyo began in November 2018 and runs to May 11, 2020.

CAPTION: Ellie Chew competes at the UCI BMX Freestyle World Cup in Hiroshima, Japan (Photo credit: Naoki Gaman).