There were some spectacular performances by Southland cyclists at the New Zealand Track National Championships, which took place in Invercargill from 1 to 5 March.
Hosted by Cycling Southland at the SIT Zero Fees velodrome, the event brought together some 170 of the country’s top track cyclists, ranging from under 15s to the top Elite riders.

Leading the way for Southland was Cycling Southland’s Marshall Erwood who claimed a spectacular three individual gold medals in the highly competitive under 19 men’s division. Erwood won the 1000m time trial on day one, followed by a win in the scratch race on day three, and the elimination race on day five. He also took gold as part of the Cycling Southland U19 men’s team sprint, alongside Jesse Willis and Magnus Jamieson.

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Adding to his four gold medals, he claimed a further two individual silver medals, in the individual pursuit and the points race, as well as a silver in the open men team pursuit with Willis, Jamieson, and Tom Kerr. The Cycling Southland team also claimed the trophy for the first under 19 team in the team pursuit.

Erwood was awarded the trophy for the highest combined points total in the under 19 men’s division as well.
There were also spectacular performances from Lily Keast, riding in the colours of Canterbury Track Cycling, as she claimed five individual gold medals in the under 15 girls division, winning the elimination race, the 500m time trial, the derby, the points race, and the scratch race. She also teamed up with Emma Crawford of Canterbury to claim the under 15 girls team sprint title.

Cycling Soutlhand’s Riley Faulkner produced some spectacular performances as well, wining the under 17 girls 500m TT in a time just 0.05s off the national record. She also qualified fastest in the under 17 girls sprint, eventually taking the silver medal, showing herself to be a rider with great potential for the future.

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Another highlight was the return to the track of Cycling Southland’s Hayden Strong, who has been racing on the road in the United States and Europe over the last couple of years. Strong ended the competition on a high note, taking gold in the Elite men points race, the final event on the programme. He also claimed silver in the scratch race earlier in the week.

Benson Boys, riding for Cycling Southland, produced some great results at his first national championships, taking gold in the under 15 boys scratch race, silver in the 500m time trial and the team sprint (with team mate Oliver Keast), and bronze in the derby and the points race.

There was also a gold medal for para cyclist Connor Douglas in the 1000m time trial, before he combined with his G Force team mates Ronan Shearing and Charlie Tinoai to take bronze in the elite men team sprint.

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There were also some fine performances for Finn Edwards, representing G Force Cycling Club, with gold in the under 17 boys points race and scratch race, as well as silver in the 500m time trial and team pursuit, and bronze in the team sprint.

Caitlin Kelly, riding for G Force, claimed gold in the under 19 women elimination race, and silver in the scratch race, individual pursuit, 500m time trial, and team pursuit as part of a composite team, as well as bronze in the Keirin and points race.

There was gold for G Force’s Conrad Clark in the under 19 men Keirin, as well as a silver in the team sprint as part of a composite team, and bronze in the sprint.
Liam Ramsey claimed another gold for G Force, winning the U19 men sprint, and taking bronze in the Keirin.

Emily Forsyth and Zadie Scott claimed gold in the under 17 girls team sprint, riding for G Force, while Ciara Kelly was part of the composite team that claimed gold in the Elite women’s team sprint. Cycling Southland’s team of Jess Spencer, Geertien Venter, and Nicole Marshall took the silver medal, and was the top club team in the competition.

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Marshall also took silver in the Elite women’s sprint, and bronze in the Elite women’s Keirin. Marshall and Venter qualified second and third fastest in the Elite women’s sprint respectively, with a mere 0.01 seconds separating the two. Venter’s time of 11.886 would be truly world class in her age group, given that she could be racing in the masters women 40-44 age group, but chooses to race as an Elite.

