Southlander helps team sprint break national record - twice
“They are all first-year riders at the junior level. They have soaked up the lessons and will be back stronger next year."
The opening day of the UCI 2023 Junior Track Cycling World Championships in Cali, Colombia proved busy for the New Zealand team with lots of positives, but without yielding medals.
In the mix were Southland cyclists Caitlin Kelly, Magnus Jamieson, and Marshall Erwood.
Leading the way was the young combination of Meg Baker (Christchurch), Jodie Blackwood (Cambridge) and Kelly (Invercargill) who smashed the national record twice in the team sprint.
New Zealand qualified fifth fastest in the women’s team sprint with Baker, Blackwood, and Kelly clocking 51.354s to beat their national record set at the Oceania Championships by more than half a second.
They finished just 0.11s off fourth fastest and a direct chance at the medals. In the first round they were edged by hosts Colombia by just 0.2s but in recording 50.365s, they smashed their morning record by full second.
While their time was the fourth fastest overall, it did not qualify them for the bronze medal ride, settling for fifth, but making significant improvement.
“They are all first-year riders at the junior level. They have soaked up the lessons and will be back stronger next year,” said lead coach, Elyse Fraser. “They were the only team of first year riders here and they are now looking forward to the individual sprint competition tomorrow.”
The men’s 4000m team pursuit quartet of Marshall Erwood, James Gardner, Austin Norwell, and Matthew Davidson clocked 4:08.375 to be third fastest in qualifying behind Italy, who were the class of the field in 3:58.532, and Germany.
The Germans proved too strong for New Zealand in the first round ride, with Magnus Jamieson slotted in, as the group clocked 4:08.111, a shade faster than their morning ride.
They just missed out on a bronze medal ride, finishing sixth fastest overall, while Germany will ride off against Italy in the final tomorrow.
“The men’s team pursuit rode strongly this morning and put themselves in contention for the gold medal ride by placing third, but didn’t quite have the lift in the ride against Germany.
“They are a young and relatively inexperienced team but did us proud by qualifying fast and then went out to go for gold this evening. They have progressed so well over our camps and have laid good foundations for the future.”
Earlier Georgia Simpson was sixth in qualifying for the women’s scratch race and went on to finish 12th in the 30-lap final won by Australian Nicole Duncan.
“Georgia had a good scratch race, with her chances affected by several crashes in the last five laps. However her focus is the omnium in two days, and therefore she felt good getting the legs going after a big road block in Europe.”
Day two sees Kelly and Blackwood in individual sprint qualification and Norwell in the scratch race.