Masters Cyclists Enjoy Record-Setting Track Cycling Championships
Canterbury’s Andy Beale nearly produced the perfect book-end to a record-breaking week at the Masters Track Cycling National Championships at Invercargill.
Beale opened the three-day championship at the SIT Zero Fees Velodrome with a brilliant New Zealand record in the individual pursuit, and after a daring effort to lap the field, came up just one point short of winning the final points race.
The championship proved to be highly successful with Masters riders, over 35 years, competing on their own instead of with younger age groups, which allowed provision for more events to better align with international events.
Beale set things alight on the opening night when he broke the national record in the men’s 50-54 years 2000m individual pursuit, clocking 2:22.334. This broke the record recently set by former international Tim Pawson by 0.15s in qualifying, and lowered it again to 2:20.515 in winning the final.
There were a number of nail-biting finishes in the pursuit finals with Penny Thompson (Canterbury) edging Renita Vanderhelm (Wellington) in the women’s M4 (50-54yrs) by just 13/100ths of a second winning in 2:43.524.
The multi world champion Colin Claxton (Auckland) took out the men’s M8 (70 years plus) in 2:38.610, by just 0.2s over prominent Canterbury rider Graeme Litt who trailed by over three seconds at the halfway mark.
The Southland pair of Ruth Whelan and Nicola Stevens won women’s team sprint in 39.760s by just 4/100ths of a second over the Canterbury combination of Fiona Bennetts and Jacqui Whiting with Waikato BOP claiming the men’s team sprint over Auckland.
Waikato-Bay of Plenty’s Antony Brown stole the limelight on the second day, setting a new national record in the 500m time trial, clocking 35.710s. He went on to win the keirin and scratch race in his M4 (50-55yrs) age group.
Other time trial winners included Russell Scott (Auckland) who clocked 35.710s to win the M7 (65-69yrs); Ruth Whelan from Southland won the women’s M3 (45-49yrs) in 37.549s; Julie Graddon (Waikato BOP) claimed the M6 (60-65yrs) title in 40.642, while Fiona Bennetts (Canterbury) claimed the M1 (35-39rs) time trial in 30.368 on the won to winning the keirin and scratch race titles.
The records kept tumbling even on the final day with new marks set in qualifying for the sprint, led by Russell Scott (Auckland) who set the new time in the M7 (65-69yrs) with 11.832; Litt was in the action recording 12.743 in 70-75 yrs; Roger Bates (Tasman) 14.454 in 75yrs plus; Tim Chai (Wellington 11.846 in 35-39 yrs; Bennetts 12.617 (35-39) and Whelan 12.503 (45-49).
Scott (C3-4) went on to claim the sprint final over Stephen Wood (Canterbury) 2-0 while Brown won the category 1-2 final over fellow Waikato BOP rider Many Robson in two straight rides.
In the women Whelan (Southland) won the category 1-4 final over Bennetts also in two straight rides in the best of three final.
The points races provided plenty of drama with Southland’s Nicola Stevens prevailing by the narrowest of margins to win the category 1-4 points race with just two points separating the podium.
The men’s category 3-4 points race over 10kms went to Neil Familton by a single point over Graeme Bunn (WBP) who won the double points final sprint, while the category 1-2 points over 15kms was went to Chris Allington by one point with second place in the finals print over compatriot Beale, who lapped the field earlier.
Canterbury claimed the Points Shield from Auckland and Southland. Final points were: Canterbury 120 Auckland 65 Southland 51 Waikato BOP 47 Wellington 31 Otago 7 Tasman 6 Mid South Canterbury 2.