Full medals table for Southland riders:

Day 1:
gold – Marshall Erwood (Cycling Southland) – U19 men 1000m TT
gold – Lily Keast (CTC) U15 girls elimination race
gold – Lily Keast (CTC) – U15 girls 500m TT
silver – Hayden Strong (Cycling Southland) – Elite men scratch race
silver – Magnus Jamieson (Cycling Southland) – U19 men 1000m TT
silver – Benson Boys (Cycling Southland) – U15 boys 500m TT
silver – Alana Breen (GForce) – Elite women 500m TT
silver – Caitlin Kelly (GForce) – U19 women 500m TT
bronze – Oliver Keast (Cycling Southland) – U15 boys 500m TT

Day 2:
gold – Lilly Keast (CTC) U15 girls derby
gold – Connor Douglas (GF) Para men 1000m TT
gold – Finn Edwards (GF) U17 boys points race
silver – Riley Faulkner (CS) – U17 girls sprint
silver – Caitlin Kelly (GF) U19 women pursuit
bronze – Benson Boys (CS) U15 boys derby

Day 3:
gold – Marshall Erwood (CS) U19 men scratch
gold – Conrad Clark (GF) U19 men Keirin, bronze Liam Ramsey (GF)
gold – Lilly Keast (CTC) U15 girls points race
gold – Finn Edwards (GF) U17 boys scratch race
silver – Nicole Marshall (CS) Elite women sprint
bronze – Benson Boys (CS) U15 boys points race
bronze – Caitlin Kelly (GF) U19 women’s Keirin, bronze U19 women’s points race

Day 4:
gold – Riley Faulkner (Cycling Southland) – U17 girls 500m TT – 0.05s off national record
gold – Benson Boys (Cycling Southland) – U15 boys scratch race
gold – Lilly Keast (CTC) – U15 girls scratch race
gold – Liam Ramsey (GForce) – U19 men sprint
silver – Marshall Erwood (Cycling Southland) – U19 men points race
silver – Marshall Erwood (Cycling Southland) – U19 men 3000m IP
silver – Emily Forsyth (GForce) – U17 girls 500m TT
silver – Finn Edwards (GForce) – U17 boys 500m TT
silver – Caitlin Kelly (GForce) – U19 women scratch
bronze – Nicole Marshall (Cycling Southland) – Elite women Keirin
bronze – Tom Kerr (Cycling Southland) – U19 men points race
bronze – Magnus Jamieson (Cycling Southland) – U19 men 3000m IP
bronze – Hunter Gough (Otago) – Elite men 4000m IP
bronze – Conrad Clark (GForce) – U19 men sprint

Day 5:
gold – Cycling Southland U19 men team sprint – Jesse Willis, Magnus Jamieson, Marshall Erwood
gold – Hayden Strong (Cycling Southland) – Elite men points race
gold – Marshall Erwood (Cycling Southland) – U19 men elimination
gold – Lily Keast (CTC) – U15 girls team sprint
gold – GForce U17 girls team sprint – Emily Forsyth, Zadie Scott
gold – Composite Elite women team sprint – Amelia Sykes (CTC), Mya Anderson (TASC), Ciara Kelly (GForce)
gold – Caitlin Kelly (GForce) – U19 girls elimination
silver – Cycling Southland Elite women team sprint – Jess Spencer, Tienkie Venter, Nicole Marshall
silver – Cycling Southland Open men team pursuit – Jesse Willis, Magnus Jamieson, Tom Kerr, Marshall Erwood
silver – Cycling Southland U15 boys team sprint – Benson Boys, Oliver Keast
silver – Hunter Gough (Otago) – Elite men points race
silver – GForce U17 boys team pursuit – Jonathan Blyth, Finn Edwards, Lachlan Kelly, Hamish Wallace
bronze – Cycling Southland Open women team pursuit – Nicole Marshall, Jess Spencer, Ruby Bath, Lucy McHutchon
bronze – GForce U17 boys team sprint – Jonathan Blyth, Finn Edwards
bronze – Composite Elite women team sprint – Sophie De Vries (TASC), Samantha Walker (CTC), Alana Breen (GForce)
bronze – GForce Elite men team sprint – Ronan Shearing, Charlie Tinoai, Connor Douglas

Southlanders Shine at Track National Championships

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